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25 Women That Rock Social Media

Lee Odden
Lee Odden
Online Marketing, Social Media

Susan MisukanisLast week Erik Qualmann posted a list of “All Star Social Media” players in his ClickZ column. Being included in such a list with the likes of Chris Brogan and Scott Monty was humbling to say the least.  Erik qualified the list by saying they were mostly people he knew and he welcomed suggestions.  I noticed few women were mentioned and knowing there are so many power players, I decided to create a list of my own featuring women that I think “rock” the social web.

The photo to the left is my flexible business partner, Susan Misukanis, who “Rocks” as President of TopRank Marketing.

social mediaMany in the list below are from the PR industry that I know so it’s biased in that way. Suggestions of other accomplished & influential women in social media (consultants and corporate) are welcome. Now on to the list:

Katie Paine @queenofmetrics – Katie is a world traveler, author, consultant and PR measurement guru that has been publishing, presenting and educating us about PR and social metrics long before social media, social web, social this and social that became fashionable amongst communicators, marketers and certainly, mainstream media.

A. Jo. Martin @digitalRoyalty – Amy Martin’s Twitter bio (and follower count of 1 million plus) is one hell of a resume: “Work w/ Shaquille O’Neal, UFC, White Sox and other sports, athletes, entertainment and corporate brands to develop measurable digital & social media strategies”. That’s not all: There’s YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, UStream and others. Walk the talk 🙂

Charlene Li @charleneli – A true pioneer in the field of social computing, Charlene’s accomplishments with Forrester and as co-author of “Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies” propelled her into starting Altimeter Group providing thought leadership, research and consulting on new technologies. She shares insights on her blog.

Tamar Weinberg @tamar – A techie at heart, Tamar has been an active power user and social media marketing practitioner for several years. She’s also an author of an excellent book on Social Media Marketing called, The New Community Rules: Marketing on the Social Web.

Valeria Maltoni @ConversationAge – I like to think of Valeria as an Italian secret social media agent that helps others learn the value of conversations and connecting people on the social web. Among her many other accomplishments, she’s authored an eBook, “Marketing in 2010 – Social Media Becomes Operational” (pdf).

Jessica Smith @JessicaKnows – Once a Wal-Mart mommy blogger and now VP & digital integrator at Fleishman-Hillard, Jessica and I met on a panel (Looking Ahead: The Nexus of Social Media & Public Relations) at PRSA International in San Diego. Her practical insight made a big impression. So very smart.

Shonali Burke @shonali – A true social butterly, Shonali can be found speaking at conferences or Waxing Unlyrical on media & communications topics. More likely, you’ll find her working with clients on strategic communications, PR and social media as an independent consultant – a career she moved into after working with the ASPCA.

Beth Kanter @Kanter – Beth Kanter is a social media force of nature in the non profit space. She has the longest running blog for non profits, is the CEO of Zoetica and co-author of the upcoming book, “The Networked Nonprofit”.  In 2009 Beth was named by Fast Company Magazine as one of the most influential women in technology and one of Business Week’s “Voices of Innovation for Social Media. Be social, do good. Walk the talk.

Maggie Fox @maggiefox – Maggie is CEO of Social Media Group, which is a very large social media consulting agency that has worked with the likes of Ford Motor Company, SAP Global Marketing, Yamaha Motor, Corbis and Harlequin Publishing. She’s also a frequent conference speaker and contributes to the SMG blog.

Mari Smith @MariSmith – With enthusiastic Mari, 8,688 Facebook fans and nearly 60,000 followers on Twitter, there’s no question she a power social media practitioner. That “walk the talk” perspective helps her provide social media training and share her insights as a speaker and consultant.

Jennifer Cisney @kodakCB – I think Jennifer is the first blogger with a “Chief” designation, given for her role as Chief Blogger and Social Media Manager at Eastman Kodak. She’s active both in her professional role and personally on sites like Twitter, Facebook and blogging. More walk the talk.

Kami Huyse @kamichat – Not content with simply running her own PR and social media consulting practice, running workshops and publishing her insights on effective social communications, Kami decided to co-found another agency, Zoetica, serving the non-profit sector.

Deirdre Breakenridge @dbreakenridge – Author and c0-author of several important books on PR and social media including, “Putting the Public Back in Public Relations“, Deirdre runs a successful agency, PFS Marketwyse, and is an adjunct professor teaching courses on Public Relations and Interactive Marketing.

Beth Harte @BethHarte – Community Manager for MarketingProfs is a position Beth takes to heart (ba dum bump). It’s a great intersection of social media and marketing plus PR position that allows this long time marketing professional to show her stuff, besides blogging, teaching and speaking at conferences.

