The Knot Inc. Celebrates Tenth Anniversary of its IPO
Company’s Lifestage and Local Media Strategy Excels Through Tumultuous Times
NEW YORK, NY (November 30, 2009) — The Knot Inc. (NASDAQ: KNOT), the only lifestage media company devoted to weddings, nesting, and first-time pregnancy, announces today that it will celebrate the tenth anniversary of its initial public offering on December 2, 2009. The Company’s executive management team will ring the closing bell at NASDAQ today at 4 p.m., ET. The company will also present at the Credit Suisse Technology Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, on December 2.
The company went public in late 1999 and quickly became the largest full-service wedding resource with its fresh, original content, active community, and best-in-class local services. One of the last Internet start-ups to remain independent today, The Knot Inc. attributes its competitive advantage to its premium brands, quality editorial content, and unique, diverse business model that includes:
PASSIONATE AUDIENCE: More than 80 percent of brides planning a wedding in the US today are members of TheKnot.com. Consumers passing through key life events are recession-resistant and they have a deadline-driven need for advice and products that is totally unlike any other time in their life. Page views on TheBump.com, the company’s website for first-time moms, increased 500 percent in the last 12 months.
STRONG LOCAL STRATEGY: With an extensive local sales force throughout the US, The Knot Inc. excels at connecting members with local service providers — and local online advertising now accounts for over 30 percent of the Company’s revenue. The Company continues to expand its local reach with the launch of 220 hyper-targeted neighborhood wedding planning sites this year alone.
MULTIMEDIA PLATFORM: The Company’s multiplatform approach to media creates ubiquitous brand presence with minimal customer acquisition cost. Lifestage brands The Knot, The Nest, and The Bump started on the Internet but have brand extensions as magazines, books, online video, television shows, and mobile. This multiplatform strategy has allowed The Knot Inc. to create groundbreaking integrated advertising programs for its partners.
PRODUCT INNOVATION: The Knot Inc. has been a pioneer in online content and community, launching one of the first successful social networks for women, as well as the first 24/7 online video channel. Recent product announcements include Facebook applications Weddingbook and Mommyhood, iPhone application Wedding 911 by The Knot, a live online video series called The Knot LIVE, and Gift Registry 360, an online universal registry tool that allows couples to share and manage multiple registries with one list.
“Early on, my partners and I understood the potential for online media to create meaningful connections between consumers and advertisers during life’s most transformative moments both on the national and local levels,” said company cofounder and chief executive David Liu. “With millions of members and thousands of advertisers across the country, our commitment to serving our audiences and advertisers with the advice, products, and people they need is the foundation of our success and will continue to inform our future strategies.”
The Company will be presenting and meeting with institutional investors at Citi’s Global Entertainment, Media, and Telecommunications Conference in San Francisco on January 5, 2010, and the Needham & Co. 12th Annual Growth Conference in New York City on January 12, 2010.
About The Knot Inc.
The Knot Inc. (NASDAQ: KNOT; www.theknot.com) is the only lifestage media company focused on connecting passionate communities of brides, newlyweds, and first-time moms with everything they need to guide them through life’s most transformative events. The Company’s premium brands — The Knot, The Nest, The Bump, and WeddingChannel.com — are recognized for being innovative in all digital media, from the web to social media and mobile — as well as in magazines, books, television, and video. Founded in 1996, The Knot Inc. is made up of four major businesses: online advertising, local listings, ecommerce, and print publishing. The Company is headquartered in New York City.
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