How To Pitch: Babble.com

'Tell the truth about parenting' in all its glory and messiness for this digital outlet

By Katia Hetter - June 28, 2012

The information in this article is current and accurate.

Unique monthly visitors: 6 million

Background: Babble.com was launched by the founders of Nerve Media in 2006 to break from the parenting magazines that document parenthood "as a cute and cuddly experience, all pink and powder blue, at best an interior decorating opportunity, at worst a housekeeping challenge," according to the site's mission statement. The founders' goal was "to tell the truth about parenting" in all its glory and messiness, and the site was recently acquired by The Walt Disney Company.

Known for articles that go against the grain (think "My kids are healthy and they eat fast food" and "I let my 4-year-old swear") the site has kept its tone while going through a growth spurt of its own. Babble has developed into a website that also emphasizes service journalism for parents and those expecting children. As Babble has moved away from 2,500-word first-person accounts toward shorter essays, the site also has divided content up into ages and stages of development, and added a number of sections focusing on topics including family food, home décor, products, dads and crafts, among others. It's also bulked up the blogs, where writers have a chance to work with the company on a longer-term basis.

"We like to try to be as personal as possible while still being as cerebral as possible," said Jack Murnighan, former director of analytics and content strategy. "Babble would like to be an informed and really friendly person next door who can commiserate over parenting disasters and the wonderful things about being a parent."...