Earlier this month, white smoke emitted from the top of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican announcing the news that a new pope had been selected to oversee the Catholic Church.  

Cardinals voting in the papal conclave have been burning ballots releasing black smoke from the Vatican since the 1400s. Starting in 1914, the Vatican began to release white smoke to announce the selection of a new pope. This was an effective way to share important news long before the dawn of newspapers, 24-hour cable and streaming news, social media and more. In present day, the news crews that flooded the Vatican to film and report on the color of the smoke to announce the new pope, as well as the many individuals who posted to their own social channels and publishing mechanisms, relayed the message to a global audience.  

From black smoke to white smoke to broadcast news to social media, the vehicles we use to share messaging and raise a brand’s profile are always changing. As public relations professionals, it’s our job to make sure we’re finding your audience where they want to be met—and likely they are all not standing patiently, waiting to hear from you in St. Peter’s Square. New channels are always emerging to open new doors to reach your audience. Consider the following as their own smoke signals, alerting brands and others to new media opportunities:  

Substack is evolving as a legitimate news source as media continues to split off from more traditional channels. Around for several years now, Substack continues to gain credibility as known thought leaders come onboard. Former CNN Chief White House Correspondent Jim Acosta joined Substack earlier this year after leaving the cable news network. The platform allows its users to publish and monetize online newsletters as independent journalists. It also provides a forum for live videos and podcasts. Shortly after launching his presence on Substack, Acosta welcomed 280,000 subscribers. According to New York Magazine, “Substack has escaped its humble newsletter beginnings to become a juggernaut collective of independent voices. If you’re looking to start a media operation, it’s now the place to do so.”  

Bluesky is a microblogging social media platform built on an open-source platform that allows users to move around among online apps. Unlike other well-known social media platforms, Bluesky does not report to one central authority giving posters more freedom and attracting new viewers with more than 30 million users as of last January.   

Open AI is working on its social media platform as well. While no official details have been released, the Verge reported the platform could be based on ChatGPT’s image generation capabilities and possibly integrate it into ChatGPT or launch as its own app. Open AI may benefit by using the data collected from its own social media platform to train its AI. With ChatGPT boasting more than 1 billion users in little more than one year since its launch, a social media platform would open the door to a sizable audience for those who post.  

A good PR professional recognizes and follows the growth and evolution of the media landscape to present opportunities for clients to reach new audiences. Meanwhile, savvy clients have an opportunity to gauge how best to leverage these new mediums to ensure their messaging reaches their target audiences. While not all will become the next LinkedIn, X, or Instagram, it’s critical that marketing and comms teams pay attention.  

Like the smoke at the Sistine Chapel hundreds of years ago, these platforms are informing your audience about your brand. With the help of a smart PR team, you can find the right channels to meet your audience where they want to be met and raise your visibility, credibility and if all goes as planned, indirectly sales.