Navigating the Changing Media Landscape from Substack to GEO
The U.S. media industry finds itself at a crossroads as political influence, economic volatility and shifting audience behaviors reshape the media landscape. The result is a media environment no longer defined by centralized legacy institutions, but by fragmentation, adaptation and evolving consumption habits.
At HUNTER, we’ve been closely tracking the implications of these shifts. The ongoing instability among legacy media has driven many experienced journalists to forge their own paths on creator-based platforms such as Substack, podcasts, personal social media and newsletters.
As consumers increasingly seek out personalized, values-driven content, it’s opened the door for storytelling unfiltered by traditional editorial standards. While this shift offers new opportunities to connect, it also introduces a fragmented landscape where misinformation can more easily take hold.
We’re also witnessing a generational shift in media consumption. Younger, more diverse audiences view legacy media with growing skepticism, turning instead to social-first platforms like TikTok—where lifestyle creators often command larger, more engaged followings. Additionally, consumers are looking for ways to escape the fatigue of hard news by seeking out lifestyle content such as feel-good stories, entertainment, culture and sports—areas where legacy media continue to lead and grow.
With change comes opportunity—for us as earned media practitioners navigating this new landscape, and for our clients, who need new ways to reach audiences. Here’s how we’re adapting:
Navigating the fragmentation
With more channels, outlets and individual creators than ever to tap for storytelling, our approach to earned media must be even more surgical and intentional. Success isn’t just about knowing which outlet to pitch—it’s about understanding how to shape a story for each unique audience, channel and format.
Leaning into lifestyle and key cultural moments
We are prioritizing campaigns that center on optimism and escapism—an attractive combination for both journalists and audiences—in addition to leaning into larger cultural trends and moments with built-in audiences.
Redefining and broadening relationships
Earned media today demands we go beyond beat reporters at major legacy outlets. We must also cultivate relationships with newsletter authors, podcast hosts and digital content creators.
Optimizing for GEO
Media strategies must be optimized not only for SEO, but now GEO (generative experience optimizations), to ensure earned media results will be effectively interpreted by AI models. This includes ensuring press releases are written in clear, concise language that AI can easily interpret, and leveraging sources AI considers highly credible, such as industry trade outlets.
Looking ahead
As the landscape continues to evolve, our earned strategies must be more creative and deeply attuned to how and where audiences consume information. That means rethinking relationships, storytelling formats and even how content will be interpreted in the age of AI.
