Think of Substack as "a blogging platform with the discoverability problem solved".
We’ve spoken directly with two of Substack’s most senior UK leaders to understand how the platform is evolving and where it’s heading. In a Roxhill Q&A with Farrah Storr, Head of Substack International, we explored why writers are flocking to the platform, the most exciting new features, and the opportunities for PRs to engage.
More recently, we continued that conversation with Emma Rowley, Substack’s Head of News and Culture, to talk more about the platform’s growth and understand why Substack writers should now be on every PR’s media lists.
What is Substack?
Substack started as a newsletter platform but has evolved into a media empire that PRs can no longer ignore, hosting podcasts, videos, and live broadcasts, as well as articles.
One of the most important facets of Substack is that it has no advertising – Substack makes money by taking a 10% commission on paid subscriptions. Paywalled content is still at the heart of the business model.
As word rates fall across traditional outlets, journalists and other influential figures are increasingly turning to Substack as a way to make money and build their own loyal community.
Given the volatility of Instagram, TikTok and Facebook’s algorithms at the moment, one big advantage is that Substack allows writers to own their email database and their community – they can download their subscriber list and take it with them anytime.
One of the most important facets of Substack is that it has no advertising – the platform makes money by taking a 10% commission on paid subscriptions.
What should you know about the Substack audience?
- In March 2025, Substack announced that they had reached 5 million paid subscriptions. They won’t be announcing each additional 1 million paid subscriptions, but you can be sure that an announcement of 10 million paid subscriptions won’t be far off.
- More than 50,000 publishers make money on Substack, and the top 10 collectively bring in more than $40 million a year.
- More than 50% of all subscriptions and 30% of paid subscriptions on the platform come directly from the Substack network.
- There are tens of millions of total active subscribers across the network.
- More than 50 people are making more than $1 million a year on Substack.
- The Substack app has become the top source of growth for Substack publishers.
- The Substack audience is generally younger than the broadsheet audience.
How do I find relevant Substack writers?
You can now find the leading Substacks in every popular category by viewing the ‘Leaderboard’. The leaderboards are ranked by Annual Recurring Revenue. They’re the highest-earning publications in their category, recognising the consistent effort, quality, and subscriber loyalty required to build a high-revenue business on Substack.
They’ve also recently introduced a ‘Rising‘ category which highlights the fastest-growing publications within a category, based on paid subscription growth.
How do I analyse metrics on Substack?
Substack doesn’t release traditional metrics. It’s up to each individual Substack writer to choose how much of their data to share with third parties.
Here’s how PRs can judge whether someone has an engaged audience on Substack and decide who to work with.
- You can view the total number of subscribers on a publication’s home page. However, writers can choose to turn this off. This number doesn’t show you how many are paid vs free.
- Publications get a tick when they reach 100 paid subscribers.
- Publications change colour when they get to 1000 paid subscribers.
- They’ll get a tick if they’re a bestseller in their category. It will display its ranking if it’s a bestsellers (ie #3 in Politics)
- Look in for the “Rising” category to find up-and-comers, as mentioned above.
- To determine whether someone has an engaged audience, look at how many likes and comments they get on their posts, and how many people are interacting and liking, or sharing their notes on the feed.
- The publisher themselves will have a lot more information on their audience – they may choose to share that with brands or not.
- Substack writers don’t typically write for SEO or GEO and content isn’t usually found that way. You’ll be reaching their existing audience only.
Who are the names to know on Substack?
In our conversations with Emma Rowley and Farrah Storr, they pointed to a mix of influential figures and emerging creators leading the way on Substack.
Not all of them are trying to make money from paid subscriptions – some are there to build communities, some to speak more directly to their existing audience, and some just to be a part of the conversation.
Obviously, you won’t be sending press releases to Keir Starmer or Charli XCX, but we thought it was interesting to see the range of voices on Substack and how they’re using it.
Politics:
- Keir Starmer
- Sam Friedman – US political news and commentary.
- Aaron Parnus – Gen Z perspective on the news. Live video bulletins.
- Jim Acosta – former CNN White House Correspondent.
- Fraser Nelson – Times columnist and former editor of The Spectator.
News, features and sport:
- Bari Weiss – just sold her Substack empire, The Free Press, to Paramount for $150 million.
- Jim Waterson, London Centric – covers London news, previously at The Guardian.
- Henry Winter – sports writer.
- Harry Wallop – current Times journalist.
Finance:
- Michael Burry – one of the investors who was featured in The Big Short.
- Abby Foster – budget analysis and helping everyone understand finance news.
Culture, Books, and Interiors:
- Charli XCX
- Emma Gannon – books, work, wellbeing and creativity.
- Polly Vernon – columnist and feature writer for Grazia, The Times, The Observer.
- James Marriott – The Times columnist covering society, ideas and culture.
- India Knight – her Substack, Home, is #1 in design.
Fashion:
- Anna Newton – The Wardrobe Edit. One of the first to get major brands to sponsor her posts.
- Emma flagged this post by Anna Hart, a fashion influencer, who wrote about tips and tricks that have worked for her on Substack when building her audience.
- Alex Eagle – founder of Alex Eagle Studio.
Food:
- Ottolenghi
- Nicola Lamb – pastry chef and cookbook author who shares recipes.
Which brands are on Substack?
There’s a mix of media and consumer brands on Substack. Here are just a handful of examples:
Media brands:
Consumer brands:
Should my brand start a Substack?
Before you dive in, familiarise yourself with the ecosystem and tone of the platform. Start by creating a profile and sharing content on notes, before launching your own publication.
The key is having a strong point of view and interesting content. Consistency is really important, so decide what you can commit to. Don’t expect to drop one post and go viral. Posting weekly is generally a good cadence.
Generally, founders do best, as it’s better when it comes from an individual, rather than a faceless organisation. But what works for LinkedIn doesn’t work on Substack – the tone is more raw, and much less polished.
Remember that you can find an audience for almost any niche topic on Substack, so you can feel free to dive deep into policy issues, financial data, graphic design, or whatever your specialty is.
How should PRs approach writers on Substack?
The best way is in the platform, through direct messaging.
Be brave. Hard-to-reach journalists may be more receptive to PR pitches for their personal Substacks than in their roles at traditional media outlets. In terms of invites to press events, you can treat writers on Substack the exact same way as journalists.
However, it’s important to note that PRs should approach Substack writers with a more personalised, relationship-driven approach, rather than a transactional one.
It’s essential to demonstrate that you’ve read their Substack and really know the topics they write about. Outreach should be personalised and bespoke to each writer.
It also helps to become a paid subscriber – expense it! They’ll appreciate likes and comments, too.
Our three top tips for Substack success:
- The best way to engage with a writer is directly through the platform in direct messaging.
- Success is measured differently on Substack than in traditional media, as the platform doesn’t release metrics. It’s important to adjust your and your clients’ expectations accordingly.
- PRs should approach Substack writers with a more personalised, relationship-driven approach, rather than a transactional one.
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We’re with you, every step of the way
One login. Multiple solutions.
Roxhill’s all-in-one media intelligence platform will save you time, highlight your impact, and drive your business forward.
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