Shannon Paul @ShannonPaul – The “very official” Shannon Paul was helping the Detroit Red Wings with their social media before she landed a spot at PEAK6 where she excels even more as a social media manager.

Amber Naslund @AmberCadabra – In my opinion, Amber as Director of Community is exactly what Radian6 needed. Her mix of marketing and social media expertise is shared on Altitude Branding as well as through several eBooks and speaking at conferences.

Liz Strauss @lizstrauss – Don’t be alarmed if Liz calls you a SOB. That’s a good thing. Her SOBCon event is a think tank for social media and attracts the brightest and the curious-est. Liz is another “walk the talk” and highly networked social web enthusiast that blogs, consults and speaks at industry conferences.

Debbie Weil @debbieweil – Debbie “wrote the book” on corporate blogging (The Corporate Blogging Book) when most online marketing and communications professionals were still trying to figure out what a blog was. She runs a successful corporate blogging and social media consulting practice, works as a strategic advisor for Compendium software and continues to share her insights via blog and public speaking.

Laura Fitton @Pistachio – Laura was an early star on Twitter and with a mutual embrace, she’s turned that knowledge and network into a new business, oneforty along with consulting, speaking and co-authoring a book, “Twitter for Dummies”.

Sarah Evans @PRsarahevans – Sarah Evans showed up on Twitter like a firecracker (on my radar at least) and hasn’t looked back since with #journchat, blogging, Facebook, Twitter and plenty of real-world social networking at conferences. She’s also launched sevans Strategy and works as a Community Manager at PitchEngine.

Toby Bloomberg @TobyDiva – Toby is the original social media diva in my book and a long time business blogging evangelist for companies since 2004. She consults with companies on strategic marketing plans that incorporate social and traditional media.

Li Evans @storyspinner – As Director of Social Media for Serengeti Communications, Li is one of the few SEO savvy social media people I know that also has a public relations background. She’s a very active conference speaker, blogger, social network participant and publishes “how to” videos on internet marketing and social media.

Julia Roy @juliaroy – Julia is a Senior Manager of New Media at Coach and is yet another “walk the talk” social media participant with an active blog and participation on social sites ranging from Facebook to Vimeo.

Sally Falkow @sallyfalkow – Sally and I have been on many panels together at Search and Public Relations conferences talking about blogging, SEO and social media. She’s an active social media marketing and PR practitioner that blogs and runs an agency as well as a software services company called Press feed.

B.L. Ochman @whatsnext – B.L. “tells it like it is” as you would expect from one of the few people actually born in NYC, which makes her blog, AdAge DigitalNext articles and tweets both snarky and interesting. B.L. works with Proof Digital Media (part of Burson-Marsteller) as Managing Director of Emerging Media. She’s led some of the earliest social media consulting projects and has been blogging since 2004 (at least).

Check out the Twitter list of social media divas for a much larger group including Serena Ehrlich, Connie Bensen, Jane Quiqley, Rebecca Kelley, Lisa Stone, Lisa Barone and many others. By all means, make suggestions in the comments too.

About Lee Odden

@LeeOdden is the CEO of TopRank Marketing and editor of TopRank's B2B Marketing Blog. Cited for his expertise by The Economist, Forbes and the Wall Street Journal, he's the author of the book Optimize and presents internationally on B2B marketing topics including content, search, social media and influencer marketing. When not at conferences, consulting, or working with his talented team, he's likely running, traveling or cooking up something new.

Comments

  1. Shonali Burke, ABC says

    January 20, 2010 at 7:41 am

    This is so kind of you, Lee. Thank you. I'm really touched and kinda pinching myself, especially because compared to some of these amazing women, I still feel like the new kid on the block in some ways. SM has been amazing in the way it's extended my world, and meeting and learning from folks like them and you is a huge part of it. Your opinion means a lot to me – so thank you!

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 8:02 am

      Hey Shonali, your contributions speak for themselves. 🙂

  2. Mel Carson says

    January 20, 2010 at 7:44 am

    Fab list Lee – I'll have the pleasure of moderating the one-woman social media show that is @LisaDMyers at SES London – from a search and social point of view she's hard to beat!

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 8:02 am

      Great suggestion Mel. I know there are more SEO and Social Divas are out there 🙂

  3. datalore says

    January 20, 2010 at 8:32 am

    Two amazing beautiful ladies, and one I got to meet personal and she is a dote! Ya, I'mma talking about you, Ponzi Pirillo 🙂 and her partner in crime, Gina Hughes 😀

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 8:58 am

      Great suggestions, thanks

  4. dbreakenridge says

    January 20, 2010 at 8:38 am

    Lee, I feel honored to be on your list! Thank you so much for including me with the all of these extremely intelligent and insightful women!

