Yahoo’s Shine – Misplaced Blogging for Money by Gender
Trying to tap the online money flow of women ages 25-54, Yahoo has launched Shine in blog format. Call it the “dumbing down” of blogging. In other words, targeting blogging to the lowest common denominator by assuming that adult women are primarily interested in stroller envy articles and buying footwear in response to a co-worker’s inappropriate behavior.
I can’t imagine any attorney, or responsible workplace supervisor for that matter, giving out that type of advice for the latter example. Frankly, it isn’t liberating — it’s degrading.
To be sure, I don’t expect everyone to have the knowledge or interests of a Lorelle VanFossen writing about Woopra’s new blog statistics program or a Jackie Lange writing about real estate investing. But is it too much to ask for Shine to actually assume its target market has an IQ above 100 and wants substance instead of stereotyped fluff?
What do you think?
About the Author
With an advanced international law degree from Georgetown University and more than 15 years of real world legal experience, Attorney Mike Young is President of the Internet Ethics Council and creator of Website Legal Forms Generator software. He helps entrepreneurs protect and grow their businesses online.
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Good Blog. I will continue reading it in the future. Nice layout too.
Aaron Wakling
Aaron,
Thanks for the thumbs up on the new blog design.
Best wishes,
-Mike
That’s exactly how I feel about Shine. It’s all fluff, and is not a site that I would plan on revisiting any time soon.
Miriam,
Glad to know I’m not the only one who feels that way about Shine.
Best wishes,
-Mike
I was underwhelmed. Accessed the website today and confronted with pole-dancing Madonna. Does any one care anymore about Madonna and the was the only thing that caught my eye.
Dominique,
Madonna pole-dancing? Yikes!
Looks like Shine is trying to reach a new low each day.
Best wishes,
-Mike