Contently

Contently is a New York City-based technology company with the mission of "building a better media world." To that end, Contently creates software that helps brands create and manage quality content and connect with freelance writers, photographers, and editors. Contently has a network of roughly 55,000 professional journalists, videographers, graphic designers, photographers, etc. Contently clients include American Express, Coca-Cola, Genpact, and TDAmeritrade. Contently clients are connected with Contently's freelancers through the Contently platform.

History

Contently was founded in December 2010 by Joe Coleman, David Goldberg, and Shane Snow with the mission of "making the media landscape better." Its initial product was a project management system that connected media publications, that wanted content for their websites, and freelance writers, who wanted to earn a living.[1]

In July 2011, Contently raised $335,000 in debt from the Founder Collective. This was shortly after TechStars had chosen Contently as one of 12 startups in its summer program in New York City.[2]

In January 2012, Contently closed a $2 million Series A round from Lightbank, the main investor in Groupon. It was also reported that Contently had shifted focus somewhat: whereas the publishers it had initially concentrated on were traditional media outlets, it was now concentrating more on brands.[3][4][5]

In January 2014, Contently raised a $9 million round, from Sigma Prime, Sigma West, Lightbank, Contour Ventures, and David Lerner. It also announced that its focus had expanded from their original goal of matching content creators with brands to developing software tools that would help brands manage their workflow so that they could select and feature better content.[6][7][8]

In early 2014, the company expanded from its original model to include content marketing software, services, and talent management.[6] In 2015 Contently opened offices in San Francisco and London.

In February 2016 Contently acquired Docalytics, a St. Paul-based content analytics company. [9]

Leadership

Contently CEO and co-founder Joe Coleman is a serial entrepreneur. Contently is the third successful company he has founded. Contently CCO and co-founder Shane Snow is an award-winning journalist, and author of the best selling book Smartcuts: How Hackers, Innovators, and Icons Accelerate Success. Joe, Shane, and their co-founder, CTO Dave Goldberg, were named 30 Under 30 by Inc. Magazine.[10]

Contently Media

As a way to market Contently, and prove the effectiveness of content marketing, Contently operates Contently Media. Contently Media publishes two digital publications: The Content Strategist, which is targeted toward marketers, and The Freelancer, which is targeted toward freelance creatives. Contently Media also publishes the The Contently Quarterly, a quarterly print publication. The Content Strategist was a finalist for best new publisher from Digiday.[11]

Nonprofit

The Contently Foundation is a nonprofit that funds investigative journalism. The Contently Foundation has co-published long-form, investigative articles with the Guardian, the New York Post, and more.[12]

Press

The New York Times published a detailed profile of Contently in November 2013, noting that the company's co-founder Shane Snow believed that Contently was helping create a sustainable model for freelance journalism, while also noting that the space that Contently was operating in was quickly getting crowded with new entrants.[13]

When covering Contently's S$9 million funding round in January 2014, TechCrunch wrote: "New York City-based Contently finds itself well-positioned to take advantage of the new era of brand publishing."[7]

In July 2012, Mashable published a video interview of Shane Snow, Contently co-founder, where he described his vision for the company.[1]

Adage featured Contently co-founder in an article titled Shane Snow Shares the Story Behind His Eight-Figure Storytelling Empire Contently in 2014. Reporter Michael Sebastian wrote "Contently is doing a brisk business licensing software to brands to help them manage content-marketing projects and connecting these companies with freelance writers, for which it takes a 15% fee."

Awards

References

  1. 1 2 Drell, Lauren (July 13, 2012). "Can This Startup Revolutionize Content Creation?". Mashable. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  2. ↑ Empson, Rip (July 18, 2011). "Contently Raises Seed Capital To Give Writers And Publishers An Alternative To Content Farms". TechCrunch. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  3. ↑ Jason Del Rey (January 6, 2012). "Contently Raises $2 Million to Play Matchmaker for Journalists and Brands Series A Led by Groupon Founders' Investment Firm". Ad Age. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  4. ↑ Popper, Ben (January 6, 2012). "TechStars Contently Raises $2 M. From Groupon Investor Lightbank". BetaBeat. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  5. ↑ "The Daily Start-Up: Lightbank Backs Contently To Help Freelancers". Wall Street Journal. January 9, 2012. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  6. 1 2 Fiegerman, Seth (January 15, 2014). "Contently Raises $9 Million to Double Down on Content Marketing". Mashable. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  7. 1 2 Empson, Rip (January 15, 2014). "With A Fresh $9M, Contently Looks To Position Itself At The Front Of The New Content Marketing Movement". TechCrunch. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  8. ↑ Kolodny, Lora (January 15, 2014). "Contently Raises $9M to Put Journalists to Work — In Marketing". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  9. ↑ http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/contently-buys-analytics-startup-tells-b2b-marketers-how-well-their-downloads-work-169710
  10. ↑ Dahl, Darren. "Helping Writers Find Gigs, for Real Money". Retrieved 5 November 2012.
  11. ↑ Bottger, Caroline. "The Atlantic leads Digiday Publishing Awards finalists". Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  12. ↑ Paul, Sonia. "How Contently's Content Marketing Funds Investigative Journalism". Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  13. ↑ Carr, David (November 10, 2013). "Marrying Companies and Content". New York Times. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  14. ↑ http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20150918/PROFESSIONAL_SERVICES/309189999/crains-names-2015-best-places-to-work
  15. ↑ Magazine, Entrepreneur. "The Success Secrets That Helped the 'Best Practicers' Land on the Entrepreneur360". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 7 October 2015.

External links

Official website

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