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 8:59 am

      Social media smarties!

  5. Sarah Evans says

    January 20, 2010 at 8:41 am

    Thank you for the nod, Lee. I may have to steal that “firecracker” line, I like it. The thing I like best about these lists is that I always find new people to follow.

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 8:59 am

      I agree about lists and hope that there are a few new people our readers can learn from in this one. 🙂

  6. ConversationAgent says

    January 20, 2010 at 8:59 am

    What a roster, thank you for the inclusion. “Italian secret social media agent” I like that! You're right, I'm passionate about brand strategy, customer conversations, and integrating it all in one compelling story, which I'm happy to share at live events and panels.

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 9:00 am

      You rock social media and you rock the comments too 🙂

  7. leeodden says

    January 20, 2010 at 8:59 am

    I agree about lists and hope that there are a few new people our readers can learn from in this one. 🙂

  8. leeodden says

    January 20, 2010 at 9:01 am

    HUGE slap to my forehead! Kristie Wells, co-founder of social media club, is an amazing social media diva as well.

  9. Kami Watson Huyse says

    January 20, 2010 at 9:10 am

    Lee;

    Wow! I love so many of these women and know most of them, either by reputation or as true friends. I am biased too as they are all rockstars in my book, too.

    I am only jealous of one though, and that is your partner Susan Misukanis – to be able to kick like that would be awesome.

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 9:40 am

      Susan is the heartbeat of our organization and fortunate for us, has many, many talents. 🙂

  10. KDPaine says

    January 20, 2010 at 9:18 am

    Thank you SO much, I'm honored to be included in such fabulous company

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 9:40 am

      Thank you for opening the door and then some to PR measurement. Without you, so many would be so lost.

  11. Sandra Fathi says

    January 20, 2010 at 8:24 am

    Spot on list. Glad to see some of the women I follow and admire here!

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 8:56 am

      Thanks Sandra – it could easily have been a list of 50. 🙂

  12. Beth Kanter says

    January 20, 2010 at 9:35 am

    Thank you for including on such an incredible list of women in this space who truly do amazing work!

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 9:41 am

      Congratulations on Zoetica!

  13. Victor Kippes says

    January 20, 2010 at 9:55 am

    @lisabarone @rhea @outspokenmedia. Why are they not on this list?

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 3:17 pm

      Really? @outspokenmedia is an agency, this list is people. @lisabarone is not a social media PR person and @rhea is focused on ORM – rockstars in their own areas for sure, but not doing the same kinds of things or trying to have the same kind of impact as the other ladies on this list.

  14. Natalie Ebig Scott says

    January 20, 2010 at 10:28 am

    So many of these ladies rock my world, too. Thanks for the great list, Lee!

  15. bethharte says

    January 20, 2010 at 11:18 am

    Wow, thank you Lee! I was totally surprised to hear about this today. What an honor to be listed with some really smart women that I respect for their marketing, PR, social media and SEO thought leadership and skills. I think it's a testament as well that hard work, sharing insights, smart debate and helping others to do their job better is recognized in this space among peers.

    Some smart women I would include:

    Ann Handley (@MarketingProfs)
    Leigh Durst (@LivePath)
    Kellye Crane (@KellyeCrane)
    Lauren Fernandez (@CubanaLAF)
    Kami Huyse (@KamiChat)
    Lauren Vargas (@VargasL)
    Deirdre Breakenridge (@dbreakenridge)

    There's SO many more to add! I'd hate to miss people, but that's off the top of my head.

    Thanks again Lee!

    Beth Harte
    Community Manager, MarketingProfs
    @bethharte

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 3:18 pm

      Thank you for the suggestions Beth. Dierdre and Kami are already on the rockstar list. I'll add your other suggestions to the social media diva list on Twitter. 🙂

    • MariSmith says

      January 21, 2010 at 2:49 pm

      Oooh yes!! Totally agree re Ann Handley. She's a gem. 🙂

      • hackmanj says

        January 23, 2010 at 11:15 pm

        Glad to see your name on that list Mari. You're Facebook stuff is awesome.

  16. Rebecca Kelley says

    January 20, 2010 at 10:43 am

    Thanks for the mini shout-out, Lee! Great list of female social media rockstars. 🙂

  17. Jessica Smith says

    January 20, 2010 at 11:10 am

    Lee, it was pleasure to be on the panel with you at PRSA this past fall. Really enjoyed our conversation and only wish we had more time to connect and chat without the mics on too!

    Rock on!

