In newsrooms the world over, the question of how to build relationships with younger audiences has become such a point of discussion that INMA has set up a Young Audiences Initiative, led by my wonderful colleague Kerstin Hasse.

She highlighted a few concerns editorial leaders typically have:

1. There is no single “silver bullet.” Newsrooms often look for “the one thing” (e.g., TikTok, one creator hire) they can do to win over young audiences. But young people are not one bloc. There are distinct segments with different needs, topics, and behaviours.
2. From awareness to relationship. Many young people feel more connected to personalities than to brands. On social media, creators feel personal and engaging, whereas on a news brand’s main sites or apps, audiences are often treated like traffic, not a community.
3. Product mismatch: social vs. core product. Creator‑style content on TikTok and Instagram is warm and interactive. The main product is often static, article‑centric, and non‑interactive, leading to disappointment when users click through. 
4. Balancing old and young audiences. News publishers must keep paying, older audiences happy while also attracting younger cohorts. The risk is you end up with a product that tries to serve everyone and satisfies no one.
5. Newsroom culture and the creator economy. Let’s face it: We can be skeptical of creators and vertical video; some editorial departments still see younger users as “uninterested in serious news.” There are also concerns about journalistic standards and creators who build their own brand and then leave. 
6. Media literacy in an AI environment. Young users live in vertical, hook-driven, fast video feeds — environments flooded with misinformation and AI-generated fakes. This makes media literacy crucial: Young audiences need the tools to navigate and critically evaluate content on these platforms. 
7. Monetisation and resources. Reaching young audiences requires innovation with longer-term, sometimes uncertain, returns. Organisations struggle to balance investing in future audiences while maintaining current revenue streams, a difficult trade-off amid tight budgets and staffing. 

Here are some possible solutions: 

1. Segment clearly and design around user needs. Define target audiences not just by age but by how they align with your brand identity and editorial mission. Ask: Who is our future reader?

Think behaviourally not just demographically by focusing on needs and habits rather than age brackets. Use the user-needs framework (e.g., “Help Me Understand,” “Connect Me,” “Update Me”) to guide strategy. Serving user needs well doesn’t just reach younger audiences — it attracts new audiences across demographics.

2. Bridge social to product and build community. Create intentional paths from platforms such as TikTok. Create explainer hubs, Q&As, and comment‑driven pages on your own products. Elevate low‑friction community features: better comments, visible reactions, and prompts like “How is this affecting you?” 

3. Port creator energy into the core product. Give key reporters profile hubs on your site with their stories, vertical explainers, and upcoming live sessions. Adapt article templates for young‑audience stories with a strong visual top, bullets, short explainers, and embedded vertical video. 

4. Anchor in brand identity, not new youth sub‑brands by default. Start from what your brand stands for and reinterpret it for younger life stages. Be cautious about launching separate youth brands that are hard to fund and sustain; where possible, evolve the core product with segmented surfaces. 

5. Use creator grammar without losing standards. Standardise hook‑driven, vertical, fast‑paced video formats while maintaining visible sourcing (e.g., attached source docs), clarifying roles (e.g., creator‑journalists vs. pure creators), and guidelines that balance personal brand and institutional brand. 

6. Measure the right indicators for young‑audience work. Track registrations, newsletter sign‑ups, app installs, repeat visits from younger segments — not just raw views. Monitor engagement by age and behaviour segment to ensure innovation doesn’t degrade loyalty among current payers. 

To follow Kerstin’s views, you can sign up for her newsletter here You can also catch a replay of her Webinar on vertical video here.

Did you miss our excellent Webinar on Trends in AI in Newsrooms? Never fear, you can watch the recording at your convenience here.

If you’d like to subscribe to my bi-weekly newsletter, INMA members can do so here.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .