Traditional vs. New Media: Where Should Startups Focus Their Energy?

A founder sent me two screenshots last week that perfectly capture the modern media dilemma. The first: a feature story in Forbes about her fintech startup that generated 47 inbound sales leads. The second: a mention in Morning Brew that drove 15,000 website visitors and 340 newsletter signups.

"Which one was better?" she asked.

It's the question every startup faces: traditional media (think Forbes, TechCrunch, Wall Street Journal) versus new media (Morning Brew, The Hustle, industry newsletters). Different audiences, different engagement patterns, different business impact.

From working with hundreds of startups, patterns emerge about which approach actually drives results. The answer isn't what you think.

The new media revolution isn't coming — it's here

Let's start with some uncomfortable truths about traditional media consumption:

• Most millennials and Gen Z professionals get business news from newsletters, not newspapers
• The average Morning Brew reader spends 4.2 minutes with their content vs. 1.8 minutes on traditional news sites
• Industry newsletters have 3.5x higher open rates than general business publications
• Substack has more paying subscribers than most traditional business magazines have total readers

But before we declare traditional media dead, consider this: venture capitalists still read The Information religiously, enterprise buyers still cite Wall Street Journal articles in board meetings, and "as seen in Forbes" still opens doors that "featured in The Hustle" doesn't.

Traditional media: The credibility anchor

What traditional media still does better:

Institutional credibility: A Forbes feature still carries weight in boardrooms, investor meetings, and enterprise sales cycles. It's shorthand for "this company is legitimate."

SEO authority: Links from Forbes, TechCrunch, and WSJ carry massive domain authority. They can single-handedly improve your search rankings.

Investigative depth: Traditional outlets still have the resources for deep-dive reporting, complex analysis, and thorough fact-checking.

Cross-platform amplification: Traditional media stories get picked up by other traditional outlets, creating a multiplier effect.

New media: The engagement engine

Where new media destroys traditional outlets:

Audience intimacy: Newsletter readers have an emotional connection to creators. When Lenny Rachitsky recommends your product, his readers act on it.

Targeted demographics: Want to reach Product Managers? Product Hunt and First Round Review beat general business publications every time.

Higher engagement rates: Newsletter audiences actually read, share, and act on content instead of just skimming headlines.

Faster turnaround: New media creators can cover your news in hours, not days or weeks.

Direct response: New media readers are more likely to sign up for trials, download apps, and attend webinars.

What actually drives business results

From working with startups across both traditional and new media, here's what we've learned:

Traditional media strengths:

• Higher traffic volume per story
• Lower conversion rates but higher-quality leads
• Qualified leads with higher intent, longer sales cycles
• Brand credibility and significant search volume lifts
• Investor attention - stories often generate VC interest

New media strengths:

• Lower traffic volume but higher engagement
• Higher conversion rates to free trials/signups
• Faster sales cycles with higher close rates
• Community engagement - much higher social shares and comments
• Product feedback - significantly more feature requests and user suggestions

The pattern is clear: traditional media drives broader awareness and credibility, new media drives deeper engagement and conversions.

The smart strategy: Portfolio approach

The most successful startups don't choose sides — they build a portfolio approach that leverages both traditional and new media strategically.

Smart resource allocation:

Most startups should focus primarily on new media while maintaining some traditional media presence. Here's why:

• Efficiency: New media has higher success rates and faster turnaround
• Engagement: New media audiences are more likely to become customers
• Accessibility: New media creators are easier to reach and build relationships with
• Cost-effectiveness: New media often requires less formal PR processes

Traditional media serves as your "credibility insurance" — the coverage that opens doors, validates your market position, and provides social proof for bigger conversations.

The sequencing strategy:

Smart founders sequence their media outreach:

1. Week 1: Land traditional media coverage for credibility and SEO
2. Week 2-3: Leverage that coverage to pitch new media with "as covered in Forbes..." social proof
3. Week 4: Use the momentum for podcast appearances, newsletter features, and community engagement

Industry-specific recommendations

B2B SaaS: New media heavy (80/20)

• Focus on: SaaS newsletters, product management communities, developer publications
• Traditional backup: TechCrunch for major funding rounds, Forbes for thought leadership

FinTech: Balanced approach (60/40)

• Focus on: Finance newsletters, crypto communities, regulatory trade publications
• Traditional essential: Wall Street Journal, Financial Times for credibility with banks and regulators

Consumer products: New media heavy (85/15)

• Focus on: Lifestyle newsletters, TikTok, product hunt communities
• Traditional backup: General business publications for retailer relationships

Deep tech/AI: Traditional heavy (40/60)

• Focus on: IEEE publications, research journals, academic conferences
• New media support: AI newsletters, developer communities for broader reach

The future is hybrid

The lines between traditional and new media are blurring fast. Forbes has newsletters. Morning Brew has video. The Wall Street Journal has TikTok.

The winning strategy isn't choosing sides — it's understanding your audience, your goals, and your resources, then allocating accordingly.

The smartest founders treat media as a portfolio, with different outlets serving different purposes in their overall strategy.