  18. Betsy Woods says

    January 20, 2010 at 11:15 am

    Great list! Thank you for compiling!

  19. Manny says

    January 20, 2010 at 11:28 am

    Awesome article! Good of you to shed some light on these ladies. Thanks for posting!

  20. [email protected] says

    January 20, 2010 at 11:36 am

    SSDD there are more women that “rock social media” that haven’t been listed here or anywhere…seems the listmakers just keep copying themselves ;-(

    I’d find it much more intriguing to hear about some different folks, if these are the cream of the crop, what about the rest? While most of these women are forces in their own right, the continual listing of them is more than a little bland

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 4:38 pm

      Thanks Deb. Of course this is my personal list, vs some proclamation of industry wide authority. That didn't come across in the post I take it.

      I am very interested (as are many others) who your suggestions would be? Who is doing incredible work with significant impact in the social media space? Can you share your suggestions? The social web is such very big place and there are many more good stories to tell, so please share.

  21. seo services says

    January 20, 2010 at 12:43 pm

    Congratulations to the women who are included and involved in social media.. thanks

  22. michael says

    January 20, 2010 at 11:46 am

    sad to see these powerful ladies missing from the list:

    @amandapalmer, @dooneystudio

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 4:21 pm

      And now you've suggested them. Thank you.

  23. Amy says

    January 20, 2010 at 12:32 pm

    what about @gift_girl

  24. wbw_Jeff says

    January 20, 2010 at 1:37 pm

    Alexandra Samuel (@awsamuel) is a good writer and social media strategist. She blogs at http://www.alexandrasamuel.com and also on some of the Harvard Blogs (she has a PhD but is able to overcome that handicap and communicate effectively anyway).

    Ravit Lichtenberg (@ravit_ustrategy) is a relative newcomer with good insights. She herself is very interested in the role of women in social media. She blogs at http://ravitlichtenberg.typepad.com/, but not frequently enough.

    I don't know if Linda Bustos (@getelastic) would classify as a social media blogger but she knows a lot about making things work online (from a business standpoint) and in that capacity she obviously covers social media at http://www.getelastic.com/

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 3:19 pm

      Thanks Jeff.

    • ravitlichtenberg says

      January 20, 2010 at 5:55 pm

      Thanks, Jeff! I love knowing my community has my back covered! 🙂

  25. laurapistachiofitton says

    January 20, 2010 at 1:40 pm

    thanks kindly Lee. this is some heady company to be listed amongst!!

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 3:19 pm

      thank YOU

  26. marcirosenblum says

    January 20, 2010 at 2:04 pm

    I guess I was left off the list… 😉 Congrats to all these great Women!

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 3:20 pm

      There should be a SEO Divas list, no?

  27. stephanieagresta says

    January 20, 2010 at 2:04 pm

    Awesome list Lee. I'm proud to know many of these rockstars ! Look forward to seeing everyone at SXSW (Save the date for TechSet party on 3/12 and of course, the Blogger Lounge will be in full-force).

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 3:23 pm

      Another head slap! Stephanie, I don't now how you slipped by.

  28. ginidietrich says

    January 20, 2010 at 2:09 pm

    FANTASTIC list! I even found a few new rock stars to follow. Thanks for the information…and tips!

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 3:37 pm

      I'd love to start doing interviews with these smarties – tips & info. Hmmm.

  29. lizstrauss says

    January 20, 2010 at 3:02 pm

    Just got back from a day of meetings. What a great way to end it with my name here among so many I truly admire and respect. I learn from so many of these women every day. Now you've given me more to learn from and about.

    YOU ROCK, Lee!!

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 4:17 pm

      Someday, I'll be a SOB 🙂

      • lizstrauss says

        January 20, 2010 at 8:23 pm

        It was October 27, 2007 … You've been one for a long time now. http://www.successful-blog.com/1/thanks-to-week…

  30. Ed says

    January 20, 2010 at 4:15 pm

    I'd add @KarenRussell because she comes at it from a wholly different angle;
    She's a college professor walking the social media talk, while teaching it.
    Sort per /second² type thing 🙂

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 4:34 pm

      Great suggestion Ed, thanks.

  31. Laura Scholz says

    January 20, 2010 at 4:35 pm

    Great list–glad to see the women getting some love! Nice to see some old favorites and discover some new people to follow!

  32. ravitlichtenberg says

    January 20, 2010 at 5:55 pm

    Thanks, Jeff! I love knowing my community has my back covered! 🙂

  33. danielrmccarthy says

    January 20, 2010 at 7:21 pm

    Great list, especially since most of the programs that are actually being implemented in social media seem to be driven by women. I'm partial (partially because we're married) to @tamimccarthy, founder of TMG Brand Communications, who has implemented interesting social media campaigns for big corporate and smaller entrepreneurial clients. She's got a focus on making the campaigns work for the brand goals, and shies away from theory in favor of practice. Of course, I'm biased…..

