Buzzfeed: A Journey of Success and Failure

TLDRBuzzfeed, once a thriving brand with millions of subscribers and high viewership, has seen a steep decline in its reputation and success. A series of poor decisions, controversies, and lay-offs have led to a loss of audience trust and a decrease in revenue. Despite the challenges, Buzzfeed continues to produce popular series and recently announced plans to go public.

Key insights

Buzzfeed gained popularity with its clickable articles and relatable content, but its focus on identity politics and controversial articles led to criticism and decreased viewership.

Top talent at Buzzfeed often left the company to create their own channels, taking their audience with them and further damaging Buzzfeed's reputation.

Buzzfeed's news department faced a lack of credibility and eventually shut down in the UK and Australia due to financial difficulties.

Buzzfeed's emphasis on quantity over quality resulted in a decline in video viewership and a perception of mass-produced content.

Despite these challenges, Buzzfeed has had success with series like Buzzfeed Unsolved and The Try Guys, but overall, their viewership has significantly decreased.

Q&A

Why did Buzzfeed's reputation decline?

—Buzzfeed's reputation declined due to controversial articles, focus on identity politics, and the politicization of the brand, which led to criticism and decreased viewer trust.

Why did top talent leave Buzzfeed?

—Top talent at Buzzfeed often left the company to start their own channels, where they had more creative freedom and financial incentive. They took their audience with them, further damaging Buzzfeed's reputation.

What happened to Buzzfeed's news department?

—Buzzfeed's news department faced financial difficulties and a lack of profitability, leading to the closure of the UK and Australian teams.

Why did Buzzfeed's video viewership decrease?

—Buzzfeed's emphasis on quantity over quality resulted in a decline in video viewership. Viewers noticed the mass-produced content and became less interested in watching.

Has Buzzfeed had any successful series?

—Buzzfeed has had success with series like Buzzfeed Unsolved and The Try Guys, but overall, their viewership has significantly decreased.

Timestamped Summary

00:00Buzzfeed, with 20 million subscribers and high viewership, has seen a decline in reputation and success.

01:40Buzzfeed gained popularity with relatable and clickable articles, but controversies and focus on identity politics led to criticism and decreased viewership.

03:57Top talent often left Buzzfeed to start their own channels, damaging Buzzfeed's reputation further.

06:57Buzzfeed's news department faced financial difficulties and shut down in the UK and Australia.

08:56Buzzfeed's emphasis on quantity over quality led to a decline in video viewership and a perception of mass-produced content.

10:01Buzzfeed has had success with series like Buzzfeed Unsolved and The Try Guys but has seen an overall decrease in viewership.

Browse more