Isaac Saul, founder of Tangle, discusses building a politically diverse media platform, strategies for engaging content creation, challenges in media growth, cross-partisan conversations, transitioning to Ghost, and advice on building a successful media business.
Tangle offers varied political opinions for holistic understanding and open dialogue.
Tangle encourages nuanced debate by showcasing diverse opinions on contentious topics.
Over 90% of Tangle's revenue comes from paid subscribers, with a focus on sustainable subscription revenue growth.
Deep dives
Tangle's Genesis and Mission: Fostering Political Dialogue and Understanding
Isaac Sol initiated Tangle to address the political news coverage and social divides he witnessed. Growing up in Pennsylvania, experiencing political diversity, and seeing media bias fueled his mission. Grounded in fostering open dialogue, Tangle presents various political opinions for holistic understanding spanning from Bernie Sanders to staunch Republicans.
Balancing Political Coverage and Audience Engagement
Tangle challenges the notion that political media must take polarizing stances to thrive. By showcasing varied opinions on contentious topics, Tangle encourages nuanced debate. This approach resonates with its audience, reducing news fatigue and providing a less sensationalized, more even-handed news diet, resulting in heightened engagement.
Revenue Model: Subscription-Based Success and Content Diversity
Tangle's revenue primarily stems from paid subscribers, exceeding 90%. The incorporation of advertising, events, and merchandise supplements revenue streams. Paid subscribers receive exclusive content like deep dives and Sunday newsletters. The future emphasis remains on quality journalism, sustainable subscription revenue, and fostering audience loyalty.
Audience Growth Strategies: Content Quality and Diverse Channels
Tangle's organic growth strategy includes quality content creation leading to viral moments and leveraging advertising in complementary newsletters. Utilizing a share button in newsletters and expanding to YouTube broadens audience reach beyond the email list. The focus remains on steady growth by providing engaging and thought-provoking content across various platforms.
Navigating Brand Evolution: From Solo Operation to Team Ensemble
Transitioning from a solo operation to a team endeavor poses challenges in maintaining brand identity. Tangle aims to evolve from Isaac-centric content to a collective-driven editorial approach, upholding its unique voice while diversifying contributions. Striking a balance between individuality and collective branding is crucial for sustainable growth.
My guest this week is Isaac Saul, founder of Tangle, a media company that tries to summarize the best arguments from across the political spectrum. In this hour-long conversation, we talked about the brand's exceptional free to paid conversion rate, where they are exploring advertising and events, the major headwinds the brand and all political media is dealing with, and how he plans to overcome it.
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