    Thanks again.

  34. tobybloomberg says

    January 20, 2010 at 7:39 pm

    Lee thanks for including me w/these amazing women who rock the social media scene (sounds like a music video); means a lot coming from you, By the way, love your descriptions .. the list is worth a read just for that. A toss of a pink boa to all of the women who are part of the biz social media/twitter community.

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 8:15 pm

      Excellent, glad you noticed Toby and thanks for all your contributions. 🙂

  35. BL Ochman says

    January 20, 2010 at 8:38 pm

    Just finishing up a really looooong day, and say this post.
    Wow! Thanks for including me in such amazing company. Toby's right, your descriptions rock :>)

    I've met most, but not all of these terrific women.
    BL
    one tiny thing: i've been blogging since 2000.

    • leeodden says

      January 20, 2010 at 10:51 pm

      I knew it was a long time, but couldn't find a chronological archive of blog posts on your blog.

  36. RedHotFranchises says

    January 21, 2010 at 7:27 am

    Those are definitely some visionary women social preneurs!
    I’ll try to model their techniques sometime instead of reinventing the wheel which can lead to long-term success with Social media marketing.
    Thanks for sharing.

  37. leeodden says

    January 21, 2010 at 9:18 am

    Others added to the Twitter Social Media Divas list: @karimacatherine @ijustine @missrogue @jen_mcclure (although she doesn't Tweet much) @juliettepowell @vargasl @KarenRussel

  38. Dave Morse says

    January 21, 2010 at 8:22 am

    Penelope Trunk of Brazen Careerist rocks, too! http://www.penelopetrunk.com/

    • leeodden says

      January 21, 2010 at 12:37 pm

      Thanks Dave. I agree that Penelope rocks. Would you consider her social media focused?

  39. Akash Sharma says

    January 21, 2010 at 11:19 am

    All the Divas mentioned really rock when it comes to sharing detailed information on social media, I think Jackie Hubba was also a good choice for the top 25 as her insights on creating customer evangelists with the help of new media are quite fantastic.

    • leeodden says

      January 21, 2010 at 12:39 pm

      Akash, I agree Jackie Hubba is most definitely a woman that rocks social media. A few like her, Kristi Wells and others simply slipped my mind when creating the list. I also don't know Jackie personally.

  40. bernardhewitt says

    January 21, 2010 at 1:14 pm

    pretty goo

  41. jenmcclure says

    January 21, 2010 at 1:36 pm

    Congrats to SNCR Senior Fellows Katie Paine and Sally Falkow, and to many other friends and colleagues who made the list.
    Best –
    Jen McClure

  42. MariSmith says

    January 21, 2010 at 2:53 pm

    Oh! I could swear I left a comment here… 😉 I know I did on Facebook, Twitter and maybe it was Networked Blogs. LOL!!! 🙂 In any case, Lee, I really appreciate and admire the work you put into creating this post and adding such fun descriptions for all 25. I agree with Sarah Evans re finding more great peeps to follow on lists. And it's refreshing to see an awesome lineup of successful women in one place – great resource for finding social media speakers too!!

  43. leeodden says

    January 21, 2010 at 5:11 pm

    Thank you for all the comments and suggestions. I think we've easily achieved one of the goals of this post: to draw attention to some of the women making a difference in the social media space. Recognition stimulates discussion and allows even more talented individuals to join the conversation.

    We've added a badge http://bit.ly/5dvJGA that you can place on your blog or web site. Just copy the image above and if you like, link back to this post. Congrats to all.

  44. Jeff Katz says

    January 21, 2010 at 7:22 pm

    Some excellent and deserving women, but this list is missing one of the really true rock stars of Social Media in Carri Bugbee @carribugbee and her other personality @PeggyOlson . Carri lives and breaths social media and her background in PR lends her so much experience and credibility.

    • leeodden says

      January 21, 2010 at 7:26 pm

      Thanks Jeff. @carribugbee has been added to the Social Media Divas list: http://bit.ly/54Bw7r

  45. Erik Qualman says

    January 21, 2010 at 8:57 pm

    Lee:

    Love it! Great comments/write-ups especially on @PRsarahevans and @MariSmith. Can't wait for @charleneli new book about leaders becoming more open to effectively lead…I believe she just finished it!

