‘This hasn’t always been easy’: We sit down with the founder and CEO of LADbible Group
Since launching in 2012, digital publisher, LADbible Group, has gone on to become one of the internet's most popular brands with almost 500 milion followers and an audience reach of over 1 billion. In this Australian exclusive, we sit down with founder and CEO, Alexander "Solly" Solomou, to discuss the origins of LADbible Group, the wins and losses, and what is still to come.
You started this business by buying an already functional Facebook group. What made you decide to make this move and were there any prior examples you’d seen of someone converting a Facebook page into a viable media business?
I founded LADbible Group in 2012 while studying business management, using my life savings to purchase the original LADbible Facebook page. Recognising the rapid growth of social media and its power to share content widely, I saw a unique opportunity to build something significant, that makes people laugh, think and act.
In just over a decade, the company has grown from a single Facebook page to a global media entertainment company for young adults with nearly 500 employees across offices in the UK, Ireland, and US. In 2021, we hit a major milestone by going public on the London Stock Exchange.
LADbible Group now reaches over a billion people globally each month. In Australia we’ve expanded our presence through a multi-year commercial partnership with Val Morgan Digital – Australia’s leading digital youth publisher. This has allowed us to offer Australian brands increased reach, capabilities and measurement via Val Morgan Digital.
Our partnership also extends to the APAC region, giving brands the opportunity to drive more visibility and engagement in markets like India, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.
What notable mistakes did you make in the stage between buying the Facebook page, and floating the company that you feel set you back?
We operate in the largest and fastest growing sector of the advertising industry and have had to scale quickly. Our success is marked by innovative content evolution; our platform’s ability to adapt to trends and embrace new formats has played a pivotal role in capturing a wider audience. But this hasn’t always been easy, and one of the key challenges especially in the early days was getting the infrastructure and operational capabilities in place to manage the demand.
Another challenge was navigating the ever-changing landscape and social media algorithms. Early on, we heavily relied on organic reach, which fluctuated as platforms evolved. At times, we reacted too slowly to changes in the algorithms, which impacted our reach and engagement. Learning to adapt faster and diversify our content strategy became really important. Since then, we’ve developed dashboards, IP, and technology that enable us to adapt and produce the best content for our audience, while ensuring diversification across platforms.
And of course there were challenges during the Covid pandemic. Hiring and maintaining culture became even more critical without in-person interaction, as with many businesses. We’re very proud to have built a team of excellent talent and work hard to protect that culture.
Did the brand grow at the pace you expected it to?
The evolution of our business has been phenomenal. As the world’s largest social publisher we now have over 494 million followers worldwide, and our audience reach extends to over 1 billion. Across our portfolio we now have 15 brands including Betches – a US-based female-led media brand that we acquired last year. This growth aligns with our mission to become a leading global entertainment business for young adults, giving the social generation a voice.
Today we employ nearly 500 staff, all working to foster engaged communities through our playful content, impactful journalism, and award-winning campaigns. While we’ve seen incredible growth, we remain committed to continuing this trajectory and adapting to the ever-changing media landscape across key markets including Australia. The Val Morgan Digital team have continued to drive impressive growth of the brand.
You floated the business in 2021. Can you talk us through the thinking behind choosing that particular moment in the company’s timeline to launch an IPO? Did the results surpass your expectations?
We decided to float the business in 2021 because we felt it was the right time to take the next step in our growth journey. By that point, LADbible Group had evolved into a global media brand with a diverse portfolio and a strong international presence. We had built a solid foundation with significant audience reach, long-term commercial partnerships, and an expanding footprint in key markets like the US and APAC. Going public allowed us to capitalise on that momentum, giving us the ability to scale even further, pursue M&A and invest in new opportunities for growth.
The IPO also aligned with our goal of increasing transparency and accountability as we expanded into new regions and diversified our offerings. It provided us with the financial flexibility to accelerate growth while continuing to build on the strong community we had established.
