San Francisco - CA United States
The big idea: In 25 words or less, please tell us how this Fast 50 Nominee is helping to address the planet's problems.
BlogHer drives a strong online blog community (and ad network) that provides the female voice an outlet for real discussions on a myriad of topics.
Please describe how this nominee is using business as a force of positive change. What technology, idea, or strategy is the nominee using -- and what problem, such as global warming, poverty, or pollution, does it address? (suggested length: 100 words)
Jory Des Jardins, Elisa Camahort Page and Lisa Stone collectively founded BlogHer, one of the top women’s online networks and the Web’s number-one guide to blogs by women, in 2005 to create opportunities for women who blog to pursue exposure, education, community and economic empowerment. The BlogHer community is an excellent example of everyday women who might not have been tech savvy before, embracing technology and are using it to enact change, on a personal, professional and community level. Bloggers then begin to see the power of online communities in their everyday lives, through transforming the ways they communicate in, organize and operate many aspects of their lives.
What are the results, both financial and social? How has the nominee's business performed, and what impact has it had on the problem it addresses? (suggested length: 100 words)
What started as a labor of love with a conference for 300 bloggers looking to connect with other women online, has become an organization that now produces a conference series reaching nearly 2,500 bloggers, a web community and news hub featuring a directory of over 13,000 women's blogs and an advertising network of more than 1,800 bloggers - reaching more than 9 million unique visitors per month. What started as a way to answer the probing question of “Where are the women bloggers?” in 2005, has become one of the most influential and successful online communities available today.
Comments that readers have made about this submission:
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10: In addition, BlogHer formed BlogHers Act, an initiative to improve the world by harnessing the power of women online. In 2007-2008, they polled the community and selected improving maternal health as their key issue, raising awareness and money.
BlogHer is blog central to an incredibly talented, prolific and diverse community of women bloggers. Over at BlogHer, experienced travelers around the blogosphere network with "newbies" to create an ongoing dialog on the issues that keep women up at night or propel us out of bed in the morning. As a 57 year old woman who didn't even know what a blog was this time last year, I'm amazed at how BlogHer has helped me grow my blogging skills and, better yet, my network of virtual friends of all ages. I rate BlogHer a 10 +.
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BlogHer provides a global forum for women of all descriptions, races, religions (or lack of same), gender preference, political views, stages in life -- It encourages and has the healthy sort of diverse populations and opinions that should be mirrored as an example of inclusivity and community-building across the net. Not only does it provide an individual with a forum, but it provides a stage for positive community dialogue around important issues. It has the unique position of supporting both the individual woman's blog efforts, and bringing the individual into a larger circle of diverse woman. It is fast becoming the best online locus for information about and by women.
Great site.
From the beginning, BlogHer inspired me to read a variety of online voices and to empower me to continue integrating my personal blog into my small writing/directing business. The most powerful thing I've gained from my participation in the BlogHer community is a complete annihilation of any possible assumptions about an individual woman. One trip to BlogHer and you'll know that that woman balancing a baby on her hip is possibly just as skilled with CSS, that that older lady who looks like your grandma might own a powerful web business, and that women of all shapes, sizes, colors, ages, family structure, sexual orientation, etc. bring a variety of skills, knowledge, amazing voices, and mind-blowing accomplishments. On a personal level, as an example, during this election season, I hear myself talking about the issues and I am actually blown away by my scope of knowledge and grasp of the issues and current events. And I think to myself: That's because of BlogHer.
BlogHer has re-enforced a growing dynamic in media--that the reader counts. We've established a model that truly empowers the individual while still maintaining the high editorial standard of traditional media.
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Great site and resource.
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10 It's difficult to describe the energy and the responsibility to the community felt by both members and founders. In my view, a privilege to be part of.
BlogHer leads the way in understanding the value of blogs as public discourse and a strategic business strategy.
THE online venue to find articulate discussion and alternative news coverage by women. Can't figure out how I did without it!
Inspiring!
Proud to be part of it from the beginning
Great site and great networking community for women bloggers.
BlogHer is the premier leader for women in online media, and the organization & site are powerful influencers in promoting positive change for some of our most persistent social and environmental problems by empowering viral idea exchange.
BlogHer is the online destination for all blogging women to learn , share, join forces and provide a platform to clearly hear the how and what women are speaking about in the bloggosphere.
Blogher embraces the multi-cultural,diverse voices of all blogging women with integrity and style.
Can I vote 11?
BlogHer is changing the world.