    • leeodden says

      January 22, 2010 at 1:27 pm

      Thanks for including me in your post on ClickZ Erik, as well as being inspiration to create this one. It's caught just a little bit of attention. 🙂

  46. starfocus says

    January 22, 2010 at 12:34 am

    Couldn't agree more w/ your list. These gals get it! 🙂 Social media would be lost without them!

  47. suzicraig says

    January 22, 2010 at 8:23 am

    Tara Hunt should be at the top of this list . . . @missrogue lead the pack even before the pack was created.

    At some point, I'm aiming to be on this list too but I've got a ways to go!

    • leeodden says

      January 22, 2010 at 10:00 am

      Thanks Suzi, I agree Tara belongs on a list like this. It is a list based on people I know and personally feel are making a difference in the social media world. I've not met Tara, don't know her and that's probably why she didn't come to mind when cutting this off at 25.

      Be sure to check out our Twitter list of 100+ social media divas where Tara and many others are indeed included: http://bit.ly/socialdivas

      • suzicraig says

        January 22, 2010 at 10:15 am

        I hear ya and appreciate the fact that you're not just grabbing names from Twitterverse because you know “of them” and instead are sharing gals that you know first-hand are making an impact.

        Many thanks Lee.

  48. Tom_Collins says

    January 22, 2010 at 10:40 am

    Hi Lee,

    Great list of great women! And you're right that your PR bias shows – but cutting this kind of list off at 25, or even 100 (as the Smarter Social Media folks did) is going to arbitrarily and unfairly leave people off no matter how hard you try.

    Now I'll show my bias: I know she can't appear on every “smartest” and “best” and “top x” list of social media leaders, but Yvonne DiVita (@y2vonne; http://www.lipsticking.com) has been on so many recently that I did a double-take when she wasn't here among all the great women she shares the space with.

    As I've often joked, Yvonne let's me hang out with her, so I've had the wonderful opportunity to meet many on your list, some in person (Toby, BL, Debbie, Charlene, and Jenny), and most of the others virtually on Twitter, or their blogs, or in my own or others' comment streams.

    There's the magic part of social media: I had to stop and think whether my interactions with several of them had ever been in person! You make very real friends here, sometimes years before you actually get to meet in person.

    Yvonne and I just had that experience in triplicate at the #NAVC conference where we met our trio of vet blogging and podcasting partners, Dr. Larry McDaniel, Dr. Grace Long, and Dr. Bill Craig, in person for the first time. We've been working with Dr. Larry for nearly three years! I edit the podcasts, so I'm sure I could have picked him out of a group blindfolded just from his voice.

    Anyway, knowing that in 25 you could not have included anyone else without bumping one of these “must-include” women off, I'll argue for expanding the list and point out just a few more that deserve to be on any such list just as pioneers in social media (also continuing my bias toward those I've met in person):

    All three of the http://www.Blogher.com founders, Lisa Stone @LisaStone), Elisa Camahort Page (@ElisaC), and Jory Des Jardins (I mean, really, how can they not be on ANY list of women who've rocked and continue to rock social media?). Yvonne has been a speaker at just about every Blogher conference, since attending the first one in 2005.

    Anita Campbell (@smalbiztrends; http://www.SmallBizTrends.com), one of our longest running blog-buddies. We'd already done business with Anita when we first got to meet her at New Comm in 2005.

    So, now I've committed the same sin as you! I know I'm leaving off a bunch more women who deserve to be here … I can only hope they'll forgive and that others will add them soon.

    Congratulations to all-of-the-above!

    Tom

    • leeodden says

      January 22, 2010 at 1:24 pm

      Thanks for the thoughtful comment Tom. Of course, no list satisfies everyone. This list is my opinion and with the exception of 2 or 3 is based on people I know in person. It serves as an opportunity for others with their own opinions to share, as you have done.

      There's a link to a list of 100+ social media divas within the post you may have missed that includes many of the people you've suggested. http://bit.ly/socialdivas and also mentioned in the post, is the reason for making it. Not sure if you caught that.

      • Tom_Collins says

        January 22, 2010 at 9:23 pm

        Sorry if I sounded dissatisfied … not at all. Your list is great and you explained its limitations well. I was just having some fun thinking about how social media is evolving our experience of friendship, place, and so much more. Rock on!

  49. Thomas Lukasik says

    January 22, 2010 at 10:59 am

    NOT to take away from any of these women, OR women in general, but I have to admit that my first thought when I saw the title was “Geez.. as if it's some kind of surprise that a woman can do such a thing”.. immediately followed by “Wonder how a '25 Men That Rock Social Media' piece would have been received?'”

    • leeodden says

      January 22, 2010 at 1:13 pm

      Thomas, it's explained at the beginning that this post is in response to a Social Media Allstars list that was nearly all men.

