eHow is a how‑to content publisher originally launched in the late 1990s that grew, failed, was revived, and later became part of Demand Media; today it is known for large-scale how‑to articles and instructional videos aimed at broad consumer audiences.[1]
High‑Level Overview
- eHow is a consumer-facing how‑to publisher that produces practical, step‑by‑step articles and videos for everyday tasks and projects; at its peak it hosted hundreds of thousands to over a million pieces of instructional content and served millions of monthly visitors.[1][1]
- As a portfolio asset (after 2006) it became part of Demand Media’s content network, which used data/algorithmic signals to commission cost‑efficient content targeted at high‑demand search queries, shifting eHow from hand‑picked pieces to algorithm‑driven content production and video formats.[1]
- Impact on the startup/media ecosystem: eHow was an early large‑scale example of the “content farm” model and of algorithmic editorial decision‑making; its rise, bankruptcy and later evolution influenced competitors and spawned alternatives (notably wikiHow) that emphasized community editing and quality control.[1][2][3]
Origin Story
- Founding and early failure: eHow was founded by Courtney Rosen around 1999 and ran heavily on venture capital; the original company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in February 2001 after burning through funding and carrying significant debt.[1][5]
- Revival and sale: The property was later revived (notably by entrepreneurs including Jack Herrick and Josh Hannah, who helped turn around traffic before selling eHow) and ultimately acquired by Demand Media in 2006, which expanded the site’s video and mobile offerings and scaled content creation.[3][4][1]
- Evolution of focus: Under Demand Media, eHow evolved from a human‑curated how‑to archive into a high‑volume, SEO‑driven content engine that used algorithms to select topics and outsourced content production to contractors, dramatically increasing per‑piece revenue and output.[1]
Core Differentiators
- Scale of content: eHow grew to host very large volumes of articles and videos (into the hundreds of thousands and beyond) compared with earlier niche how‑to sites.[1]
- Data‑driven editorial model: After acquisition, eHow shifted to algorithmic topic selection to match search demand, a practice that increased revenue per piece and defined a new, industrial content model.[1]
- Multimedia expansion: Demand Media introduced video content and mobile versions, broadening the formats in which how‑to information was delivered.[1]
- Market reach and SEO focus: eHow’s business model prioritized search visibility and monetization (ad revenue) through high‑volume, low‑cost content production, distinguishing it from community edited competitors.[1][2][3]
Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
- Trend alignment: eHow rode early internet advertising, search‑driven traffic, and later programmatic ad economics, exemplifying how editorial decisions could be optimized by data and SEO to generate large-scale ad revenue.[1]
- Timing: Launching in the dot‑com era, failing, and then reemerging amid the rise of search advertising and Google’s dominance created the conditions for its later data‑driven business model to succeed.[1][5]
- Market forces: Cheap freelance labor, improving video distribution, and demand for quick how‑to answers supported eHow’s growth; conversely, concerns about content quality and search‑engine algorithm updates created headwinds and spurred alternatives focused on quality and community editing (e.g., wikiHow).[1][2][3]
- Influence: eHow’s scale and model helped popularize algorithmic content commissioning and influenced a generation of low‑cost content publishers and the debates around content quality, platform incentives, and editorial responsibility.[1][2]
Quick Take & Future Outlook
- Short‑term prospects (historical context): After acquisition by Demand Media, eHow doubled down on video and mobile distribution and used data to scale content production, which boosted traffic and monetization in that phase of the business.[1]
- Longer‑term considerations: Sustainable success for large how‑to publishers depends on balancing scale with quality as search engines and platforms prioritize user experience; sites that adapt by improving editorial standards, multimedia quality, and user trust are better positioned to retain organic search traffic and advertiser support.[1][3]
- What to watch: Changes in search‑engine ranking algorithms, platform content policies, and consumer preference for high‑quality, community‑validated instructions will determine whether large, algorithmic how‑to publishers maintain their reach or cede ground to community‑driven or expert‑led alternatives.[1][2][3]
If you’d like, I can:
- Produce a brief timeline of eHow’s key events (founding, bankruptcy, revival, acquisition, major product launches), or
- Compare eHow’s model side‑by‑side with wikiHow to highlight concrete differences in editorial approach and outcomes.
