By Barbara Thau
NEW YORK–Joe Lagani, the former publisher of the iconic-but-now-defunct House & Garden magazine, had grown tired of the limitations of magazines in an increasingly Web-centric media world.
That’s why joining forces with GlamLiving, which bills itself as a new “vertical network” for home, design, food and travel for “women who live as stylishly as they look,” was such a juicy proposition for him.
In a given week, the average woman spends 13 hours online versus three hours reading magazines, said Lagani, vice president and general manager of GlamLiving at living.glam.com. “The consumer is voting with their hours. Today, magazines are representing a very small amount of her time,” he said. What’s more, “most magazines have not effectively translated their business or their brands online.” To that end, “you need a different business model.”
GlamLiving, which puts the accent on home, is the latest Web channel from GlamMedia, a multichannel media site that covers style, fashion, beauty, shopping, entertainment and wellness.
GlamLiving weeds through the fragmentation of the Internet by bringing together the cream of the crop of home content from more than 25 new Web sites, niche magazine sites and blogs, including 1st Dibs, 101Cookbooks, The Food Channel, Declutterit.com, as well as original content.
A recent click to GlamLiving turned up an exclusive interview with home designer Barbara Barry, eco-chic home decor and nifty plates for a Seder.
GlamLiving also offers advertisers a vehicle with enormous reach, Lagani said.
“We have developed a business model that allows marketers to be in the right environment and reach lots of women,” Lagani said.
GlamMedia, which is the parent site, reaches 34 million unique visitors a month, according to ComScore Media Metrix, whereas a leading shelter book reaches one-tenth of that audience online, Lagani said.