      This post simply draws attention to many of the women that I know who are doing good things on and for the social web.

      • Thomas Lukasik says

        January 22, 2010 at 2:19 pm

        Yes, and as I stated in my comment, I merely described “my first thought when I saw the title”. However I still question the NEED to mention gender in the title.. why not just publish a list of Social Media Rockstars that happened to be nearly all women? Just a thought..

        • leeodden says

          January 23, 2010 at 9:48 am

          Thomas, why do people comment on blog posts without reading them. It's clear you still haven't read the post LOL. Do that and you'll find the answer to your question.

          • Thomas Lukasik says

            January 23, 2010 at 11:23 am

            >> “Thomas, why do people comment on blog posts without reading them.”

            Well, Lee.. I might ask “Why do people take the time to think and comment when their comments might not be read carefully enough to be understood?”

            For the third time I’m explaining to you and your readers that my response was ONLY an immediate and initial reaction to the title. I read your reply to me. I get it. So maybe I over-reacted to the title. (I’m starting to feel like a radical feminist here.)

            Can we just share a little peace, love and understanding? And please publish this final posting from me on this issue. I’d hate to have your readers be left with the wrong impression of me or my comment.

            Thanks, Lee.

            Cheers,
            TJL

  50. Terri Holley says

    January 22, 2010 at 1:20 pm

    Excellent list!!!

  51. Erroin says

    January 22, 2010 at 1:52 pm

    I follow many of them on this list. Excellent break down of who rocks!

  52. lorriethomas says

    January 22, 2010 at 2:47 pm

    Love seeing women featured and great choices. There is some overlap on our “Hottest Women in Social Media” http://www.squidoo.com/Top_Marketing_Women_Soci…

  53. Janice says

    January 22, 2010 at 2:58 pm

    Does anyone know if any of these people in the South Carolina area? Would love to invite one to speak at one of our upcoming sales meetings.

  54. MommyBlogExpert says

    January 22, 2010 at 6:12 pm

    Lee,

    Thanks so much for responding so strongly and swiftly.

    As a wannabe woman social media strategist, who’s only been a mommy blogger for less than a year after several decades working in media and market analyst relations, it is refreshing to know that there are men who revere the accomplishments of these great women social media leaders.

    I’m so tired of the women blogger bashing (especially of mommy bloggers) and lack of recognition of blogging ladies (with & without kids) who are blazing new frontiers in social media. We have a lot to learn from these 25 women as this post on my own blog, MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com, implies. There is a real opportunity to model ourselves after these Top 25 http://tinyurl.com/ybkmvtc

  55. maggiefox | Social Media Group says

    January 22, 2010 at 7:12 pm

    Wow. What amazing company I'm in; honoured!

  56. Tom_Collins says

    January 22, 2010 at 9:22 pm

    Sorry if I sounded dissatisfied … not at all. Your list is great and you explained its limitations well. I was just having some fun thinking about how social media is evolving our experience of friendship, place, and so much more. Rock on!

  57. jangelos says

    January 23, 2010 at 1:12 am

    Excellent list. I can't wait to go read each one. I've only started blogging three months ago and I see it as the place to be to grow and learn. Congratulations to each of the top 25. I know how hard they are working and the risks they are taking.

    Julie

  58. rossmation says

    January 23, 2010 at 5:09 am

    Great…know we can say that Women gave a stong compition to Man in Social Media.i called it “Women Power”. Congratulations to all women for getting this success.

    http://ezinearticles.com/?Force-Factor-Reviews-…

  59. alisonilg says

    January 24, 2010 at 2:08 pm

    Lee,
    You rock. Thanks for posting the list of these rocking social media women. I already follow many of them and now have more to add to my list.

    Congratulations ladies and please keep up the good work so we can all continue to learn from you.

  60. James Rodrick says

    January 24, 2010 at 10:14 pm

    Excellent….salute all these women for achieving it.social media is very famous and i am happy that women gave a strong competition to mens.

    http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/ult…

  61. lindiwecoyne says

    January 25, 2010 at 5:46 am

    Thank you, Lee, for writing such an excellent, informative article! While you claim that your list is biased in favor of players in marketing, I believe that your article still gives extensive coverage within such a broad field (from big business marketing to NGO). I have added on these women on Twitter, subscribed to feeds and passed on names. Thanks again.

