Yahoo Brand In the Know Launches a New Commerce Vertical

This morning In the Know, a Yahoo title geared toward Gen Z and millennial audiences, announced the debut of its third section, In the Know Style, a fashion and beauty vertical that will feature original shoppable content. In the Know, which Yahoo launched in 2017 as a social video experiment and expanded into a publisher in February 2020, has grown 1,230% year over year, amassing almost 20 million unique monthly visitors, according to Comscore. The publisher focuses on providing shoppable content in a video-centric format and has grown rapidly on social media channels, where it now has 66 million followers and more than 1 billion monthly views across Facebook, Instagram, Snap, TikTok and Twitter. Its two existing verticals, In the Know Parenting and In the Know Cooking, have helped the publisher become an ecommerce destination. Its live shoppable content and commerce-centric programming have increased gross merchandise value 145% year over year, according to Andrea Wasserman, the head of global commerce at Verizon Media, which owns Yahoo. Wasserman declined to provide specific revenue figures. "Our strategy with In the Know is to bring entertainment-driven, authentic, shoppable content to younger audiences, which I also love because it's a great opportunity to amplify diverse voices," Wasserman told Adweek. In the Know Style content The debut of the new vertical coincides with the beginning of New York Fashion Week, and its programming at launch will include guides on how to recreate runway looks for less, copycat beauty hacks and other NYFW-influenced content. The vertical, like its two predecessors, encourages readers to shop by providing reviews, lists, sales notices and endorsements from celebrities and influencers. Articles like 7 Casual Blazers You Can Wear Back to the Office with Jeans, Dresses and More provide readers with inspiration, while the affiliate links peppered throughout the posts help Yahoo monetize the shoppers they are able to convert. In addition to pushing commerce, In the Know Shopping will also feature a number of original series: In The Know Beauty School with Patrick Ta; In The Know Hair School with Justine Marjan; In The Know Style Changemakers; Treat Yourself; and In The Know Upcycled. Another original series, In The Know Style, will include a weekly live-shopping show with Julia Webb that highlights rising designers and timely sales. In the Know uses familiar editorial formats to encourage readers to shop Diversity and sustainability In the Know has incorporated a diverse array of voices and profiles into its content since its inception, an effort it plans to continue with In the Know Style. Many of its new original series focus on providing beauty and haircare products for people of color, and its September digital cover features fashion designer Brandon Blackwood in conversation with Elaine Welteroth. The two discuss creating a more inclusive luxury market and Blackwood’s experience becoming a Black luxury entrepreneur. In the Know Style will also place an emphasis on sustainability, especially through programming like In the Know Upcycled. The series, led by sustainable designer Andrew Burgess, will guide viewers through transforming everyday items into trendy, innovative fashion pieces, in hopes of selling consumers on the wonders of upcycling. Shopping and data In the Know presents its material in familiar editorial formats, such as lists and explainers, but the majority of its content aims to convert readers into shoppers. Yahoo has pushed shoppable content in recent years, and across all its brands with affiliate links, commerce revenue has increased 124% year over year, according to Wasserman. Its consumer commerce business increased 84% year over year compared to Q2 2020. The design of the website, with its emphasis on affiliate links, product reviews and sales alerts, underscores its status as a commerce play, said Lee Goldberg, the founder of website design firm Happy Cog. Its bias toward shoppable commerce means the site will help Yahoo convert search traffic into affiliate revenue and serve as a storefront that other Yahoo properties can direct their readers toward. “The site is an interesting hybrid of editorial and commerce,” Goldberg said. “When a user lands on a page, its intent becomes clear: the purpose is to shop. But that’s not to say it’s not valuable content.” In the Know can also help Yahoo capture valuable data about its site visitors, thanks to the level of intent its articles convey. When a user visits an article that suggests they are interested in a product, such as one promoting bento box lunch boxes, Yahoo can use that information to create a richer profile of the reader and command higher prices for its advertising. “If I want to target people who buy lunch boxes, this could be a great avenue for enriching Yahoo's own first-party data,” Goldberg said. “They can then provide more value to advertisers who advertise either through their native offering or through their DSP.” After Growing Commerce Sales by 67% Last Year, BuzzFeed Eyes a ‘Digital Shopping Mall’

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Yahoo Brand In the Know Launches a New Style Vertical Focused on Shoppable Commerce

Traffic to the publisher has grown 1,230% since it launched last February

Mark Stenberg

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Mark Stenberg