Bloglovin’ is announcing the acquisition of marketing startup Sverve, a move that should the expand monetization options for writers using the Bloglovin’ platform.
The New York-headquartered company offers an aggregator where consumers can find and follow fashion and lifestyle bloggers, and where those bloggers can reach and stay connected with a new audience. CEO Giordano Contestabile (who joined last year through the acquisition of his startup Finale) already helps writers monetize through native ad campaigns, but those are “very bespoke, high-end campaigns” and only accessible to the most popular bloggers.
Sverve, meanwhile, has built a self-serve platform connecting brands and influencers for marketing campaigns, and then helping them track the results. These campaigns aren’t limited to blogs, either, but can also involve promotion on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
As a result of the acquisition, Sverve is being renamed Activate by Bloglovin’, with CEO Rohit Vashisht becoming president of the rebranded business. Bloglovin’ creators should be able to sign up today, and over time, the company plans to introduce more integrations between the two platforms.
“It’s not going to be contained to a few influencers, not even a few hundred,” said Vashisht (pictured above with Contestabile). “Our goal is to bring those opportunities to the hundreds of thousands of influencers in our network. [Bloglovin’ says it has 750,000 registered bloggers.] Brands can pick and choose influencers, but there will also be automated campaigns where hundreds of influencers can start promoting a brand’s message.”
The financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed. Contestabile said it was primarily a stock deal — Sverve investors are becoming Bloglovin’ shareholders, and Vashisht is joining the company’s board of directors. According to CrunchBase, Sverve raised less than $1 million from 500 Startups, FundersClub, Scout Ventures and others.
“Helping influencers succeed is a part of our mission, and we really feel this acquisition will allow us to do more of that,” Contestabile said.