This week’s elevator pitch comes from HerHotSpot.com, an online community for Gen Y women to share stories, ask questions, and get advice on life, love, fashion, work and health. While the name is regrettable, the pitch by founder Brette Borow is well articulated and she does a good job of getting her points across. Launched last year, HerHotSpot is trying to merge the social features of Twitter and Facebook with the content that magazines like Glamour or Cosmopolitan provide.
The site itself is geared towards several major issues in a Gen Y woman’s life—health, style, love, post-college life, work and pop culture. Part commentary from professional writers and part user-generated content, the site allows readers to post their own content and, like with Twitter, readers can follow other participants. Users can post video content as well. HerHotSpot is trying to be a content network as well as a social network, creating one big online forum that looks similar to the Sugar Network’s PopSugar. Instead of reinventing the social network wheel, HerHotSpot is hoping to get an influx of members by integrating with Facebook Connect.
HerHotSpot has an interesting concept around providing hyper-targeted content built on top of a social network. And the content seems to be catchy, from “A Girl’s Guide to Twitter,” to “Recession Friendly Luxury Shopping.” But I think in order to gain loyal followers, HerHotSpot needs to provide more valuable content. Right now, the site leans too heavily towards the user-generated stuff. Perhaps a fifty-fifty breakdown between forum and original editorial content would be ideal. And forums can be spun off of editorial content as well.
Tell us what you think. Try to keep the comments clean. We know it’s hard. But try.
That video was annoying. My brain didn’t register a word.
Stop spamming. Why are posting such a useless comment at the top?
Err.. your comment is equally as useless.
To guard against perpertuating a cycle of useless comments, I’ll give my candid opinion on the pitch.
It sounds like another social network. Nothing bad there, if the niche is well defined. She seems really enthusiastic about the venture which makes it come across well.
The minus: it would have been nice if she had explained the business model. It is an elevator pitch after all.
… you got to be kidding! We guys know what the “HotSpot” is and where it is — We spend our life trying to get there,,,, and stay there.
Yes, the site’s name is cool, but, gals, give us a break!
[What is your number?]
I think this has a real chance to carve out a niche. Great concept, good luck.
lolz.. I first thought by the name that it’s a porn related site..
http://www.smartbloggerz.com
yeah, I’m really not too sure about that name. Every reader has to be thinking about another “spot”
i think the video is great. gets the point across, and the site totally looks like a great resource for women.
Kind of cool! how often do you hear social media stuff only for girls? That is good, they shall include a section called. Ask you BOY friend, you know that guy that is always next to a hot girl who loves her so much but is kinda shy to ever say a word, until he gets tired of hearing her complaining about the real boyfriend who he actually hates so much, any movie style plot like that, it might actually help that kinda guys move on to something more productive, since they will be no longer needed… xD I meant that as joke, however, that might actually work! xD
I have been a member for a while now and am really impressed with it. They do need more editorial content but they are def are on the right track.
I love it! This is a cool concept, hopefully they stay away from all the celeb gossip crap though
ehhh…good luck.
That’s all I have to say about that.
Thinking the Techcrunch nerd squad isn’t the target audience for this.
…ehhh. Not a bad call.
Were always the target audience for hot chicks
Even if they think we are all nerds lol.
Not a huge fan of the name. Her Hot Spot sounds a bit xxx.
… at first thought TC has gone crazy, and reviewed a porno site – that’s because of the name of the startup. But my worries have vanished, fortunately.
Well, nothing new with this one. Hundreds of similar sites out there. Just one more “spot” for ladies.
maybe if i had a pretty girl pitching my startup more people would rise up and listen. the name taunts men and then they come to find out its a womens only site. how can you call a company herhotspot and not have a bunch of guys wantin to break in. sounds cruel and unusual.
Best of Skill to HerHotspot
If you read the About Us page there’s a great explanation of what the name means – http://herhotspot.com/about
It definitely doesn’t sound like it’s meant to be cruel and unusual to guys but instead give girls a place just for them.