  62. hharambasic says

    January 25, 2010 at 3:03 pm

    very helpful, i like the article, 🙂

  63. michellefitzgerald says

    January 27, 2010 at 12:03 pm

    great article…but one recommendation. can you condense this into a 1-2-3 of what commonalities these gals share that make them successful? being able to apply that our daily (professional) lives would make this info valuable, beyond being a great tool for “who to follow”. would be happy to share on my blog: http://www.unscripted-marketing.com/blog

    • leeodden says

      January 27, 2010 at 2:59 pm

      Hi Michelle, This is a personal faves list (and I left 2-3 people out and they will never forgive me). So inclusion for many started with being familiar or friends. But as far as what you're looking for, it's being connected online and practicing what they preach. You'll notice many “walk the talk” references in the bios I wrote. Writing books, blogging and other social participation is part of that. Seeing client work (internal or external) is another piece that I considered. There are more than enough people giving advice but not so many getting paid by clients to do so, let alone doing work that advances business goals. Hope that helps!

  64. Josh Stanley says

    January 27, 2010 at 7:06 pm

    No @ijustine this list is garbage!!!!!

    • leeodden says

      January 27, 2010 at 8:12 pm

      Unfortunately, several people like @ijustine just didn't come to mind prior to posting. Then again, I don't know her, and I do know most of the women on the list. It's nothing close to garbage of course. These are all accomplished, pioneering women on the social web. Maybe you'll make your own list? @ijustine and many others are on the <a href=”ttp://bit.ly/socialdivas”>social media divas Twitter list.

  65. Sheilaelliott says

    January 28, 2010 at 3:53 am

    I don't think so !!
    Online Social Media Marketing Service

  66. RM_InBoundMarketingPR says

    January 28, 2010 at 3:38 pm

    What a great compilation of really innovative and amazing women! Congrats to All & I hope to learn much from all of you this year…

    Thanks Lee for the time it took to create this post…

    RM – InBoundMarketingPR

    • leeodden says

      January 29, 2010 at 1:00 pm

      Glad you like it!

  67. beverlyvale says

    January 28, 2010 at 11:49 pm

    Recommend Kathy Baird at Fleishman-Hillard

  68. beverlyvale says

    January 28, 2010 at 11:50 pm

    Recommend Kathy Baird at Fleishman-Hillard

  69. jasongaya says

    February 3, 2010 at 11:27 pm

    Congratulations to all these great women and appreciate their contribution towards social media. We need such people who can take social media to the next level.

  70. Mindshare says

    February 4, 2010 at 9:18 am

    Mindshare, the Global Media Network, which serves the top client brands across the country, invites you to a stimulating one day summit to be held on 8th February 2010 at Hotel Taj Lands End, Mumbai.
    Our Facebook Group http://tinyurl.com/yd4y2uu
    LinkedIn Profile http://tinyurl.com/ya5xsod

  71. BL Ochman says

    February 4, 2010 at 11:28 am

    wow! that's some list! what fabulous, brilliant women you included!
    i am honored to be among them.
    and coming from you, this means a lot to me.
    thank you Lee!

  72. merrymary2 says

    February 4, 2010 at 1:09 pm

    What a rockin' list – inspirations all! And you deserve your mention in such stellar company for sure, Lee.

    To what does your partner owe her remarkable athletic ability – dance? Pilates? That too is inspiring! We should all get up from our desks more I guess.

  73. irfan88 says

    February 6, 2010 at 11:23 pm

    http://vahn45.blogspot.com/

  74. karimacatherine says

    February 14, 2010 at 12:53 pm

    Hi Lee,

    I just realized that I have never thanked you for including me in this very prestigious list of social media divas – http://twitter.com/leeodden/social-media-divas.
    I am honored and in very good company. The ladies are realling rocking it.

    Thank you very much

    Karimacatherine

    • leeodden says

      February 15, 2010 at 11:07 am

      Thank YOU Karimacatherine for being such a positive influence 🙂

  75. Gaia says

    February 18, 2010 at 8:57 pm

    Has anyone made a TweepML list of these 25 awesome ladies? I’d love to be able to follow them all at once.

  76. jenniferjohnstoncanfield says

    February 25, 2010 at 8:55 am

    I've found it interesting that the most of 'rockstar' social media stars are men, shadowing the trends in senior leadership in business. Social media pillars of community building, flexibility, creativity, and communication are all classically female 'gendered' qualities. Perhaps women view social media as 'technology,' which is classically 'gendered male. Let's continue to find ways to promote women in social media leadership. Thank you for this post.

  77. jenniferjohnstoncanfield says

    February 25, 2010 at 2:55 pm

    I've found it interesting that the most of 'rockstar' social media stars are men, shadowing the trends in senior leadership in business. Social media pillars of community building, flexibility, creativity, and communication are all classically female 'gendered' qualities. Perhaps women view social media as 'technology,' which is classically 'gendered male. Let's continue to find ways to promote women in social media leadership. Thank you for this post.

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