I Am Woman, Hear My (Web) Roar

March 31, 2008 — -- In the world of geeky gadgetry, the foregone conclusion is that boys rule the tech school.

The traditional thinking goes like this: gadgets and porn sites (and sometimes gadget porn sites) drive Web traffic, so men must be online more than women.

But study after study is not just disproving this myth, but also shaping the strategy of Web giants trying to nab a piece of that burgeoning, powerful audience: women.

Today, Yahoo became the latest company to step into the female fray with the launch of Yahoo Shine, a site that incorporates a mix of original content in the form of blogs, articles and videos as well as partners such as Glamour and Good Housekeeping.

A total of 15 Hearst and Conde Nast publications have signed up. Shine, arguably the company's biggest content launch in years, aims right at the heart of women ages 25 to 54.

"It is the first launch we've had targeted to this key demographic," said Amy Iorio, vice president and general manager. "Our research showed that women wanted a community that was relative to their lives and also wanted credible sources."

Brandon Holley, the former editor of the now-defunct magazines Jane and Elle Girl, will run the site, which will cover everything from fashion and beauty to career and money.

"Women are really embracing this medium," Holley said. "To be online and get it back from the reader is amazing. I never thought I'd be here a year ago."

Holley, whose experience is almost exclusively in print journalism and primarily magazines, drew upon her extensive contacts in the print world, taking Erin Flaherty with her from Jane and signing up Valerie Rains as the home editor from another recently departed magazine Martha Stewart's Blueprint.

According to Iorio, Shine has been in the works for about seven months.

"We have women all over Yahoo and niche sites that are meeting some of their needs," Iorio said. "It seemed to make sense to broaden out and pull that content in."