Type of site | News, offbeat, cultural topics and analysis |
---|---|
Available in | English |
Headquarters | New York City, U.S. |
Owner | Bustle |
URL | theoutline |
Commercial | Yes |
Registration | None |
Launched | 2016 |
Current status | Defunct April 3, 2020 |
The Outline was an online publication focused on "power, culture, and the future." It was founded independently by Joshua Topolsky in 2016 and later became a subsidiary of Bustle.[1]
The company did not want to be too reliant on social media distribution, but instead aimed to reach a "smart, influential" readership who would visit its website directly. The articles are visually interactive, and highly optimized for mobile.[2] The interface contains articles represented as a stack of cards that users can swipe through.[3] The company earned income by virtue of its partnerships with 10 to 12 companies a year, as opposed to reliance on a format employing traditional banner ads.