- Share This Post
- submit
- 32
-
Sparkle (0)
In 2007, BlogHer Co-founder and CEO Lisa Stone gave me a task. It was simple and direct. My job was to not only make sure BlogHer's political coverage was omni-partisan, but that the BlogHer community's influence and voice was heard from the Bay Area all the way to D.C., and everywhere in between.
While I had thousands upon thousands of bloggers in my arsenal and millions upon millions of page views to tout, I found myself having to explain over and over again to congressional leaders, candidates and even legislative interns just who we were. And I was dismissed entirely more times than I care to remember when attempting to explain just why women online were so important.
Not anymore.
Over the years this community's voice has grown so in its stature and volume that legislators no longer ask "What's BlogHer?" or even why women who blog are so important. This community's work -- by women across the political spectrum -- on the Democratic and Republican party conventions last summer, the 2008 Election and now our community health policy reform initiative, in partnership with The Sunlight Foundation, have changed the game. Now they call me and BlogHer is at the forefront as a leading organization for this powerful and diverse group of women voters. So take a bow -- our work together has paid off.
I am pleased to announce that on Wednesday, December 16th in Washington, D.C., BlogHer Co-Founder and COO Elisa Camahort Page and I will be briefing the White House and Republican leaders on just how important women online have become and why they need to continue to pay close attention to this community.
We will be presenting to White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett and members of the administration's new media team and Republican Conference Vice-Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who has invited all 17 female Republican members of Congress to join us. We will share data about the most active women in social media and best practices for listening to and engaging with us.
Our agenda includes an in-depth review of BlogHer’s 2009 Women and Social Media Study, by BlogHer, Compass Partners and iVillage. We're also going to go over how increasingly difficult American women are to reach via other media channels.
Elisa says it best,
“Women who blog are not a monolithic bloc who think, act, or vote the same. They are a diverse audience, and they are raising their voices about important issues that matter not only to themselves and their own communities, but to the entire world. Topics like the economy, healthcare reform and the environment generate highly active discussions across the BlogHer community, and we’re happy to share how we engage with women from all ideological backgrounds about these important topics.”
So while Elisa and I enter the West Wing and head up the Hill...give yourselves a hand. This is yet another milestone in the power of your voice. This is yet another testament to the way your blog reaches so many and does so much. This is nothing short of further validation of the strength of the BlogHer community and the power of women online.
More Wednesday, after our meetings.
Politics & News Contributing Editor Erin Kotecki Vest
