Why Small Voices Are the Big Opportunity

Note: Today’s newsletter is a guest post from Michelle Songy, the founder & CEO of PressHook. PressHook helps authors connect with PR opportunities, including journalists who are looking for expert commentary on their articles. You should sign up at PressHook today – you really should. And follow Michelle’s Substack!

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My dad always told me: when everyone’s looking right, look left. That’s exactly how PR feels right now. The smartest opportunities don’t come from Vogue or Forbes, they come from niche newsletters, indie podcasts, and voices you’ve probably never heard of.

For years, brands obsessed over glossy magazines or climbing SEO rankings. But that era is fading fast. The new golden era isn’t about access... It's about resonance.

Everyone wanted to be the next Wirecutter. But when every article is just a roundup optimized for SEO and affiliate commissions, the soul gets lost. Readers feel it. Trust erodes.

Case in point: the suitcase Wirecutter crowned “#1 carry-on” broke after three trips. Great for SEO, not so great for reality.

Meanwhile, indie voices are thriving.

• Hunter Harris's Hung Up is now essential celebrity coverage.
• Morning Brew went from a college email to a media empire (I remember meeting Alex at WeWork in 2019 when he was a team of one).
• Call Her Daddy started as a scrappy DIY podcast before turning into a $60M Spotify deal. 

These didn’t start as “big names.” They grew by being authentic, contextual, and deeply connected to their people.

Why Small Publishers Matter 

Here’s the reality: Google and AI search actually prefer original, human stories over SEO-stuffed affiliate content. And small publishers often have tighter communities, sharper voices, and more loyal readers.

Even better: writers move. The blogger you ignored today could be editing Forbes tomorrow. The Substack writer you dismissed may join The New York Times next year. And they’ll remember who respected them on the way up.

Wirecutter started as one guy’s blog before the NYT bought it for $30M. Into the Gloss was just a beauty blog before it became Glossier. Small doesn’t mean small forever.

And here’s the spark that led me to write this. In the past few weeks, at least three startup brands have complained to me that they’re “only” getting interest from smaller publishers and influencers. 

Here’s the hard truth: you have to start somewhere. You can’t expect the same coverage as a $100M brand right out of the gate. And those smaller creators? They grow. They build audiences. They move into bigger outlets. Turning your nose up at them isn’t just shortsighted — it’s self-sabotage!

AI Changed the Game for Storytelling

AI has flipped distribution. Tools like Perplexity and ChatGPT surface Substacks, podcasts, and niche blogs in ways that weren’t possible before. Being cited now matters more than chasing logos. Context, consistency, and cultural relevance win, and both AI and readers reward that.

A Media Operator reported that publishers like Forbes and CNN saw major drops in visibility in 2025 because of this shift. The playing field is leveling. 

Play the Long Game (or Lose the Short One)

The brands that win don’t treat PR as logo-chasing. They build cultural momentum.

Again, Glossier didn’t blow up because Vogue blessed it. It blew up because beauty bloggers created energy first.

Liquid Death didn’t start with a Wall Street Journal profile. It grew out of niche alt-culture coverage that snowballed into a billion-dollar brand.

TIP OF THE WEEK:

How to Win in This Golden Era

 Here’s the PR playbook shift:

• Pitch smaller, contextual outlets: Alignment beats scale. If you sell parenting gear, a mom-focused Substack is worth more than a generic lifestyle roundup.
• Invest in relationships early: Support indie writers now, before they land at legacy outlets.
• Think cultural weight, not quick hits: Ask not “Where can I get placed?” but “What story will people remember — and who will carry it forward?”

Smart brands aren’t chasing logos anymore. They’re building resonance with the storytellers who matter most.

 Till next time,

—Captain Hook