The Manual
The Manual is a men's lifestyle digital publication covering fashion, grooming, food & drink, culture, fitness, outdoors, travel, and automotive content. Operated by Digital Trends Media Group, it monetizes through affiliate commerce, sponsored content, display ads, and content licensing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The Manual does
The Manual is a men's lifestyle digital publication founded in 2012 and operated by Digital Trends Media Group, a Designtechnica Company. The site publishes editorial content across eight verticals — Style, Grooming, Food & Drink, Culture, Health & Fitness, Outdoors, Travel, and Auto — covering topics such as fashion, watches, cocktails, grooming, entertainment, Formula 1, fitness, travel, and automotive news. It is positioned as a free-to-reader editorial destination and serves an audience of men seeking curated, expert-vetted lifestyle content and product recommendations.
The core product is a website (themanual.com) built on a digital content management and editorial platform, supplemented by an email newsletter product, a dedicated Deals/Commerce hub, and a Branded Content service that produces "Paid Program" sponsored articles for advertisers. Content is distributed through a broad social footprint including Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Flipboard, plus organic search and email. The publication maintains a documented separation between its Editorial team and its commerce/advertising functions to preserve editorial independence.
The business is free to readers and monetizes through four streams: affiliate commerce commissions on product purchases routed through on-site links; sponsored and branded content produced for advertisers; traditional display advertising; and licensed content syndication handled by a third-party licensing agency. Customers are therefore twofold — an end-consumer reader base and a B2B advertiser/brand-partner base — with the publication's operating geographies spanning the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Headcount is listed at 1–10, consistent with a lean editorial team operating within a larger parent media group.
The Manual firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Manual
- Legal name
- Digital Trends Media Group
- Website
- https://themanual.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Manual is a men's lifestyle digital publication covering fashion, grooming, food & drink, culture, fitness, outdoors, travel, and automotive content. Operated by Digital Trends Media Group, it monetizes through affiliate commerce, sponsored content, display ads, and content licensing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Manual industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Men's Lifestyle Digital Media
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (513120), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Men’s Interest Magazines (MPAJAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Consumer Lifestyle & Fashion Magazines (MPAJAEAA)
Keywords
Where The Manual is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
The Manual business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Affiliate Commerce: The Manual earns commissions when readers purchase products through affiliate links on the site. Commerce content is labeled 'Deals' and marked with a disclaimer: 'The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.' Links and buttons are determined based on audience confidence, price, and availability.
- Sponsored/Branded Content: Companies underwrite or commission editorial-style content. Sponsored content is marked 'presented by' the brand. Branded content is produced by Integrated Marketing and Commerce Partnerships teams, labeled 'Paid Program' with advertiser logo and disclaimer explaining independence from editorial.
- Display Advertising: Traditional display advertising on the platform. The site displays ads which may be turned off for sensitive content situations.
- Licensed Content: Companies acquire rights to reproduce articles, videos, logos, or badges. Content licensing is handled by a licensing agency, independently of the Editorial team.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels11 records
The Manual product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Manual publishes a men's lifestyle digital editorial platform (themanual.com) covering fashion, grooming, food and drink, culture, health and fitness, outdoors, travel, and automotive content through articles, reviews, guides, and a commerce/Deals section. The publication is free to readers and monetized via affiliate commissions on product links, sponsored and branded content produced for advertisers, display advertising, and content licensing to third parties.
Product overview
The Manual is a men's lifestyle digital publication and content platform operated by Digital Trends Media Group. It offers a unified content experience across eight editorial categories: Style (fashion, watches, accessories, clothing, footwear), Grooming (body, fragrances, haircare, shaving, skincare), Food & Drink (advice, liquor/beer/wine, coffee/tea, recipes), Culture (streaming, trending, books, brand profiles), Health & Fitness (nutrition, workouts, therapy/recovery, equipment), Outdoors (snowboarding, camping, hiking, e-mobility, golf), Travel (advice, destinations, gear, guides), and Auto (news, EVs, car care, motorcycles, reviews, supercars). The core content platform is supplemented by a Deals/Commerce module for affiliate content and a Branded Content service for sponsored articles. The site also offers newsletter subscriptions for ongoing reader engagement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Manual Content Platform A free men's lifestyle digital editorial publication covering Style, Grooming, Food & Drink, Culture, Health & Fitness, Outdoors, Travel, and Auto through articles, product reviews, how-tos, and guides aimed at helping men live a more engaged life.
