Longform
Longform is a Brooklyn-based independent editorial publication that curated longform nonfiction journalism on longform.org (2010–2022) and produced the Longform Podcast of writer interviews (2012–2024), serving readers and listeners interested in in-depth journalism.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersBrooklyn, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Longform does
Longform is a Brooklyn-based independent editorial publication that curated and recommended longform nonfiction journalism from around the web. Founded in April 2010 by co-founders Aaron Lammer and Max Linsky, the company operated longform.org as a content discovery platform that surfaced more than 10,000 pieces of nonfiction organized by section, publication, writer, and tag, running from April 2010 through December 2022. Its companion Longform Podcast, launched in August 2012, produced 585 in-depth audio interviews with journalists, authors, and writers discussing their craft and published work, with episodes distributed through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the company website. The final podcast episode, #585 featuring John Jeremiah Sullivan, was published in June 2024, effectively concluding active operations.
The platform's underlying technology is a standard website content management system for the curated article archive plus conventional podcast hosting and RSS distribution through major directories. The go-to-market motion was community-led, building audience through editorial curation, selection of high-profile guests from publications such as The New Yorker, The Atlantic, GQ, and Harper's, and organic discovery through podcast platforms. No monetization mechanism is documented: there is no advertising, subscription, paywall, sponsorship, or premium product, and no external investment, funding, or acquirer has been identified. The firm is described as a bootstrapped passion-project editorial venture whose recommendation service and podcast have both concluded, with the 10,000+ article archive and 585 podcast episodes preserved as a static asset.
Longform firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Longform
- Legal name
- Longform
- Website
- https://longform.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Longform is a Brooklyn-based independent editorial publication that curated longform nonfiction journalism on longform.org (2010–2022) and produced the Longform Podcast of writer interviews (2012–2024), serving readers and listeners interested in in-depth journalism.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Longform industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Media & Editorial Content Curation
- NAICS
- All Other Publishers (513199)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Long-Form Writing & Article Platforms (MPACAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Podcast Networks & Multi-Show Publishers (MPACADAB)
Keywords
Where Longform is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brooklyn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Longform business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Not explicitly disclosed: Revenue model not clearly stated in available sources. Longform appears to operate as an independent editorial project. The podcast final episode was announced in June 2024, suggesting the operation may have concluded or pivoted.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels1 record
Longform product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Longform curated and recommended longform nonfiction articles from around the web via its website archive (longform.org), which ran from April 2010 to December 2022 and indexed over 10,000 pieces organized by sections, publications, writers, and tags. It also produced the Longform Podcast, an interview series with journalists, authors, and writers that ran from August 2012 to June 2024 across 585 episodes, distributed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Product overview
Longform operates as a content discovery platform built around two core offerings: the Longform Podcast (interviews with journalists and authors about longform writing, featuring 585 episodes from August 2012 to June 2024) and the longform.org website (a curated archive of over 10,000 nonfiction pieces organized by sections and topics). The co-founders are Aaron Lammer and Max Linsky.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Longform Podcast A flagship audio interview series featuring in-depth conversations with journalists, authors, and writers about their craft and published work. The podcast published 585 episodes from August 2012 to June 2024 and was distributed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
- Longform.org Website A content curation platform at longform.org that recommended longform nonfiction writing from various publications, maintaining an archive of over 10,000 pieces organized by sections, publications, writers, and tags. The active recommendation service ran from April 2010 to December 2022.
- Archive and Sections Organized collections of curated nonfiction articles indexed by topic (Arts, Music, Crime, World, Politics, Business, Tech, History), publication, writer, and tag — providing the structured browsing interface for the longform.org archive.
Companies that use Longform
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Longform technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Longform partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights1 record
Longform competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Browser: The Browser is a curated daily newsletter recommending the best of the web, including significant longform nonfiction. It uses a similar editorial-curation model to Longform and serves an overlapping audience of discerning readers, including those recommended via Longform.org.
- The Atavist: The Atavist publishes longform narrative nonfiction. Both Atavist and Longform occupy the longform nonfiction niche, although Atavist commissions original longform pieces while Longform curates and recommends from third-party publishers.
- Pocket (Mozilla): Pocket is a read-later and content discovery service for long-form articles. While Pocket emphasizes user-saved articles rather than editor curation, both Longform and Pocket serve readers seeking quality long-form writing amid online content overload.
- Longreads: Longreads is the closest direct peer: a curated platform recommending longform nonfiction from across the web. Both target the same niche reader and use the same editorial curation model, making the comparison exceptionally tight.
- Byliner: Byliner is a digital publisher of longform ebooks and original nonfiction. Both target longform nonfiction readers, though Byliner focuses on original paid longform works versus Longform's free third-party curation.
Emerging players
- The Paris Review: The Paris Review is a literary magazine with a podcast series featuring writers in extended interviews—a format highly comparable to the Longform Podcast (and was featured in podcast #585's show notes). Both target engaged literary and writing audiences.
- Readwise: Readwise helps readers rediscover and consume highlights and long-form passages from their reading. While focused on personal highlights rather than external curation, Readwise serves the same audience of readers seeking depth in a short-form world, making it an adjacent competitor.
Broad incumbents
- Pushkin Industries: Pushkin Industries is a major podcast production company producing literary, journalism, and nonfiction podcasts. Its interview-style shows compete directly with the Longform Podcast for journalist-writer audiences and editorial positioning.
- Substack: Substack is a leading newsletter and podcast publishing platform with many long-form writing and interview podcasts. While broader in scope, several Longform-style literary journalism newsletters and podcasts operate on Substack, making it a partial substitute and adjacent competitor.
- Medium: Medium is a large-scale online publishing platform featuring longform nonfiction alongside other content. It competes for the same reader attention and offers many Longform-style curated longform pieces, although at much greater scale and broader editorial scope.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Longform social profiles
Digital presenceLongform financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Longform leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Longform funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Longform 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 Longform
What does Longform do?
Longform curated and recommended longform nonfiction articles from around the web via its website archive (longform.org), which ran from April 2010 to December 2022 and indexed over 10,000 pieces organized by sections, publications, writers, and tags. It also produced the Longform Podcast, an interview series with journalists, authors, and writers that ran from August 2012 to June 2024 across 585 episodes, distributed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Is Longform a public or private company?
Longform is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Longform founded?
Longform was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Longform based?
Longform is headquartered in Brooklyn, United States, in the North America region.
How does Longform make money?
One revenue line is on record: not explicitly disclosed.
Who are Longform's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Browser, The Atavist, Pocket (Mozilla), Longreads and Byliner. Emerging players are The Paris Review and Readwise. Broad incumbents are Pushkin Industries, Substack and Medium.
Does Longform have an API?
No public API is recorded for Longform.
What industry is Longform in?
Longform's product category is Digital Media & Editorial Content Curation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACAIAC, Long-Form Writing & Article Platforms, with a secondary code of MPACADAB, Podcast Networks & Multi-Show Publishers. Its NAICS code is 513199 and its SIC code is 2741.