JAKK Media is blending written, video, and design for a new generation of niche content

We asked Kenny Kline, co-founder of JAKK Media, to share his insights on the past, present, and future of niche content. 

JAKK Media owns and operates some of the web’s favorite brands across a range of interests: fitness and health, sleep, home security, and more. Each is run by a team of writers, editors, videographers, and designers who love producing content that’s as accurate as it is engaging.

Here is what he has to say:

After working in the niche content space for half a decade, I can say one thing for certain: The content world is constantly changing, and only those brands that are willing to evolve with these changes are going to survive.

Here’s another thing I’ve learned: One of the best ways to prepare for and weather changes in the digital space is by investing equally in written, design, and video content. 

At JAKK Media, we’re proving the viability of this strategy every day. We’re running four niche content brands with millions of readers between them, and we’re engaging these audiences through a diversified content strategy that blends written, video, and design and has helped our brand weather changes across the web. In the process, we’re leading the charge for a new generation of niche content.

The value of blended content for niche brands

To be a sustainable media company, today’s brands need people to engage with them across multiple platforms. Even if one platform (such as Facebook) drives most of your traffic now, algorithm changes can alter that in a heartbeat. If you’ve placed all your eggs in one basket, then your brand may not be in a position to take the hit and evolve beyond it.

Similarly, today’s content brands need to embrace the fact that people are looking to engage with content in a variety of forms, from video to written and visual content. These preferences may shift depending on the platform, so brands need to create content that can engage people in different ways—video here, written there, a mix everywhere, and so on. What’s more, people’s expectations are higher for everything they consume. They may not be satisfied with “just” written or “just” video or “just” design; in order to earn their respect, today’s brands must deliver on all fronts.

Nowhere is this more relevant than on niche content platforms. Because niche brands typically target a smaller potential audience than more diversified content sites, you can’t afford for your audience to consume content elsewhere. For example, if they like your written articles but get their videos elsewhere, then you’re in trouble. To be a successful niche player, you need to capture as much of a passionate audience’s attention as possible.

How to develop stellar niche content

To successfully craft an integrated content strategy, you need to have the right people on your team.

For starters, every member of your team needs to have a certain level of expertise about the content you’re looking to provide. Niche audiences are inherently passionate about their interests, so they won’t be intrigued by or loyal to brands that offer only superficial, basic content on the topic. That means your team needs to possess expertise or be willing to develop expertise, which makes the hiring process both more critical and more challenging.

Just as importantly, you’ll benefit from having multiple experts at their craft who are unified around one goal and one cohesive content approach. They need to be great at their own implementation but aware of how everything will fit together in the final presentation. This collaborative approach ensures a more seamless user experience across different platforms.

By employing these strategies, JAKK Media has proven our success via our sustainability. We’ve weathered numerous algorithm changes, marketing strategies, and platform shifts by crafting high-quality content in a variety of forms that can be easily adapted to current marketing needs. And we believe that any niche content brand looking to survive the digital age should get on board with doing the same.