Meanwhile, display media on the Atlas Obscura website, which has a total reach of about 10 million monthly visitors, contributes only a small portion of its advertising revenue—between $400,000 and $500,000 in 2023, according to Webster.
Alongside its advertising operation, the publisher generates about $4 million from its bespoke experiences business and around $5 million from podcasting, book publishing and entertainment projects—including an upcoming venture in partnership with the Obamas’ production company Higher Ground.
The company generated roughly $1 million in net income in Q2 and is on pace to post profits in Q3 and Q4.
“We had, by design, been burning seven figures a quarter in an effort to grow,” Webster said. “We set out in mid-2022 to become profitable and hoped to do so by the end of 2023, but we have happily hit that milestone ahead of schedule.”