As for the results, we were pleased. The response from investors was positive, and the public listing was a significant milestone in validating our strategy and positioning us well for the future, allowing us to stay at the forefront of digital media and continue innovating within the industry.
How do you balance advertising material with content from journalists so you don’t alienate readers, but can serve the advertisers (and enough advertisers) to make it viable?
Our ability to create bespoke, authentic content for brands continues to grow year on year, and this is reflected in the major clients we attract, including Lion Nathan, Australian Government and Warner Bros, among many more. Brands looking to connect with younger audiences seek authenticity and measurable results, which is exactly what we offer through our deep understanding of our audience, backed by insightful data and analysis. We also capitalise on key advertising moments, such as footy finals season, to seize additional opportunities for engagement.
To future-proof our offering and provide more opportunities for advertisers in Australia, we’ve expanded our capabilities with our Val Morgan Digital Intelligence platform offering deeper insights into our audience and Community+ which is our first-party data offering, giving brands more ways to invest in our reach and scale.
What recent moves into other business areas have you made with LADbible Group?
We’ve made some significant moves to diversify and expand LADbible Group’s business areas. A standout was our acquisition of US-based, female-led media brand, Betches Media, and our strategic commercial partnership with Val Morgan Digital to continue building a network that gives brands an unmatched opportunity to connect with highly engaged and hard-to-reach Australians.
Looking ahead, we’re embracing AI to explore innovative experiences that enhance our connection with Gen Z, experimenting with new ways to deliver content and engage our audience in dynamic, forward-thinking ways.
We’re also launching a slate of new podcasts and vodcasts, filling a gap for more audio products aimed at Gen Z male audiences who have a strong unmet hunger for more comedy and lifestyle content.
Are there any areas you’ve moved into that didn’t pay off? Like NFTs or blockchain technology or the like? Conversely, were there any risky bets you made that paid off well?
Some moves didn’t quite work out, like BeReal. It was a short-lived platform for us, but we prioritise getting in early to test the waters. TikTok, on the other hand, is a different story. It really took off for us.
What do you think has been key to LADbible’s longevity and success?
We have built strong, long-term relationships with blue-chip advertisers, including Google, Uber Eats, Visa, Disney and McDonalds, resulting in many brands returning year after year due to the effectiveness of our campaigns. Our asset-light business model is not only highly scalable but also demonstrates strong cash-generating capabilities, allowing us to navigate economic fluctuations effectively. We also maintain a diversified revenue model that spans both direct and indirect routes to market.
Beyond entertainment, we have also embraced the responsibility as a socially conscious media entity, using our footprint for good. For instance, we have focused on addressing pertinent social issues, driving sustainable behaviours, advocating against domestic violence and normalising mental health discourse through thought-provoking campaigns.
And of course, the most important aspect of our success is our people who are our greatest asset. Their talent, creativity, and dedication drive our success and ensure that we remain responsive to the needs of our audience and advertisers alike.
How are you thinking about the continued growth of LADbible Group in Australia?
We’re incredibly excited about the continued growth of LADbible Group in Australia, where we already have a strong foothold with nearly 9 million followers. LADbible Australia is currently one of the top 10 most-followed Australian TikTok creators in the media and entertainment category, and we have ambitious plans to build on this success. Expanding our presence in the APAC region has been a key goal for some time, and we see big potential for growth here.
Our partnership with Val Morgan Digital has been instrumental in helping us strengthen our position as the go-to youth publisher in the region. Through this collaboration, we’re providing brands with innovative ways to connect with high-value youth audiences at scale, using Val Morgan’s advanced product suite. While Community+ has enabled advertisers to reach and engage with these audiences effectively, we also utilise Compass – their brand uplift tool to measure the effectiveness of those campaigns. This data-driven approach keeps our clients coming back, as they can see the measurable impact of their campaigns.
We’re excited to continue building on these foundations, offering brands more opportunities to engage with the vibrant and diverse audiences across Australia and the wider APAC region.
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