Substack Marketing Is More Than Newsletters—It’s the Key to Reaching Today’s Most Engaged Readers

What Is Substack Marketing?

Substack launched in 2017, and started gaining popularity in 2020. At its core, Substack is a newsletter platform that allows creators to build loyal subscriber bases. The focus is on direct communication between the Substack author (the creator) and their readers (the subscribers). Optional discussion features allow audience members to interact with one another and creators, contributing to the potential to foster connection and community with this platform.

Substack marketing entails pitching to creators, leveraging paid/earned collaborations, and getting brand mentions in newsletters. Substack is known for cultivating close relationships between authors and audiences. The middle man — the editor — is removed from the equation in Substack, giving journalists the opportunity to tell their story, exactly as like. For brands, this means there’s significant value in Substack creators linking to or mentioning a specific product: they’re perceived as a trusted authority by subscribers, and their endorsement matters.

This demonstrates a clear strategy shift for marketing in general: from press release blasts to relationship-driven, creator-first outreach. Consumers would rather hear about a new product release or up-and-coming brand from a content creator they’ve been following and have learned to trust, rather than reading a blip about it from a top media outlet. Individual brands can also leverage this strategy to create their own Substacks to strengthen the consumer/brand relationship, positioning themselves as creators.

Why Substack Audiences Are So Valuable

Understanding the depth, niche appeal, and engagement rates

Substack readers are intentional — they opt in to receive content and often pay to support writers. Whether they sign up for free or paid subscriptions, readers choose to engage with specific creators and tend to stick with them over time. Engagement metrics are strong with this model: high open rates, time spent reading, and conversion potential. In fact, average Substack open rates exceed 50%, compared to ~20% for traditional email marketing.

Cult Followings and Targeted Reach

Substack is known as a space for creators to delve into niche topics that audiences will flock to. There are many Substacks with a niche but powerful influence: Hunter Harris’ Hung Up, a pop culture focused Substack that boasts over 178,000 subscribers; Dr. Cara Goodwin’s Parenting Translator that translates child development research into key information for parents with more than 20,000 subscribers; or The Quiet Life with Susan Cain that offers curated “quiet” lifestyle content to over 280,000 readers.

This type of marketing helps you reach exactly the right person — not everyone, but your people. Substack’s platform is uniquely positioned to help creators and brands reach their target audiences. The more specialized your topic, the more success you can expect. This is in stark contrast to more established strategies that tended to prioritize generalized messaging to speak to as many readers as possible. Here, it’s about speaking to the right readers, and delivering ultra-specific, meaningful messages.

Substack vs Traditional PR Placements

What does “ROI” actually look like in today’s media landscape?

A brand mention in a Substack will undoubtedly look different than one in a customary glossy of the past. While audience size may be smaller depending on the specific Substack, engagement and trust is likely much higher. Audiences trust creators more than media institutions—and are more likely to take action on a recommendation from a newsletter they chose to receive.

Which of these sounds more effective: Seeing an ad for a product pop up during a muted TV commercial break, or reading about a trusted author trying out an exciting new product in their weekly newsletter? Given the media-consumption patterns of today’s audiences, the latter is more organic and much more likely to result in a positive impression of the product in question.

Consumers would rather hear about a personal connection to a brand or product from an individual they have a vested interest in than see a static advertisement from a source they don’t have a relationship with.

Direct Traffic, Conversions, and Long-Term Brand Affinity

Brands are seeing more traffic and conversion lift from niche newsletters than from standard online articles. Newsletter audiences are more likely to remember and act on a personal story or product recommendation woven into content. If they hear about a facial cleanser as part of a Substack describing the author’s updated summer skincare routine, odds are it’s going to be more effective than a standard press release touting the benefits of the cleanser. It all boils down to consumer trust: right now, that trust is more likely to be placed in a creator than a company.

How LaRue PR Uses Substack Marketing Strategically

LaRue’s Relevance-First Approach

Instead of chasing headlines, LaRue focuses on impactful moments of visibility. We understand that for audiences, a mention in a bi-weekly newsletter can be more impressionable than a feature in a standard news article. To promote brand/consumer synergy, LaRue puts in the effort to identify the right newsletters for each brand — taking into account key factors like audience, tone, and relevance. With so many niche newsletters out there, it’s essential to find the ones that are best aligned with your brand’s core values and target demographics.

The Process Behind the Placement

LaRue has a three-step process to find the right placements for your brand.

• Research: Our first step is building a database of writers and niche topics that we can rely on to partner with our brands.
• Outreach: Once we identify potential newsletter matches, we pitch Substack creators like journalists — with a story, not a sales pitch.
• Collaboration: The final step involves working with creators on sponsored mentions, interviews, or product trials. This is an ongoing effort in creative collaboration, ensuring that both creators and brands feel heard and represented.

What Makes a Brand a Good Fit for Substack Marketing?

Evaluating Brand-Newsletter Alignment

A lot of care goes into determining whether or not a brand and newsletter align well. It’s essential to approach this from a place of audience-first thinking:

• Does the newsletter align with your niche, values, or voice?
• Is your product something a creator can personally vouch for or tie into a larger story?

The best fits for Substack marketing are often DTC brands, expert-led services, mission-driven startups, and products with a cult following potential.

Tips for Brands Looking to Break Into Substack Marketing

Best practices and actionable advice

• Build Relationships with Writers: Engage with creators you might be interested in working with by commenting, subscribing, and supporting their newsletter. This is the best way to begin building relationships with creators and lay a solid foundation for future partnerships.
• Make a Thoughtful Pitch: Pitch writers with a narrative—not a product sheet. For most Substack creators, creating content is an art, not a science. Storytelling is more important than statistics, so make your pitch count with this in mind.
• Think About the Audience: Consider what’s valuable to their readers, not just to you. Any Substack creator is creating with their audience in mind. You should frame your marketing efforts and potential collaboration in the same way.

Substack marketing isn’t about newsletters—it’s about trust, intimacy, and relevance. It’s where PR, creator partnerships, and brand strategy converge. For brands looking to cut through the noise, it's time to get in the inbox.
From identifying and pitching creators to executing a successful brand collaboration, LaRue PR can help you succeed with Substack marketing.