Bham Now turns 10: The numbers behind a decade of positive Birmingham stories
Reading time: 5 minutes
Ten years ago, Birmingham was in the middle of a renaissance. Railroad Park had just opened, breweries were popping up on every corner, and neighborhoods like Avondale and Woodlawn were getting a fresh wave of investment. Bham Now launched right into that momentum — and a decade later, we’re still telling the city’s story.
Here’s a look back at how we got here and where we’re headed.
How it all started
Bham Now founder and president Cindy Martin says the idea grew out of what she was hearing from Birmingham locals: excitement about the city’s comeback, paired with a desire for a break from crime- and politics-driven news.
“That was the impetus for Bham Now — a local, modern media outlet that shares business openings, supports non-profits and rediscovers those people, places and things that make Birmingham a special place to live.”
Cindy Martin, Founder + President, Bham Now
The response was immediate. Traffic took off, local businesses signed on, and a staff of five college interns in 2016 grew into a full-time team of 25, turning Bham Now into a household name serving approximately 550K locals in the greater Birmingham region.
A decade of Bham Now by the numbers
- 421,600+ social followers
- 36,900+ newsletter subscribers
- 17,700+ website articles published
- 25 full-time employees
Bham Now’s most-read stories of all time
A decade of coverage means a lot of stories, but a handful have stood out. Here are Bham Now’s five highest-traffic stories ever:
- 147 Birmingham restaurants offering curbside pick-up (2020) — 227,819 views
- 17 Black-owned restaurants to eat at in Birmingham (2020) — 169,367 views
- 7 Birmingham restaurants to try for a change of scenery, including rooftops (2020) — 122,031 views
- A look inside the (nearly) vacant Brookwood Village [Photos] (2022) — 122,014 views
- The Bham Now Official Guide to Birmingham Museums (2016) — 121,251 views
Growing beyond Birmingham
Our roots are in the Magic City, but our reach now spans Alabama — from Birmingham and Huntsville to Montgomery and Mobile.
The demand for the same model in other markets led to The Bama Buzz, our statewide brand, in 2021 and Hville Blast in 2022 for the Rocket City. This year, Bham Now opened Montgomery UP at the city’s request and acquired an existing media outlet in Mobile to launch Mobile Bay Now, bringing the total to four sister brands under one roof.
Together, our brands allow us to reach audiences across Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery, Mobile and beyond, giving partners the opportunity to connect with communities across the state.
All of our brands boast an SEO- and AI-optimized website, newsletter and full-throttle social media.
As Martin puts it, the mission hasn’t changed since day one: publish content that helps create a healthier, happier and better-connected region.
Our statewide stats
- 1,000,000+ website page views per month
- 900,000+ social followers:
- Largest Instagram and TikTok followings of all Birmingham media
- Largest LinkedIn following in Alabama
- 65,000+ newsletter subscribers and a 50% open rate
- 1,100+ clients
- 40 employees
Our branding
We wanted a brand that reflected the active, millennial minded vigor of Birmingham’s rebirth. Min Sun Lee, a local brand and product designer, crafted our logo of a “youthful” Vulcan.
We chose the “millennial teal” color, popular with the up and coming age group, to reflect our fun, casual, uplifting tone.
This demographic, now 30-45, make up the majority of our audience, but we serve a wide range of ages, ethnicities and income brackets. This is important to fulfilling our mission of being a community connector for everyone, not just for a certain class.
Today, this iconic color unifies all five of our brands.
Who we serve
From launching a business to growing a brand, we help businesses tell their stories, connect with the right audiences and drive results.
Our clients range from large companies like EBSCO and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama to nonprofits like STAIR of Birmingham, AIDS Alabama and Hand in Paw. We also serve local businesses, government entities, community theaters and more.
“We greatly value our partnership with Bham Now. We have received outstanding value in targeting our current and prospective sponsors and event attendees. The marketing solutions have been creative and unique which has allowed our messages to stand out in today’s crowded media world. I highly endorse Bham Now as a marketing and communications partner.”
Gene Hallman, CEO at Eventive
We put local businesses in front of the right people — helping them tell their stories, build awareness, and inspire action.
Through content, social media, newsletters, video and more, we help our clients share their stories, reach new audiences and connect with their communities.
Want to learn more about working with us? Get in touch by emailing hello@bhamnow.com.
