Editing Dotdash Meredith (section)

=== 2017–present: rebranding to Dotdash and merger with Meredith===
[[File:Dotdash Logo.svg|right|thumb|First Dotdash logo, used from 2017 to 2021]]
On May 2, 2017, IAC announced the completed rebranding of About.com to Dotdash,<ref>Dot-dash (or di-dah) represents the letter "A" in [[Morse code]], the initial of the firm's previous name, About.com.</ref> after about a year of transition.<ref name="dotdash-announced">{{cite press release |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=About.com is Now Dotdash |url=http://iac.com/media-room/press-releases/aboutcom-now-dotdash |publisher=[[IAC Inc.|IAC]] |date=May 2, 2017 |access-date=2017-07-23 |archive-date=November 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171126031614/http://iac.com/media-room/press-releases/aboutcom-now-dotdash |url-status=dead }}</ref> CEO Neil Vogel said that the company had lost [[mind share]] and needed to change their marketing strategy.<ref name="verge-shut">{{cite web |author=Natt Garun |title=About.com, the general interest site even its own CEO doesn't care for, is going away |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/26/15433810/about-com-shut-down-rebrand |website=The Verge |date=April 26, 2017 |access-date=July 9, 2017}}</ref> According to [[Wired (magazine)|''WIRED'']], the About.com brand was retired, despite its profitability, to make way for a new business model.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2017/05/rip-com-look-tumultuous-life-web-legend/|title=RIP About.com|last=Dreyfuss|first=Emily|date=2017-05-03|magazine=Wired|access-date=2019-12-30|issn=1059-1028}}</ref> The company refocused on [[vertical market]]s through its niche websites: [[The Balance (website)|''The Balance'']] (personal finance), ''[[Lifewire]]'' (tech), ''The Spruce'' (home and food), [[Verywell|''VeryWell'']] (health), ''TripSavvy'' (travel), and ''ThoughtCo'' (education).<ref name="dotdash-announced"/><ref name="verge-shut"/><ref>{{cite web |author=Jordan Crook |title=About.com rebrands to Dotdash |url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/02/about-com-rebrands-to-dotdash/ |publisher=[[TechCrunch]] |date=May 2, 2017 |access-date=July 9, 2017}}</ref>

On March 29, 2018, Dotdash won [[Digiday|Digiday's]] Publisher of the Year.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://digiday.com/events/awards-publishing/dotdash-wins-publisher-of-the-year-at-the-digiday-publishing-awards/|title=Dotdash wins Publisher of the Year at the Digiday Publishing Awards |date=2018-03-29|work=Digiday|access-date=2018-08-29|language=en-US}}</ref> In July of the same year, Dotdash acquired ''[[Investopedia]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ir.iac.com/static-files/38bef932-4ccb-4b2e-9b87-dae8bc844b19|website=[[IAC Inc.|IAC]] |title=IAC Q2 2018 Shareholder Letter |date=August 8, 2018 |first1=Joey |last1=Levin }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rapier |first=Graham |title=IAC is laying off a third of Investopedia staff |date=Aug 10, 2018 |url=https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/iac-stock-price-laying-off-a-third-of-investopedia-staff-2018-8-1027449957 |access-date=2021-02-08 |website=Markets Insider - Business Insider |language=en-us |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109005308/https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/iac-stock-price-laying-off-a-third-of-investopedia-staff-2018-8-1027449957 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On October 15, TripSavvy launched the Editors' Choice Awards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tripsavvy-announces-first-ever-editors-choice-awards-300730276.html|title=TripSavvy Announces First-Ever Editors' Choice Awards|last=TripSavvy|website=PR Newswire |date=Oct 15, 2018 |language=en|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref>

