The digital media rollup dream is dead for the moment, as major companies like BuzzFeed, Vice, Vox, and Bustle Digital Group are all sharpening their focus to enhance core strengths. This shift in strategy comes after a period of rapid expansion across many different platforms and genres of content production. As these companies have grown larger over time they’ve come to realize that it’s not enough just to produce content – it needs to be quality content that resonates with their audience.
To achieve this goal each company has decided its best route forward is by focusing on what they do best: building strong brands around specific topics or areas of interest. For example, Buzzfeed has shifted from producing a wide range of viral videos and articles towards more long-form investigative pieces; Vice Media has moved away from creating short-form video clips for YouTube towards longer documentaries; Vox Media now focuses primarily on data journalism; while Bustle Digital Group emphasizes lifestyle coverage aimed at women readership.
By honing in on these core strengths each company can better differentiate itself within the crowded digital media landscape while also providing value through high-quality storytelling tailored specifically to its target audience’s interests and needs. In doing so, these organizations hope to create sustainable business models which will allow them to remain competitive in today’s ever-changing marketplace.
Read more at CNBC