A new model is emerging that treats commerce as editorial strategy rather than traffic arbitrage. As news companies are rethinking revenue, relationships are becoming more vital than clicks.

Three publishers exemplify this transformation, each demonstrating that editorial authority and audience trust matter more than search traffic volume.

Condé Nast: the editorial commerce blueprint

Patrick Gray, Condé Nast’s executive director of commerce, revealed at INMA World Congress in May how the company transformed iconic brands like Vogue into direct shopping destinations to drive US$600 million in product sales through editorial content in 2024. 

“Our audiences are putting into Google ‘Vogue shopping, new arrivals,’” Gray explained. “And many people are coming directly by that channel or coming directly to Vogue or via the app.”

The key insight: Condé Nast’s editorial content generated over half a million unique pageviews in 2024, accounting for 37% of total site traffic in the United States. But more importantly, half of their commerce revenue comes from visitors who return more than twice a month — demonstrating the power of audience loyalty over traffic volume.

Understanding audience behaviour has become central to how brands present shoppable content, Gray said: “Men are very direct shoppers. They research more deeply and make quick decisions. So when someone’s figuring out what suit to buy for the first day of a new job, they come to GQ. For summer wardrobe staples, they’re landing on our best white T-shirts page.”

Meanwhile, Vogue leans into the impulsive nature of its audience, with content designed around spontaneous shopping behaviours rather than deliberate research.

One tactic strengthening Condé Nast’s connection with audiences involves showing the process editors follow to test products and form opinions. 

“In Condé Nast Traveler, for example, we have the Gold List,” Gray said. “It’s a year-round activation where we review hotels and show the process behind our recommendations. A core part of our product is demonstrating how we’ve truly tested each of the products we recommend to our audiences, and that’s what reinforces our editorial integrity.”

The New York Times’ Wirecutter: editorial independence as competitive advantage

Wirecutter represents the gold standard for commerce content that prioritises audience trust over revenue optimisation.

Since The New York Times acquired it in 2016 for approximately US$30 million, Wirecutter has grown into a commerce powerhouse generating an estimated US$6 million per month in affiliate commissions — contributing to NYT’s US$1 billion annual commerce impact.

The editorial independence model proves crucial to Wirecutter’s success. As Leilani Han, Wirecutter’s executive director of commerce, explained: The commerce team operates completely independently from editorial, with journalists unaware of any commercial agreements. “To prevent bias, the staff who write its reviews are not informed about what commissions, if any, the site receives for different products.”

This separation enables Wirecutter to choose retailer links based on reader convenience rather than commission rates — a philosophy that builds long-term trust even when it sacrifices short-term revenue. The strategy works: Wirecutter employs about 160 people, with half focused on editorial functions, and saw 20% growth in affiliate revenue during Q4 2022.

Wirecutter’s diversification strategy offers lessons for traffic-dependent publishers. The site evolved from electronics reviews to comprehensive lifestyle coverage, responding to audience needs rather than search trends. Han said: “We don’t want readers to only come to Wirecutter’s Web site in pursuit of finding the best wireless mouse but to also look for answers on whether a viral item is worthwhile or how to properly wash bed pillows.”

In 2021, Wirecutter added a subscription paywall — initially seeming to contradict affiliate logic — but the move demonstrates confidence in audience loyalty. The subscription signals proper journalism is worth paying for, while affiliate revenue continues growing from engaged subscribers who trust the recommendations.

Dotdash Meredith: adapting commerce strategy in real time

Dotdash Meredith provides the most current example of how sophisticated publishers are navigating the traffic-to-commerce transition.

In Q1 2025 earnings, CEO Neil Vogel revealed AI Overviews appear on roughly one-third of search results related to DDM’s content, causing a 3% year-over-year decline in core user sessions.

Yet despite this traffic challenge, Dotdash Meredith achieved an 11% increase in performance marketing revenue, driven by 26% growth in affiliate commerce revenue. This success occurred even amid what Vogel described as “Google’s ongoing crackdown on affiliate sites,” suggesting established publishers with strong domain authority may benefit from reduced competition.

The key to DDM’s success lies in strategic diversification and technology innovation. When IAC combined Dotdash and Meredith in 2021, about 60% of traffic came from Google. Now, Google accounts for just one-third of traffic, demonstrating successful platform independence. The company has simultaneously built D/Cipher, a contextual advertising platform that helps them maintain premium pricing even as traffic patterns shift.

Vogel’s strategy emphasises quality over quantity: “More than 80% of Dotdash Meredith’s traffic and digital revenue come from its core sites that deliver a form of commerce-related service journalism.”

This focus on editorial authority in specific categories like food, travel, and lifestyle mirrors the approaches successful at Condé Nast and Wirecutter.

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