Growing from what founder Windsor Hanger acknowledges as a void in publications for college age women—deemed collegiettes—hercampus.com is one of the newest additions to the social media craze that includes countless numbers of blogs and social networks. The brainchild of three Harvard graduates, the site is a hybrid mix of magazine and blog, catering to college campuses around America with articles, quizzes, pointers, photographs and streaming videos. One of their newest campus editions: UW-Madison, which will go live on February 8th.
But will it catch? I decided to check it out. Since my area of expertise lies in my hometown, Chicago, I browsed the campus pages for University of Chicago and UIC to see if the site had any valuable insider info.
First thing you'll notice is that Her -Campus has massive potential. The site showcases witty and knowledgeable writers on a variety of topics, contains relatively interesting and popular content, while still maintaining a fun and relatable air to it. The founders have certainly tapped into a burgeoning market, identifying college -age women as an underserved consumer group in publication. In addition, the site has its head in the right place, mixing career and internship information with life, style and health queries. As recent college graduates, they understand the questions we have and possess the all-important power of hindsight. It is an advantageous resource to have at one's disposal in the earlier years of college while navigating the social scene and a new city. Coligiettes seem to be biting; according to the number of comments and user interaction the site has been steadily growing.
Yet, there needs to be advancement in certain key areas in order for Her Campus to stick. When you first log on you will notice that the site isn't very aesthetically pleasing. The graphics are mediocre at best and the site seems chaotic and unorganized. Although it was relatively easy to navigate, the lack of style and format detracted from the overall product. The site president vocalized, in her interview with Sam Sawyer, that the website was a platform for serious women journalists who have the ability to provide school and career help. Unfortunately, it's a bit cutesy to give off a hard journalism feel. It seems that many of their problems stem from the fact that HerCampus is trying too hard to do too much. This hybrid leaves the reader in confusion of what to get out of this site; between news, campus celebrities, campus cuties, numerous blogs, and videos, the reader is harangued by content.
Overall, we'll just have to wait and see. It's now in the hands of the public. Will it become the newest fad? I think not. It may be relegated to the shadows with sites such as JuicyCampus. On the flip side, it has the ability to garner a decent number of followers. Changes in the overall look of the site and its organization, which will undoubtedly begin to occur as it increases in popularity, will have a huge effect on its success or failure. Check it out for yourself! HerCampus.com/madison
