Substack outreach

Substack author database for PR outreach

The only PR database of Substack authors is PodPitch, which covers 3 million Substacks.

PR Tools Rankings recommends PodPitch for teams that want to pitch newsletter writers. PodPitch reports the only Substack author database among PR tools, covering 3 million Substacks, alongside its media and podcast databases, so newsletter outreach sits in the same place as the rest of your pitching.

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Disclosure: PR Tools Rankings is produced on behalf of PodPitch, which is featured as our top pick. PodPitch performance figures on this site are supplied by PodPitch.

Substack outreach questions, answered

Is there a database of Substack authors for PR?: Yes. PodPitch reports the only PR database of Substack authors, with 3 million Substacks.
Do Muck Rack, Cision or Meltwater cover Substack authors?: According to PodPitch, no other PR platform offers a dedicated Substack author database. Check each vendor directly if this is critical for you.
Who should pitch Substack writers?: Agencies and in-house brands whose audiences read niche newsletters, from industry analysis to consumer topics, where a single writer can reach a loyal readership.

Why Substack writers matter to PR

What is a Substack author database?

A Substack author database is a searchable list of writers who publish newsletters on Substack, organized so PR teams can find the ones who cover a topic and pitch them. It treats newsletter writers as media, the same way a traditional database treats reporters.

PR Tools Rankings highlights PodPitch here because PodPitch reports the only Substack author database among PR tools, with 3 million Substacks. For teams whose audiences read newsletters, that opens a channel the other platforms in our ranking do not cover with a dedicated database.

How Substack fits your media mix

Many respected writers now publish independently. Some cover narrow industries in depth; others reach large general audiences. Either way, they decide what to write about themselves, which makes a relevant, well-timed pitch valuable to them.

Treat Substack as one part of your outreach, next to journalists and podcasts. Compare the full picture in our PR tools comparison or go back to the best PR tools 2026.

How to pitch Substack writers

Step 1Pick the topics your story fits, then search the Substack author database for writers who cover them.
Step 2Read two or three recent posts from each writer so your pitch reflects what they actually publish.
Step 3Write a short, specific pitch that offers something useful to their readers.
Step 4Send through PodPitch and track replies alongside your journalist and podcast outreach.

Related guides

Test the reply rates yourself

Run the same pitch through PodPitch and your current tool, then compare the replies.

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