Jonah Peretti on Launching Huffington Post & BuzzFeed - Media Beat (3 of 3)

Summary

In this interview, Jonah Peretti, co-founder of The Huffington Post and BuzzFeed, discusses the early uncertainties of launching The Huffington Post and how blogging trends helped shape its success. He explains the initial strategy of using high-profile bloggers to attract attention and keep users engaged. Peretti also shares his experience building BuzzFeed, emphasizing the shift from search engine traffic to social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. He advises aspiring entrepreneurs to follow their passion and focus on what they are uniquely qualified to do, rather than following popular startup trends.

Takeaways

• 😀 Jonah Peretti worked at Huffington Post from the beginning but was unsure of its success initially.
• 📊 Peretti predicted a spike in attention when famous names like Larry David and Tina Brown started blogging for Huffington Post, which did happen.
• 🤔 He was cautious about recommending friends invest in Huffington Post until he saw the sustained traffic plateau after the initial spike.
• 💡 The headlines strategy helped Huffington Post retain users after the initial novelty of big-name bloggers wore off.
• 💼 BuzzFeed began as a lab for Peretti to experiment with unproven ideas that couldn't be implemented at Huffington Post.
• 📈 Peretti realized BuzzFeed had potential as a business and brought in investors like SoftBank Capital to help it grow.
• 🌐 BuzzFeed focused on internet culture and content shared socially, not relying on search engines like Google for traffic.
• 🔗 The rise of social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit created a viable business model for BuzzFeed to thrive through social sharing.
• 🚀 With increasing traffic from social media, BuzzFeed expanded into hiring reporters and content creators to make more content for the social web.
• 👩‍💻 Peretti advises aspiring entrepreneurs to build companies based on their passions and unique qualifications, rather than following trendy business models.

Q & A

What was Jonah Peretti's initial uncertainty about the success of The Huffington Post?

Jonah Peretti was initially unsure if The Huffington Post would be a big success. He even hesitated to advise a friend to invest in it because he wasn't confident the strategy would work.

How did blogging contribute to The Huffington Post's early growth?

Blogging played a crucial role in The Huffington Post's early growth. By featuring well-known figures like Larry David and Tina Brown as bloggers, the site attracted viral attention, particularly from the blogging community.

What was the key strategy for retaining visitors on The Huffington Post after its launch?

The key strategy for retaining visitors was using compelling headlines that encouraged people to come back to the site regularly. The blog attracted initial traffic, but the headlines kept people engaged and returning.

At what point did Jonah Peretti feel confident enough to advise his friend to invest in The Huffington Post?

Jonah Peretti felt confident enough to advise his friend to invest after monitoring traffic and seeing that the site maintained a significant plateau of visitors. This sustained interest made him believe it was a good bet.

What was the original idea behind BuzzFeed?

BuzzFeed was originally a lab for Jonah Peretti to experiment with ideas he couldn't implement at The Huffington Post. It started as a place to explore internet culture and new content models before evolving into a full-fledged media company.

How did BuzzFeed's focus differ from traditional media sites when it first launched?

BuzzFeed focused on internet culture and content shared through social platforms, while traditional media sites depended heavily on Google for traffic. BuzzFeed prioritized sharing through Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and other social sites.

Why did Jonah Peretti believe BuzzFeed had long-term potential as a business?

Jonah Peretti believed BuzzFeed had long-term potential because it tapped into social sharing, which was becoming more significant with the rise of platforms like Facebook and Twitter. This approach allowed BuzzFeed to thrive without relying on Google.

What advice does Jonah Peretti give to people who want to start their own media companies?

Jonah Peretti advises aspiring media founders to focus on what they are passionate about and uniquely qualified to do, rather than following trends dictated by tech blogs. He emphasizes building a company that reflects their personal strengths.

Why does Jonah Peretti caution against solely following advice from tech blogs?

He cautions against this because tech blogs often promote trendy business models that may not align with a person's strengths or passions. He believes it's better to build something true to oneself, as industry trends may change over time.

How did changes in web traffic patterns help BuzzFeed grow?

The rise of social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit allowed BuzzFeed to build a business based on social sharing. This shift away from Google dependence enabled BuzzFeed to grow its traffic and invest in more content creation.