Top editors, publicists and design professionals share what it takes to place a project in a magazine today—and how to tap into burgeoning digital media opportunities that can boost your firm’s profile.

For the better half of the past century, achieving a print placement in a glossy shelter magazine was a singular milestone in a designer’s career trajectory—the moment you earned the approval of the community’s gatekeepers of high design, thus cementing your standing in the industry at large. While that dream remains alive and well, today’s media landscape has evolved into something completely different, and at times bewildering. Print publications are shedding pages each year, with industry stalwarts and major digital media players alike diversifying their coverage opportunities in hopes of capturing the attention of an online audience that’s spoiled for choice when it comes to design content. Along the way, social media has spurred an emerging class of creators—including designers themselves—to become their own publishers, opening new pathways for showcasing design work.

To help design professionals who are hoping to publish their work, BOH spoke with top editors, publicists and digital media professionals to get a peek inside the ever-changing shelter media machine. They answer the most common publishing questions, offering tips for how any designer—armed with the right assets, a stellar pitch, a thoughtful strategy and a bit of luck—can land their dream project placement.