Interview with Anastasia of Ypulse

PSFK recently spoke with the founder of Ypulse, Anastasia Goodstein, about the current state of independent media, technology, teenagers and Ypulse – an idependent blog updated daily with news & commentary about Generation Y for
media and marketing professionals. Anastasia has
also worked with several leading consumer online & television brands
including Current TV, AOL, Oxygen TV and Teen People.

1.  In the short time, since we last spoke, there seems to have been so
many changes in independent media and publishing. What’s changed in
your world – in media and personally?

In media, I would say the rise of YouTube and proliferation of
knock-off Web 2.0 video sites and niche social networking sites has
been unreal. It feels a little like the dot.com era all over again out
here in the Bay Area. Lots of money and very few sound business models.
This was a big challenge in my role as director of online community for
Current, which is very different from all of these sites: the goal for
users on the Current site is to get your non-fiction video acquired for
television with all of the rights issues and legal documentation linear
television implies – yet the expectation of our demographic online is
non-exclusive/share everywhere as well as seeing nothing wrong with
using copyrighted music or footage.

Personally, I finished my first book called Totally Wired: What Teens
And Tweens Are Really Doing Online, which will be published by St.
Martin’s Press this March. The book is meant to offer a "voice of
reason" to parents of teens about technology, but I think everyone will
get something out of it. I did this while working full time at Current
and maintaining Ypulse — it was a harrowing experience. I was doing
interviews in my company’s supply closet. I’ve also made the very
exciting and scary decision to leave Current and expand Ypulse in a big
way. I have plans for additional blogs, expanded advertising
opportunities (I have a waiting list now), youth media/marketing
networking events and a conference.

2.  To what extent is the publishing you do your business or a shop-front
for your employer? How has that changed over the last year?

Very little. I deliberately kept Ypulse and Current pretty separate
because Ypulse tends to focus more on teens and tweens although I do
cover the span of Gen Y up to age 25. Currents target demo is 18-34.
And while Current hired me because of my blog, they never really
leveraged it for their own benefit.

3.  Beyond any financial reward, what do you get out of it all? What drives
you?

What drives me are the simple emails I periodically get that don’t ask
me for anything but are from people who just say, Thank you, what
you’re doing is so helpful to my work. It’s incredibly
validating….and bloggers just want to be loved, right?

I’ve gotten so much out of launching Ypulse — from the opportunity to
help launch Current TV to speaking opportunities in Germany and SXSW to
a book deal. Most of all, I’ve gotten to know myself pretty well and
was able to find my voice. I was surprised at how strong it became
after two + years of blogging.

4.  Are you conscious of YOU the brand as much as your site/magazine? Do
you leverage the fact?

Yes. Very much so. I give interviews all the time now as an expert on
teen media and marketing. My book is all about "brand me" and my voice.
I am hoping to make Totally Wired = Anastasia Goodstein and introduce
it into the vernacular people use when they talk about teens. The teens
who blog for Ypulse just started using it in sentences without any
prompting from me!

5.  How do you view the other independent publishers that cover the same
content areas as you?

Copycats. Just kidding. Imitation is the best form of flattery and
pushes you to innovate. Since I started, my list on the righthand side
of Ypulse of "blogs by adults about teens" has steadily expanded.
What’s so great about blogging is that it’s just as much about voice
and personality as it is about content. I bring a unique mix of
non-profit youth media experience and commercial teen media experience
as well as a strong ethics bent. They may have some of the same content
but very different voices, personalities and perspectives.

6.  How is mainstream media covering your content areas? Is there a
noticeable reaction to what you and your peers are doing?

The mainstream media has been covering it like crazy, which is good for
links, but frustrating to have to wait until March to get my take out
there (with the book) on teens and tech, especially with the moral
panic they have helped stir up around sites like MySpace. They have
also joined the Gen Y blogosphere — USA Today launched a GenNext and
CNET launched Digital Kids.

7.  How is your world going to change over the next 12 months?

I get to wear my PJs longer. Drink even more copious amounts of coffee.
Spend more time with my Boxer. Be my own boss. I think it’s going to be
a scary, exciting roller coaster ride. I will either succeed
fantastically (just enough would be ok, too) or realize being on my own
isn’t really for me and look for another full time gig. All I know is I
have to try…

Thank You

Ypulse