Blog discovery platform Bloglovin’ just gave some love to a platform that will help connect more influencers with brands looking to employ them.
Bloglovin’, which helps lifestyle bloggers expand their audience, has acquired Sverve, an influencer marketing platform that helps its 25,000 active users monetize their digital efforts. With this acquisition, Sverve will be re-branded as “Activate by Bloglovin,’” and will bring its platform to as many as 750,000 bloggers, expanding them beyond lifestyle to categories like food and beverage, technology, automotive and consumer goods.
The platform acts like a sort of digital agent or matchmaker in that it opens up a range of brands to a range of blogs. Previously most of Bloglovin’s native advertising offerings focused on top-tier blogs, including Man Repeller and Song of Style. Brands with which Bloglovin’ and Sverve have worked in the past include New Balance, Gucci, Tiffany & Co., Burberry and Nars.
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“An influencer marketing platform was the natural next step for Bloglovin’,” said chief executive officer Giordano Contestabile. “We see this having a huge impact, as influencers are a key source of inspiration, taste and purchase decisions for consumers. Influencer marketing is poised to revolutionize the business of media.”
For his part, former Sverve ceo Rohit Vashisht, who’s taking on the role of president at Activate by Bloglovin’, said the platform “helps brands and agencies target the right influencers, measure results in real-time and get the best return on investment on their marketing spend.”
Bloglovin’ has eight million active users, and brought on Contestabile when it acquired his mobile commerce company, Finale, in June.
At the time, he told WWD, “We want to make it easy for users to buy from a channel and we want to drive revenue to the bloggers. Whether it’s an affiliate or a direct model, we want to make sure the bloggers are compensated.”
The specific terms of the deal were not disclosed. The New York-based company was founded in 2008.