Dive Brief:
- Launched in April 2014, Upworthy's native ad program has already generated over $10 million for the publisher.
- Big brands, like recent addition Starbucks, are coming to the native ad division Upworthy Collaborations because native ads perform 38 times better than the industry standard for social content.
- Despite being hit by Facebook algorithm changes, Upworthy Collaboration pieces topped 500,000 views and 100,000 likes.
Dive Insight:
Upworthy's metrics are not only impressive, but worth keeping an eye on as the site has tapped into something that clearly works—especially considering how difficult it can be to get traction with social and native campaigns. Upworthy's specialty is telling emotionally-charged stories, which proves that more niche publications can have an upper hand when looking for marketing partners for native campaigns. Other branded content partners include big names like Whirlpool, Gap, Holiday Inn, Pantene, Universal Pictures, CoverGirl, among others. Upworthy's director of revenue said that the site expects the upward trend in native programs to continue and they "couldn't be more excited for the year ahead," he told AdWeek.