- Branded Content Services Sponsored and branded content offerings for advertisers, including 'Presented by' sponsorships, commissioned articles and videos, and 'Paid Program' branded content produced independently of the Editorial team by the Integrated Marketing and Commerce Partnerships group.
Companies that use The Manual
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Manual technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Manual partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- World Origin SiteminorRoyal Enfield was recognized by World Origin Site, commemorating the location of their first factory in Redditch, England where significant motorcycle history occurred 125 years ago. Martin Wilkie, Founder of World Origin Site, attended the unveiling ceremony.
- Alaska AirlinesminorStraightaway Cocktails has partnership with Alaska Airlines, with RTD canned cocktails appearing on the airline's in-flight menu.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Manual competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Gear Patrol: Men's lifestyle and gear publication covering style, grooming, fitness, travel, and home, with strong affiliate commerce and sponsored content monetization. Closely comparable to The Manual in editorial scope and revenue model, with similar reliance on evergreen SEO content and product recommendations.
- InsideHook: Men's interest digital publication covering travel, food & drink, style, and gear with curated recommendations and newsletter-driven commerce. Operates a similar affiliate and branded content model targeting a male demographic with disposable income, directly competing for the same advertisers and reader attention.
- AskMen: Long-established men's lifestyle publication covering dating, fashion, grooming, fitness, and gear with strong SEO traffic and affiliate revenue. Operates the same digital-first men's content business model and is a direct audience competitor in the men's interest category.
- Cool Material: Men's lifestyle site covering gear, style, drinks, and tech with a curated product-discovery format. Operates an affiliate-heavy commerce content model closely aligned with The Manual's Deals vertical and targets a similar male audience.
- Digital Trends: Sister publication under Digital Trends Media Group covering technology, home, and lifestyle. While tech-focused, it shares parent company infrastructure, editorial resources, and advertiser relationships, and overlaps with The Manual on consumer electronics and home categories.
Emerging players
- Hodinkee: Watch-focused men's lifestyle publication and commerce platform with deep authority in luxury watches, one of The Manual's key verticals. Comparable through its commerce-driven editorial model and high-value male audience, though narrower in editorial scope.
- Primer: Men's lifestyle and gear publication offering curated product recommendations and lifestyle advice targeted at millennial and Gen-X men. Operates a similar affiliate commerce model with a comparable editorial approach to The Manual's Deals content.
Broad incumbents
- GQ: Iconic men's fashion and lifestyle magazine with full digital presence covering style, grooming, culture, and gear. A broader incumbent that competes for the same advertiser dollars and reader attention, with significantly larger editorial resources and brand authority.
- Esquire: Established men's interest magazine with strong digital presence covering culture, style, politics, and lifestyle. Competes with The Manual for premium brand sponsorships and overlapping male readership, though with a broader editorial mandate and greater scale.
- Maxim: Long-running men's lifestyle brand covering style, entertainment, fitness, and culture, with active digital publication and strong affiliate commerce. Comparable in the men's interest editorial category and operates at significantly larger scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Manual social profiles
Digital presenceThe Manual financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Manual leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Manual funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Manual M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Manual
What does The Manual do?
The Manual publishes a men's lifestyle digital editorial platform (themanual.com) covering fashion, grooming, food and drink, culture, health and fitness, outdoors, travel, and automotive content through articles, reviews, guides, and a commerce/Deals section. The publication is free to readers and monetized via affiliate commissions on product links, sponsored and branded content produced for advertisers, display advertising, and content licensing to third parties.
Is The Manual a public or private company?
The Manual is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was The Manual founded?
The Manual was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Manual based?
The Manual is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Manual make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Affiliate Commerce is the primary driver. The others are sponsored/Branded Content, display Advertising and licensed Content.
Who are The Manual's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Gear Patrol, InsideHook, AskMen, Cool Material and Digital Trends. Emerging players are Hodinkee and Primer. Broad incumbents are GQ, Esquire and Maxim.
Does The Manual have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Manual.
What industry is The Manual in?
The Manual's product category is Men's Lifestyle Digital Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAEAC, Men’s Interest Magazines, with a secondary code of MPAJAEAA, Consumer Lifestyle & Fashion Magazines. Its NAICS code is 513120 and its SIC code is 2721.