10 Women to Watch in Social Media

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When you look at the Ad Age Power 150 and Twitter Grader Elite the top spots in social media are spoken for by men. However, we think these 10 women are also top contenders in this arena.

Their community-centered practices have allowed them to create very strong platforms. Their messages are read far and wide through their blogs, tweet streams and Facebook presences. They also continue to be be future-thinkers, early adapters and creative users to how they use the Internet to communicate. Here are the 10 power females who deserve recognition for the roles they play in social media.

Jessica Gottlieb (@JessicaGottlieb) is the voice of mommy bloggers who mean business. Jessica’s background is in consulting online retailers on how to succeed on eBay. Her blog  http://www.jessicagottlieb.com provides inspiration to fellow bloggers who want to make a living blogging — despite the obstacles. What we dig most about Jessica is her style. She doesn’t just tweet links to her blog or tote her brand on Facebook. She listens, talks and understands the needs of women/mom/entrepreneurs. Nielsen called her “Power Mom” in 2008 and again in 2009. Babble named her one of the Top 50 Mom Bloggers (number 16 to be exact) and the fifth most controversial. Forbes says she is one of 14 Power Women to Follow on Twitter — and we say she’s one of The Top 10 Women to Watch in Social Media.

Melanie Notkin (savvyauntie)

Melanie Notkin (@savvyauntie) celebrates the nearly 50 percent of women who aren’t moms — but have children in their lives.  In 2008, Melanie launched SavvyAuntie.com, the first online community for aunts and godmothers. Providing expert tips, gifts, giveaways and a place to share stories, SavvyAuntie has grown a huge following. She’s built a strong brand that is her own and she lives by it. Her Twitter and Facebook updates are not only fun but educational — from auntie hood anecdotes to relevant studies, events and more. Melanie is not only helping to drive social media, but print, too. Her book The Savvy Auntie Guide to Life, to be published by Harper Studio (HarperCollins’ new and innovative imprint) comes out soon. Oh, and if you see an [sp] in a tweet, it was sponsored. (Well fitting for a girl with “savvy” in her handler).

Amber Naslund (@AmberCadabra) is a communications and business strategist. Amber is the Director of Community for Radian6, which helps companies develop and build social engagement on the web. She focuses her work and writing on creating effective change and solving business problems through better communication. For the past 15 years, she’s worked with businesses of all sizes — from the Fortune 50 to start-ups and local nonprofits — to lead branding, communications, and client experience initiatives. Her blog http://www.brasstackthinking.com is about social media and beyond.

Kristie Wells (@KristieWells) leads two initiatives that are shaping social media. She is one of the founders of the Social Media Club, a non-profit organization connecting social media experts around the globe. From Bangalore, India to Bay City, Michigan, the Social Media Club has more than 100 local chapters for people in the industry to gather, share and listen to other pioneers. Kristie is also the Social Media Strategist at Ribbit, a company revolutionizing the way we use telephones and the Internet. A self-described “versatile generalist,” Kristie is a force to be reckon with both online and off. Her blog is http://kristiewells.com.

Heather Schuck (GlamaJama)

Heather Schuck (@GlamaJama) turned a hipster personality and online popularity into big profits. Heather is the  founder of a multi-million dollar children’s brand Glamajama. Believing strongly in the power of women on the web, Heather turned to blogging, social media and videos to reach the mom community. Today, the Glamajama line is sold at hundreds of boutiques and national stores including Target, JCPenney and Sears. This year, Heather also created the mom community website, glamaLIFE.com — as a place for glam moms to indulge and share.

Sarah Evans (@PRSarahEvans) is re-thinking the field of public relations. Sarah is the owner of Sevans Strategy, a public relations and new media consultancy. She created and moderates #Journchat, the weekly live chat for PR professionals, journalists and bloggers on Twitter. Her blog http://prsarahevans.com/ caters to publicists engaged in emerging technologies and she also interviews celebrities and news makers in Sarah Evans LIVE. Sarah also serves as the social media correspondent for SWAGG, a mobile app launching this fall allowing consumers to purchase, personalize and exchange gift cards directly from a mobile device.

Julia Roy via TwitPic

Julia Roy (@JuliaRoy) is a young, media-savvy business executive. As the Senior Manager of New Media at Coach, Inc. in the Global Web and Digital Media Department, her title is intimidating but her web presence is anything but. She’s inviting, friendly and the girl next door — with gadgets.  Her expertise is in brand marketing on social and digital platforms. Julia was named one of the 10 Hottest Girls on Twitter by the Huffington Post. @JuliaRoy has 47,000 people following her on Twitter, but we know it’s not just because of her looks. Her blog is http://www.juliaroy.com.

Christine Perkett (@MissusP) is one CEO  who realized early the value of Twitter and social networks for your business. The founder of PerkettPR , a public relations company specializing in social media relations, technology and communications, Christine turned to viral communities to be directly connected to the consumer. Christine’s three steps ahead of the curve  — and her actions  have gained her recognition. She’s a trusted author and expert in the field of social media, public relations and entrepreneurship, and has been named by several media sites as one of the top professionals to follow on Twitter. Her blog is http://perkettprsuasion.com/.

Ann Handley (@MarketingProfs) co-authored Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business and is the Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs, which helps companies, big and small, market their products better. Through online courses, newsletters, workshops and articles, MarketingProfs reaches more than 360,000 business and marketing professionals. Ann’s know-how can also be read at the MarketingProfs Daily Fix, The Huffington Post and Twitter (@MarketingProfs has more than 70,000 followers). She was also one of the founders of ClickZ, one of the first sources of interactive marketing news and commentary. Her personal blog is called Annarchy at http://www.annhandley.com and with her killer instincts and web reach she has a lead in the social space.

Lucretia Pruitt (@LucretiaPruitt) is most recognized on the web as GeekMommy, a nickname that began with the launch of her blog GeekMommy.net. The website was supposed to be a place for the “21st Century Mom” but Lucretia’s passion for social media dominated the mothering part — and the site evolved into more of a new media and communications website. So she started The Social Joint as a way to explore the ever-evolving world of New Media. Lucretia also speaks at conferences and helps companies develop social media strategies.

Please feel free to add your favorite women in social media to our comments section or on Twitter (@genConnected) and Facebook.

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