bring on the advertorial army

Contently, a startup which managing an online marketplace that matches freelance writers with work, has raised $2 million in a series A round led by Lightbank, the firm run by Groupon investor and board member Eric Lefkofsky. Local investors like ff Venture Capital and Consigliere Brand Capital also participated.  

The funding was reported by Ad Age, which notes that the company pulled a small pivot, deciding to help journalists connect with brands looking for editorial content, instead of matching them with traditional media outlets. Having played the freelance game ourselves, this is a way better business model. There is little money in freelance journalism and most editors at these publications already have a stable of writers and tons of pitches to sort through.

Brands, on the other hand, are increasingly discovering the value of having blogs and forums full of editorial content that bring in potential customers and raise their SEO. Contently has worked with companies like American Express, Best Buy, Rackspace, Mint and Elle.

The company currently has six employees including founders Shane Snow Joe Coleman and David Goldberg.