As the world is anticipating the premiere of The Social Network, another Harvard-based website is taking over the web. Her Campus, an online magazine dedicated to the female college experience was found last year by three 2009 graduates and has spread to over 50 campuses.
Stephanie Kaplan, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, met her fellow Her Campus founders while working on Freeze, a student-run fashion and lifestyle online publication. The magazine began getting page views from all over the country, with readers saying they wanted something like it targeted for their specific campuses. With that in mind, Windsor Hanger, President and Publisher, and Annie Wang, CTO and Creative Director, hashed out a business plan and launched Her Campus in September 2009.
While offering a college woman’s view on everything from dorm life to fashion to dating, Kaplan said the “Love” section of the websites gets the most views, twice as many as other content.
Kaplan said the most challenging aspect of launching a new national website was balancing it with being full-time students. None of the three founders have business degrees, so constant research and an openness to learn has attributed to their success.
The next year will see Her Campus expand to even more college campuses around the country, specifically in Big 10 and Ivy League schools, said Kaplan.
“We plan on expanding aggressively and strategically to as many schools as possible,” said Kaplan.
With “strategic marketing partnerships” set up with the likes of Seventeen Magazine and a recent speaking engagement as part of Arianna Huffington, Donna Karan and Sarah Brown’s Women: Inspiration and Enterprise conference, Her Campus is in a great place heading into its second full year of publication.
Follow on Twitter @HerCampus and @stephaniekaplan
Michelle can be followed on Twitter @MAD_abou_style and contacted via e-mail at [email protected]
