Gender Bias In Internet Marketing Industry – StomperNet
October 22, 2008 by Reba
Filed under Blog, Hot Topics, Stomping The Search Engines 2
Recently I heard some grumbling and insinuations about StomperNet having a gender bias against women. I really didn’t pay a lot of attention to it, however I did remark to Brent when I saw the first Net Effects. I noticed that there were no women in the picture and the first thing I said was what a big PR mistake they had just made. And then today I read the post on Lynn Terry’s blog titled StomperNet Responds.
I guess I was right. For StomperNet it was a PR faux paux extraordinaire but was it anything more than that?
I really don’t think so.
First, let me give you a little background. StomperNet recently did a HUGE give-away of their Stomping The Search Engines 2 program (which is excellent BTW) if you signed up for their new monthly magazine Net Effect. They also gave away the first issue along with something like SIXTEEN bonus items. Well…the picture on the cover of the inaugural issue was a picture of the StomperNet staff…all men. And every bonus that was offered from their circle of “internet marketing guru friends” was from male-owned companies.
So now you can probably imagine the comments on blogs and Twitter, etc. According to a response on Lynn’s blog from Andy Jenkins of StomperNet, people got really nasty and down right mean.
Okay, I can understand, as you can see what some people were thinking.
Call me easy-going, call me naive, call me what you want, but I’ve been around for a long time (I’m a boomer you know) and I don’t think what some people are saying (discrimination, shutting out women, etc.) is what happened at all. I just think men in general are wired differently than women. When it comes business, or anything competitive for that matter, men approach the subject with everything they can muster. They go after the challenge to conquer it. Women tend to examine and approach things on their own terms thus are slower to conquer. Men can give their all to more than one thing, where women tend to divide themselves. And because the internet marketing industry is really rather new, women just haven’t caught up to the men in terms of concurring the industry. And as a woman, I think that’s just fine.
I’ll conquer internet marketing when I’m ready to conquer internet marketing and “the men” won’t hold me back. In fact, if anyone holds me back, it’ll be ME.
On a less general note, I think the guys at StomperNet just got so damn excited about what they were doing, they didn’t even think about the PR ramifications of the “all male” pic on the cover of their inaugural magazine, nor did it even cross their mind that all the bonuses they gave away were from male-owned companies. Was it stupid? Probably. But was it to intentionally “cut out” women? NO WAY.
You don’t have to agree with me on this issue as I know not everyone will, but that’s how I feel and as a woman trying to “make it” in the “male dominated internet marketing world”, I thought it was appropriate to weigh in.
Come on folks, can’t we just get back to business? And damn yes, that’s my affiliate link, I’m trying to make a living in this crazy (but oh so FUN) industry too!
Ciao!
Reba
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I mirrored your thoughts in my own post on the gender debate (hyperlinked to my name here). My only real concern is how this whole ‘uproar’ will affect our industry in the long run. An example being if you were asked to speak at the next big IM event. Would people applaud you your expertise… or your gender (or their choice in selecting you, based on your gender).
People tell me I live in a dream world to wish that we were all judged on our skills (in this industry) instead of our gender, race, location, etc. As for any intentional segregation – I dont see it either. And this is my 12th year in IM.
Lynn Terrys last blog post..StomperNet Responds…
[...] Here’s Reba’s opinions on it [...]
Lynn, sorry it took so long to see your comment, it go stuck in my spam filter, don’t know why but I’m glad I caught it.
I hate to say it but with all the uproar I WOULD think that they were “going out of their way” to get a lady on the stage. It’s just a natural response. Just like when I first saw the “StomperNet Response”, first I thought it was very defensive and a mistake on their part, second I thought they felt they had to show-off the women who work there. Instead of releasing a statement in their defense, they should have just gone on with business while correcting their initial oversight. And if they couldn’t help themselves and felt a response was obligatory, they should have had one of the top men, Andy or Brad, issue a sincere statement admitting that they may have made a mistake in their over-zealousness to launch the product.
All good points. Unfortunately, that is exactly what is about to happen. Well over a month ago (closer to 2 I believe), I talked to some of the key people at StomperNet about submitting a piece for The Net Effect (their new print publication). That went through, I submitted my piece, and its going to be published in the November issue.
Given the timing, I imagine it will be seen as “good marketing” on their end – instead of seeing it for what it is: A smart marketer with something of value to contribute, that took the steps to make it happen.
See what I mean?
I’m happy with what I accomplished regardless, but its unfortunate that this has become such a hot topic, when the issue is really a non-issue (at least in my case).
Lynn Terrys last blog post..Interview With Social Media Link-Building Specialist, Nathan Ketsdever
Lynn, the timing is unfortunate, however, I know your work and it’s not the work of a “token female.” So, even though the first thought might be that, by the time the reader finishes the piece they will see you for what you really are, a talented, smart, hard-working internet marketer that has earned her position in that magazine.
You really don’t even need to consider the alternative.
Congrats on the piece, I can’t wait to read it.
Thank you Reba – I appreciate that a lot. I really do wish that more women would take the initiative and find out for themselves that the opportunities are there, instead of assuming that they are not.
Men tend to be proactive in business. Being proactive works for women too. If you want to accomplish something… just do it! Right?
Lynn Terrys last blog post..BlissDom ‘08 Recap: The Mommy Blogger
Absolutely. But because we’re women it’s hard for many. I admire your determination, with leaders and mentors like you, many more will have the confidence to put themselves out there.
I totally agree with you ladies. It seems to be a total non-issue to me.
I mean, even IF (big if here) the boys were totally excluding the woman and just won’t let her in or help her succeed – that doesn’t mean we’re doomed to failure. We just find a different way, build a new ‘club’ and move on up!
Kinda like the law of attraction thing I guess – if you think there’s a barrier there, it’s there – but only because it exists in your mind.
Angela Willss last blog post..My Contact Form
hilo!, it is not easy to trust some products online. Especially those in clickbank – I find that most of them do not deliver.
As the old cliché said “women are from Venus and men are from mars”. It is to state that we are both different in seeing things, feelings, insights, ect. But as a man I never underestimated the strength of a woman or what a woman can do. I actually find women as assets in any field, of course especially in marketing. They do think differently and unique. Sometimes they are more creative than men in resell SEO. And they are the ones that balance the tension in the field. So, I don’t see any reason why there should be gender bias in web marketing.
Don’t know if this can be country-related. Even though the general picture is that women have a low representation in areas of “tech businesses” her in DK there certainly are quite a number of women involved in the internet business.
We men often tend to get a bit too technical and forget about the human factor – not good! So I would welcome a higher number of women in this business
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I guess that men are a bit more aggressive in their approach than women. As long as it isn’t exaggerated, it can be a good thing in the world of business.
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