I am going to sue to become a member. Can you imagine a man saying he wanted a place for only men? You would have all the feminists out in full force.:) who reads about pages?
.
men.com — retard!
haha, what about maxim.com or stuff.com – you do not need to read an “about us” page to know you are not wanted.
surprise surprise,
retard spammer has nothing to say????
This is def an interesting theory, that chicks need a place of their own online. I think its important that they realized the need to incorporate FB. Shows they know what the hell they are doing. Should be interesting to watch this thing grow, has some serious potential, especially on the revenue side.
Oops! (is all I can say)
Nice post! Check out my site too at http://macmaniapodcast.com.
What need does this fulfill? There are literally hundreds of digital outlets that do the same thing. Pass.
I think HerHotSpot is great… As a 25 year old girl I’m telling you there aren’t a lot of sites out there that cover the range of topics this site does and that lets us the community speak up.
It did not feel like an elevator pitch. Or it was just a long ride in the elevator. The target audience was clear. Just too long.
I think it’s a decent site, though sites like PopSugar seem to already fulfill this need. But yeah, more editorial content is needed.. get some writers on board.
I think there’s room for more sites geared towards this crowd. It looks like a great concept to me and wish them the best!
1. This is not an elevator pitch, but a marketing pitch for a website.
2. Spunky video that matches their target audience, but does not match the Techcrunch audience. Thus, we’re not qualified to speak for the content.
3. Success is long-term execution. Too early to call on their website.
Again, I’m not sure that this geek audience can provide much advise.
herhotspot.com addresses the post college confusion and gives “young women and outlet as well as place for support niche social sites that are extension of users existing core online personalities (Facebook etc.) allows them to communicate on a focused topic with like minded community members
I am good friend of her Mom who is a well known media executive and TV personality herself. Brette has a very good background herself including working in Hollywood. She had another site befoe this one and by just reading the headline at TechCrunch I also thought dirty thoughts.
However I will assure you that Brette is NO airhead and she will go a long way with this one!
Kudos, Brette!
I think herhotspot.com is a great way for girls to be able to find a safe spot to talk about the stuff that really matters. Ya the name throws me off a little bit, but it is the hot spot to go! Niche social sites are a great way for people to express themselves once they’ve been saturated by sites like facebook and myspace. I’m excited to see the site grow!
Great idea. There needs to be a place for women to be women and not worry about everyone else. The thing guys dont get is that popsugar and perez dont deal with the stuff that we really want to know. Those sites are fun when you are bored but at the end of the day they are kinda just noise. Plus, the design is cool also on this site – very twitter meets facebook. Do we know if they have funding? Are they be leaving their beta anytime soon?
This site is actually rather well put together. I’m pretty impressed. I’m waiting for bigger and better facebook connect integrations.
I swear if I see ‘… after the jump’ one more time in a blog spot I am deleting the entire internet.
Oh and why isn’t the spamlocator moron all over this with his new hotspotlocator splog?
Just love the article on HERHOTSPOT and am delighted to have found the site. I will be sharing the link with the readers of WE Magazine for Women as well as my members. I think the site works and that is what is important when it comes to social networking.
Yes, a little more editorial content could help and I am sure they are already working on it.
Have a great day… and thanks!
Heidi Richards Mooney
Why does it have to be pink?! And why does the name make me feel like I am visiting a porn site? I think the concept is awesome, but the name and the color just make it so…tragic.
Where is the revenue stream? There are tons of sites out there like it and all they have is user generated content. Its not like a forum that has a niche like talking bout technology or tv shows. And no updates like celeb gossip sites that keep users coming back for more. Why would an advertiser want to spend money with the site when they could just buy ads on facebook if facebook connect is the way you are getting hits. Unless their is some unique and exclusive content I give it about 6 months before everyone gets bored of it.
well once again you’re not the right audience. it’s great that you are a male who is “tech savvy” but this is not the demographic you fall into & most likely an area you know hence I wouldn’t be so quick to doubt these guys. It looks like they know what they are doing