Question: How does the Infatuation make money? I see they've only raised $3.5mm in seed funding, but over the last few years, they've been blowing up the restaurant review industry.
Our main source of revenue right now is through partnerships with brands who we see as sharing in our values. We have always believed that by providing quality content and by keeping our partnerships no bullsh*t and to brands that gel with us and that we believe our users will legitimately be interested in, our user base would remain loyal and interested in what we and our brand partners have to say. That model has worked for us to grow well into profitability.
Our deals with partners are a combination of integrated content (API), events and branded content.
We respond to RFPs from brands with a proposal of how we would help them reach their goals and then execute it. Examples of brands we've worked with are Amex, Delta, Caviar, etc.
We never accept money from restaurants or groups representing their interests, something we really try to hammer home in our review ride-alongs on Instagram.
So would this be more of the original Buzzfeed model then where brands would get sponsored posts written for them, and then Buzzfeed would handle the marketing of said post?
Awesome news, and congrats to the Infatuation team. You guys have been killing it! Question, do you work with local marketers that share the same ideals? I run the largest food and cocktail promotion gig in Rochester, NY, that focuses on only the best. All photography, content, and relationships are handled solely by me. I won't post anything I don't love, so there is no negativity, and my followers expect that level of integrity. The scene has been growing hand over fist here, and it would be killer to get more coverage outside of the area.