Ian Bell is an entrepreneur and businessman known as the CEO and co-founder of Digital Trends, a lifestyle, technology news, and information website that publishes reviews, news, guides, descriptive videos, how-to articles, and podcasts about technology and consumer electronics products.
Early life and education
Ian Bell was born on October 12, 1976. He studied Marketing and Business at the University of Oregon in 1999.
Early career
Ian Bell was an IT Analyst at Lockheed Martin Integrated Business Solutions in 1999. Bell helped support the following: Siebel Systems, SAP, LoudCloud, Microsoft Windows 2000, IBMAS/400 mainframes. After over a year at Lockheed, Bell then worked at Intel Corporation as Sourcing Consultant in 2001. While at Intel, Bell helped design and implement a hiring strategy for Intel’s TMG (Technology and Manufacturing Group) group. Bell coordinated hiring events across the nation and helped develop Intel’s Marketing strategy for the staffing department.
In 2002, Bell became the Vice President of Marketing at Ostler Group, a strategic marketing firm. At Ostler Group, Bell managed a multi-million dollar advertising budget for our company’s primary client. Bell also developed brand strategy and oversaw various market research and tracking programs. After three years, Bell left the company to pursue his venture.
Digital Trends
In 2006, Bell co-founded and serves as CEO of Digitaltrends.com, a lifestyle, technology news, and information site that publish reviews, news, guides, how-to articles, descriptive videos, and podcasts regarding consumer electronics products and technology, along with Dan Gaul, who is currently the CTO of the company. Formerly named Designtechnica Corporation, and was renamed to Digital Trends in April 2006. Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Kaplan led the Digital Trends, editorial team. Bell and Gaul started the site in Lake Oswego, Oregon, above a small furniture store.
In May 2009, Digital Trends relocated its office from Lake Oswego into the US Bancorp Tower in Downtown Portland, Oregon. In 2012, the company opened their next office in New York City, and in 2014, Bell launched a Spanish-language version of the technology site called Digital Trends en Español led by Editor-in-Chief Juan Garcia.
Digital Trends provides information and reviews on a wide array of products that have been developed by technology. That involves consumer electronics products such as tablets, smartphones, home theater, televisions, systems, video games and systems, laptops, PCs and peripherals, video cameras, digital cameras, and more.
DigitalTrends.com detected a surge in universality in recent years; the site declared a 100-percent boost in traffic in September 2015, spanning over 24 million readers globally and more than 13 million US readers. It currently reaches nearly 30 million readers monthly who view over 100 million pages. In addition to growth, 2015 saw a sequence of changes for Digital Trends. The site grew its awards program to include several international trade shows, including IFA in Berlin and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Digital Trends also launched DT Design, an in-house ad agency, to concentrate on branded content and high-impact advertising units.
Bell has stayed focused on securing profitable business, even as the sites have already grown. Re/Code reported on a $120 million deal with Conde Nast in late summer of 2016, to acquire Digital Trends, remarking that the site is anticipated to produce $30 million in revenue and around $6 million in profit. Bell refused that his company was in discussions, but confirmed that the company is regularly approached by would-be buyers.
Media and marketing news site Digiday wrote regarding the deal as well, comparing the site’s traffic to such properties as the CNET, Purch network, and The Verge, and Yahoo Tech, USA Today Tech, and Business Insider’s Tech Insider. Digital Trends says it surveyed more than 26 million unique visitors in August 2016. According to SimilarWeb, the site received over 40 million visits per month as of June 2018.
Funding rounds
In October 2010, Digital Trends raised an undisclosed amount in a Series A round from Startive Ventures. In October 2016, Digital Trends raised $10 million in a debt financing in a secured line of credit, from JPMorgan Chase. Digital Trends used the funding to help provide it with additional capital for new market ventures.
Digital Trends has $40 million in estimated revenue annually. Digital Trends competes with The Verge, Engadget, and The Next Web.
Post-Venture
In 2012, Bell and Gaul co-founded The Manual, men’s lifestyle site. The Manual is simple, as it shows men how to experience a life that is more appealing. Editor in Chief Cator Sparks run The Manual.
Board
Bell also serves as a board member at Outdoor Project. Outdoor Project combines resources, inspiration, and social community to produce the most effective marketplace for outdoor adventure. The website and mobile platform allow people to search for and locate outdoor adventures, combining exciting multimedia content with extensive field maps/guides, and including all types of human-powered activities.
Awards
Bell was the recipient of Microsoft MVP award for Digital Media from 2004 – 2011. Bell was also recognized to the Portland Business Journal’s 40 under 40 in 2015. EY named Bell as Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2017.