Web2.0, the new web, the next web, or whatever you want to call it got a lot of attention over the last 2 to 3 years. Some very cool new services and companies sprung out of the new breed of technology entrepreneurs. However, only few of these new companies manages to reach a broad audience and have a hard time to cross the chasm. The technology scene seems mainly ‘a guy thing’.
The innovators, the people who love technology and love to test new stuff are fairly easy to reach, weblogs like Techcrunch and ReadWriteWeb write extensively about new companies, but their audience is, although large, limited to web-savvies and… men.
Where are the women?
“Women use the web to streamline their lives NOT as a replacement to having a life. To make a date, not to have the date”
Martha Orloci
To reach the masses you need women as well. Look at it as if you go to a party. A small party with your 20 best friends is a lot of fun and no women are needed to have a good time. If you’re throwing a party for 40.000 people (Sensation for instance) it will be a hard sell if men are the only ones interested. It is the same with web services, if you want to be BIG (mainstream) you need men and women.
I was talking to Martha Orloci, a Canadian women who just caught ‘the web2.0 virus’. She explained me the difference between what men and women are doing on the web.
“To understand why there are so few women writing, strategizing, creating, or participating in designing 2.0 projects, looking at my friends and acquaintances (30-55 year old, strong, smart, well educated women who are technically sophisticated). Their time is very valuable, spare time is scarce. They use the Internet as a tool to gain some efficiency in their day. They pay their bills, do their research, check their mail. They use it to streamline their lives NOT as a replacement to having a life. As they’ve told me, they use the Internet to make a date, not to have the date”
She answered some questions about women on the web extensively on her blog (thanks Martha)
So, how do we get women on the web2.0 train?
One thing that could help is a female role model, a female Steve Jobs would probably do the trick. Web2.0 needs a successful and charismatic female technology icon to have a chance to get the attention of women. Someone who inspires other women to fall in love with technology, someone who can spread the word.
Well, it\’s a start that we already have quite a few really active women on Twitter! One of them might be our savior ;)
I have the impression that a rolemodel might not be the thing for women, neither falling in love with technology will do since most women I know (and I am one myself to and I am very active online) don’t like technology for what is is but for what you can do with it: communicate, connect and share.
So calling ou for a female Steve Jobs won’t do as far as I am concerned and I am willing to believe that women are already online to do the things the like to do and I just recently have been reading an article by Stefan Fellinger who concluded that the social web (web 2.0 and so on) is and will be definitely a womens web…
@jacqueline I think I just read the same article of Fellinger (in Dutch). He also states that women have an opportunity on the web, that they don’t have to defend ‘old values’. I agree with him and yes a lot of women are in high positions on the marketing of the web, but few women start new technology companies, hacking new and useful online services.
Every time I meet up with a woman I pop the ‘what do you do on the web’ question and they usually don’t get much further then using Google, book trips, find restaurants, play online games (during soccer matches) and be social with my friends on Hyves/Facebook.
More and more women are on Twitter, that is a good thing (and it might be the explanation of their exponential growth).
I know most men love to have role models, people who they can look up to, about whom they can tell interesting stories etc.. Loads of guys will immediately admit that Marco van Basten (the soccer player) is/was their hero. Steve Jobs is the icon for a lot of web savvies. As I’m not a woman I don’t know if a lot of women have a hero or role model and if they even they want one….
For guys it is working, icons and success stories stimulate and inspire guys (pretty sure that not every guy agrees with this).
Do you have a suggestion how to create more awareness among women for the web2.0 scene?
@patrick I wonder why you seem to be insisting on creating more web 2.0-awareness amongst women? Like I was trying to explain in my first comment women are already online using the internet and also using other technologies to connect, communicate and share with others. So to me women seem to be aware of web 2.0 and already’using’ the’we are the web’or social web as I prefer to call it.
Just read and excellent article in a Dutch newspaper about Lucia Rijker (Four time World Champion Kickboxer) and she mentioned Oprah as a role model. I know some women who refer to Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright as female role models. I personally look up to Meg Whitman (eBay CEO), Carly Fiorina (former HP CEO) and Caterina Fake (Flickr Founder). If you look hard they ARE there!
@Jacqueline ok, so that is good news. In my view we can’t have enough people passionate about the possibilities of the web, men and women.
By the way, nice presentation on “We are the Web”
@patrick thnx for the compliment and keep up the passionate about the web work:)
Hi Patrick,
first off all I like it that you decided to make a post out of this subject. I too think that there are to few women in the ‘driving seats’ off the internet. It’s about time some women stepped up! I know that some things are happening but maybe not fast enough..
I do think we might have some examples for the women For example at Google we have Marissa Mayers who is Vice President of Search Product and User Experience. In SEO there is Lisa Barone and Li Evans who are very well respected in the US.
What might be interesting in this subject is the series of interviews made by Searchmarketinggurus: http://www.searchmarketinggurus.com/WoIM/smg-women-of-internet-marketing.html . Maybe the dutch women will get inspired ;).
Where do I send my resume?
@Bas I’m a big fan of Marissa Meyers as well. Thanks for the link.
@Anne get in contact with Ernst Jan (editor in chief), see the TEAM page. Would be great to have female bloggers on board.
Hi Patrick,
Interesting post.
Women buy everything! Period. Women join brands! Period.
Consider these stats from the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Women’s
share of purchases:
- Home Furnishings … 94%
- Vacations … 92%
- Houses … 91%
- Consumer Electronics … 51% (66% home computers)
- Cars … 68%
- All consumer purchases … 83%
- Bank Account … 89%
- Household investment decisions … 67%
- Small business loans/biz starts … 70%
- Health Care … 80%
Indeed, why don’t we see women in the edge of the web?
Best,
Thomas
@Thomas: Yes, women buy everything and yes, women are gaming and yes women are doing other things online but possibly your edge of the web is not theirs. In my opinion they/we are participating in another way that fits their/our lives better than being on this edge you are thinking of…
I post a comment because the Anti Spam Picture shows ebuddy which is cool.
@ Jacqueline: I do agree with you. Though my point is why the “tech/Geek/Web 2.0/or how ever you want to call them” people/gurus are not getting seriously consulted or directly involve female minds/brains in the process as well.
:)
I agree with what Jacqueline and Thomas said as well as Orloci’s quote.
For years now I have been publishing podcasts and running a web radio here in the Netherlands. Both men and women usually have no idea what I am talking about in three languages.
To use a good Canadian expression, people still stare at me like a deer in the headlights.
So I’m here!
:)
Maybe this will help?
http://www.women2.org/?page_id=pitch2008#competition
@Bas thanks for the tip. I would love to attend there, although I think they’ll see through my female my disguise :(
@Patrick try wearing a white dress instead of a white suite ;)