I have been a big fan of Mashable since day one, and it continues to be a place I check into daily (as well as a regular RSS subscription too).
So when the chance came up to talk one on one with Adam Ostrow, the editor over there at the social web juggernaut I couldn’t let the chance to pick through a Mashabler’s brain.
Mashable got its start being more based around the social networks out there, and since then has spun off into covering anything that is tech-worthy or Web 2.0ish related. Why the change what I guess you could consider a bigger tent?
Adam: I can’t really speak to our editorial policy pre-early 2007 or so when I joined up with Mashable, but I have to imagine the shift was due to the fact that there is just simply so much more going on in the space than social networking now.
First you had the tools that plugged into social networks – widgets and things of that nature – from companies like Slide, RockYou, etc. This was one of the initial trends that Mashable picked up on. Then, there were applications that integrated on a deeper level with social networks – starting with Facebook and its application platform, and now, most of the other big social sites too. Finally, now we see social features being integrated into virtually every type of Web service – from search, to maps, to mobile. So, I do think there is still a little bit of “social” laced into most of our stories, though, perhaps not as singularly focused on social networking sites.
Additionally, I think because our site has grown so much in terms of traffic and revenue, we simply have the resources to employ more writers and cover a broader arrange of topics relating to the Web – which is ultimately how we grow our business.
You have to get a lot of “Hey, will you talk about me!” e-mail requests. How many companies a day do you get e-mails from and think, “Oh no, not another one of these guys again…”?
Adam: I don’t actually think “oh, no …” too often, but the “I’m building a social network for [insert topic here]” pitch is getting tiresome. Nonetheless, occasionally you will see a really cool social network aimed at a specific niche, so it would be reckless as an editor to just automatically dismiss anything that at least a subset of our readers might find interesting. We get hundreds of emails per day though, so to standout, you really need to be doing something relatively unique, or offering a cool new spin on an idea that is already out there.
Which has been more at the source of Mashable’s growth, being linked to (or talked about) by the right people or having quality content?
Adam: It’s a combination of both. The links help not only because of the direct traffic they send, but because in the long-term, they improve your search engine rankings, which means you get more traffic from Google (and Yahoo, Ask, etc.). Quality content is what drives these links, so it’s a fairly obvious and rewarding circle in the long-term. That said, it takes years to build that up – Mashable was just Pete Cashmore for about two years before it started grow exponentially in 2007.
For those people out there who say, “I want to be the Mashable of ‘insert area of expertise here’” what advice do you have for them?
Adam: I think the most important part is timing. I think when Mashable started, Pete was in part making a bet that social networking was really going to take off, which, was still not a foregone conclusion in 2005. It’s no different than a new startup – not only are you making a commitment to working hard and doing something cool – you are also depending on the market becoming interested in the area you’re focusing on.
So, if you’re looking to start a blog right now that’s going to become big, I think you need to make a bet on a future trend – something you think is in its infancy and going to get really hot over the next few years. You could be wrong – but it’s a lot easier than starting yet another blog focusing on social networks, Web 2.0, gadgets, etc. There is always room for new commentators about topics that are already well-covered, but I think the battle to become one of the leading brands in a saturated space is a very uphill one unless you’re coming in with tons of contacts and money (for example, Silicon Alley Insider).
Do you feel that the “social” aspect of the Web is just getting started, reached its peak or is about time for a wheel chair and a retirement home?
Adam: I’m heavily biased since I depend on the continued growth of the space for both my day job (Mashable) and my various business interests (MindSay, ReadBurner), but I think we’re just getting started. Traditional media has only really caught onto “social” in the past 18 months or so (via acquisitions of Web 2.0 companies and their own homegrown efforts). For example, look at iReport, CNN’s citizen journalism effort. The biggest name in cable news is clearly committed to “social,” and that says something.
That said, I think there will be a shake-out of many of the “me too” companies, and we’re already starting to see that with startups joining forces to combine technologies and employees. But it’s hardly like the late 90s bubble where companies are going public and retail investors are losing their shirts betting on dotcoms.
I want to thank yet again Adam Ostrow for his time, and you don’t need me to go tell you to go and visit Mashable.com for more because like myself, your probably already a subscriber. From head to toe, Pete has a great team working for him.