On January 8, 2019, Dotdash announced the acquisition of ''Byrdie'' (beauty) and ''MyDomaine'' (women's lifestyle) from Clique Brands.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/dotdash-riding-wave-of-search-traffic-acquires-new-sites-11546981201|title=Dotdash, Riding Wave of Search Traffic, Acquires New Sites|first=Benjamin|last=Mullin|date=January 8, 2019|via=The Wall Street Journal }}</ref> On May 15, Dotdash announced the acquisition of ''[[Brides (magazine)|Brides]]'' from [[Condé Nast|Conde Nast]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wwd.com/business-news/media/brides-magazine-ending-in-print-new-owner-dotdash-ceo-digital-opportunity-1203132037/|title=Brides Ending in Print, but New Owner Sees Big Opportunity in Digital|last1=Hays|first1=Kali|date=2019-05-15|website=WWD|language=en|access-date=2019-06-28}}</ref> In the spring of 2019, Dotdash's home site, ''The Spruce'', announced the launch of their first-ever paint collection, The Spruce Best Home, in partnership with KILZ and sold exclusively on [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.axios.com/dotdash-commerce-line-amazon-spruce-best-home-ce8211ed-3f88-452f-804d-2bf051eefe67.html|title=Scoop: Dotdash to launch commerce line with Amazon|website=Axios|language=en|access-date=2019-06-28}}</ref> On October 1, Dotdash announced the acquisition of Liquor.com.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.axios.com/dotdash-liquor-com-62fe840c-e816-4cf1-92b8-30bc9c8a4f60.html|title=Exclusive: Dotdash acquires Liquor.com|website=Axios|language=en|access-date=2019-10-04}}</ref>

On February 4, 2020, Dotdash announced the acquisition of ''TreeHugger'' and Mother Nature Network.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2020-02-05/dotdash-ceo-sees-green-content-as-the-next-great-opportunity-video |title=Dotdash CEO Sees 'Green Content' as the Next Great Opportunity|website=www.bloomberg.com|date=February 5, 2020 |access-date=2020-02-25}}</ref> In June, Dotdash was named Digiday's Publisher of the Year in Digiday's Media Awards 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digiday.com/awards/digiday-media-awards-expanding-revenue-and-driving-engagement-these-media-companies-are-highlight-nominees/|title=Digiday Media Awards: Expanding revenue and driving engagement, these media companies are highlight nominees|date=May 19, 2020}}</ref> ''The Spruce'' won for Best User Experience and CEO Neil Vogel won Executive of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Digiday|title=Digiday Media Awards 2020|url=https://digiday.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/digiday-media-awards-guide.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://digiday.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/digiday-media-awards-guide.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live}}</ref> On September 22, Dotdash announced that it acquired ''[[Simply Recipes]]'' and ''[[Serious Eats]]'' from Fexy Media.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Fischer|first=Sara|title=Exclusive: Dotdash acquires Simply Recipes and Serious Eats|url=https://www.axios.com/dotdash-simply-recipes-serious-eats-94ee70ac-01ad-41cb-85fa-98426a5daa43.html|access-date=2020-10-16|website=Axios|language=en}}</ref>

On October 6, 2021, Dotdash announced the acquisition of [[Meredith Corporation|Meredith]]'s magazine and other non-broadcast assets (including the former [[Time Inc.]] assets) for $2.7 billion, forming a new entity called Dotdash Meredith.<ref name="meredith-dotdash">{{Cite web|title=IAC's Dotdash to Acquire Meredith Corporation's National Media Group|url=https://meredith.mediaroom.com/news-releases?item=137620|access-date=2021-10-06|website=Meredith Corporation MediaRoom|language=en}}</ref> The transaction was finalized on December 1.<ref>[https://www.iac.com/press-releases/iacs-dotdash-announces-close-of-meredith-transaction "IAC's Dotdash Announces Close of Meredith Transaction"], [[IAC Inc.|IAC]], 1 December 2021, Retrieved 1 December 2021.</ref> On February 9, 2022, Dotdash CEO Neil Vogel issued a memo revealing that six former Meredith Corporation magazines (''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'', ''[[InStyle]]'', ''EatingWell'', [[Health (magazine)|''Health'']], [[Parents (magazine)|''Parents'']], and ''[[People en Español]]'') would cease print circulation and switch to a digital-only format.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/barry-dillers-media-group-pulls-plug-on-6-print-magazines-including-instyle-and-entertainment-weekly-11644424320|title=Barry Diller's Media Group Ends Print Versions of InStyle, Entertainment Weekly, Others|first=Alexandra|last=Bruell|publisher=Wall Street Journal|date=February 9, 2022|accessdate=May 10, 2022}}</ref>