The Knot Inc. Celebrates Record Growth For New Lifestage Brands in 2009
The Knot Continues to Dominate as the #1 Wedding Website and Demonstrates the Value of Lifestage Media Model.
NEW YORK, NY (February 4, 2010) — The Knot Inc. (NASDAQ: KNOT), the premier media company devoted to weddings, babies, and everything in between, celebrates the completion of the company’s first year of active membership across its network of lifestage brands and confirms record growth for the newest properties.
The Knot Wedding Network further strengthened its position as the #1 online wedding planning destination in 2009 with new member enrollments across wedding sites TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com topping 1.9 million. Despite the recession, couples continued getting married in 2009, and the overwhelming majority of the 2.2 million couples who wed in the US every year continued to turn to The Knot Wedding Network, the nation’s unparalleled leaders in the online wedding category.
In the past year, the company’s other network of lifestage media properties also experienced significant growth. In 2009, TheNest.com, a site for newly nesting couples, continued to grow its highly engaged and loyal audience and attracted big-name advertisers, including Ford, Loews, and Bank of America. The company’s youngest brand, TheBump.com, a site devoted to first time-pregnancy, also experienced record growth and showcased the power and intensity of its member community, reaching over 1 million message posts per month.
The company’s lifestage-focused consumer has become an increasingly relevant target for advertisers. According to a recent study fielded by The Knot Inc. and OTX, the core audience of The Knot — a subset of the important 18- to 34-year-old female US population which represents almost 30 percent of the total population — go through wedding, nesting and having a baby within a few short years. In fact, more than half have experienced at least two lifestages in a span of two years: About a quarter are in wedding and cohabitation mode at the same time, and roughly 15 percent are doing all three simultaneously: marrying, cohabitating, and having babies.
Advertisers looking to target this must-buy, deadline-driven consumer are turning to The Knot for creative cross-platform marketing programs.
“At AMResorts, we recognize that important life events call for memorable vacations: from honeymoons and anniversary celebrations to that last getaway before baby,” said Jan LaPointe, AMResorts’ director of marketing and distribution. “The Knot Lifestage Network is the optimal place for us to reach couples in the thick of the planning process and allows us to creatively integrate our four brands in unique online advertising programs and innovative ad platforms such as online video, iPhone, and Facebook.”
The Knot Inc. attributes this year’s success to its investment in new platforms and system upgrades, along with the addition of rich and interactive features, like enhanced video and new planning tools.
About The Knot Inc.
The Knot Inc. is the premier media company devoted to weddings, pregnancy, and everything in between, providing young women with the trusted information, products, and advice they need to guide them through the most transformative events of their lives. Our family of premium brands began with the industry’s #1 wedding brand, The Knot, and has grown to include The Nest and The Bump. Our groundbreaking community platforms and incomparable content have ignited passionate communities across the country. The Knot Inc. is recognized by the industry for being innovative in all media — from the web to social media and mobile, to magazines and books, to television and video. For our advertisers and partners, The Knot Inc. offers the consummate opportunity to connect with our devoted communities as they make the most important decisions of their lives.
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