By Jenna Goudreau and Meghan Casserly
We're thrilled to present the second annual ForbesWoman Top 100 Websites for Women.
Our final tally of the best of the Web is the sum of a year's worth of clicking around, asking around and going down the rabbit hole of blog roll after blog roll. We're indebted to our friends in the ForbesWoman community: from the contributors and commenters on our site, to our outposts on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, and all the good samaritans offering the latest just-gotta-reads.
Our criteria for the winners boils down to informative and compelling content and user interface, engaged communities and, of course, a female focus that's kept fresh by dedicated editors, writers and designers. Intelligence is a plus; fun adds bonus points. Here's the real challenge: Does it have that amorphous and often indefinable quality that inspires us to share--with our social networks and in e-mails and conversations with our moms, sisters, friends and colleagues.
Gallery: Top 10 Entrepreneurial Websites For Women
Newcomer to this year's list is Pretty Young Professional. Founded by three ex-McKinsey & Co. employees who quit their day jobs with the dream of building a community for Gen-Y employees, daily offerings include advice on easing into entrepreneurship and what to do after you receive a job offer. Negotiating tactics? If you don't know, now you do.
The Everywhereist Geraldine DeRuiter offers up the world on a plate on her fantastic travel blog. Daily Mom Report does for women what Matt Drudge did for newshounds: presents the best of the day's headlines in short order.
If there are two blogs that require nearly no debate regarding "best of" status, they're Dooce by uber mommy blogger Heather Armstrong and Brazen Careerist by serial entrepreneur Penelope Trunk, both which made an appearance on last year's top 100. When Forbes reporter Jenna Goudreau posted a call for candidates, she received more than 500 suggestions (and counting). "Two well-manicured thumbs up for Corporette and Jezebel," said our colleague Kashmir Hill. We agree.
"LearnVest all the way," shared commenter gracieb83. "Not only do I subscribe to their daily e-mails, the site is the first place I turn to when seeking financial advice." Cameka Smith and the The Boss Network got dozens of shout-outs, and inspirational newcomer Amazing Women Rock got the nod for its series on role models.
One difference from last year is that we trimmed away the online presences for publications such as O, the Oprah Magazine, More magazine and Real Simple to make room for all the rising stars with unique voices.
We don't know how anyone ever does Top 10 lists.
85 Broads: A members-only international network of 20,000 inspired, empowered and connected women started by female staffers at Goldman Sachs. Nice offering of blogs from members on work-life issues.
Alexandra Levit: A career blog by author and journalist Levit that regularly dispenses wisdom on all things work.
Amazing Women Rock: Curated by Susan Macaulay, a Canadian expat living in the United Arab Emirates. A standout series on international role models includes videos and interviews.
Babble: A community for new parents with advice, recipes, news and resources, plus a witty blog called Strollerderby.
Beauty Bean: Concerned with women's magazines' obsession with weight loss and body image, Beauty Bean is devoted to inner beauty--without dieting tips and tricks. DIY beauty regimens take the cake.
Gallery: Top 10 Lifestyle Websites For Women
Birds On the Blog: This London blog features career advice and breaking women's-interest news from 11 resident bloggers (known as "the birds.") All ad revenue from the site is used to fund the education of 5-year-old Ugandan twin girls, Princess and Perfect.
BlogHer: The premier women's blog platform is celebrating its fifth year this year--and it's still going and growing.
TheBloggess: Jenny Lawson blogs about sex, love and motherhood, and whatever else comes to mind.The Boss Network: A community of entrepreneurial women who support each other through conversation, online and event-based networking.
The Bump: The Bump, from TheKnot, is a community website for expecting and trying-to-conceive couples that offers support, advice and features to women and their partners.
Brazen Careerist: Serial entrepreneur Penelope Trunk writes about work and life for over 40,000 subscribers. Her top piece of advice? Control your professional identity to stay employable.
CafeMom: An online community for moms that hosts parenting forums, games and blogs.
Catalyst: This website by nonprofit group Catalyst hosts research about women in business and an insightful blog, Catalyzing.
Chic CEO: A brand new site for women with the entrepreneur bug. Advice covers everything from idea-generation to patents and copyrights to the pros and cons of buying a franchise. Great design and a clever blog round out the experience.
Cool Mom: TV host and pop culture writer Daphne Brogdon blogs and posts videos to fuel the "momversation."
Gallery: Top 10 Entrepreneurial Websites For Women
Corporette: A fashion and lifestyle blog for corporate women: lawyers, bankers, MBAs, consultants and "otherwise overachieving chicks."
A Cup Of Jo: Magazine writer Joanna Goddard has a great eye for art, food and all-that's-good on the Internet. Her posts are honest, insightful and, most notably, always share-worthy.
Daily Worth: A personal finance and business site for women updated daily with money tips and blog posts. Their motto is: "We believe all women should be in charge of their financial health."
Daily Mom Report: Think Drudge Report, only more organized, and curated with moms in mind. One-stop-shopping for every headline you might otherwise have missed.
Dames Bond: "When dames bond, dames thrive" is the motto of this networking site for women in business. In addition to feature articles on advice, it features an extensive business directory of female services and businesses.
See the next 80 Top Websites For Women.
See also:
Top 10 Lifestyle Websites For WomenTop 10 Entrepreneurial Websites For Women
