These days our lives are inundated with buzzwords like "social media" "social networking" "blogosphere," but what does all of this stuff really have to do with you? If you represent a company selling a product to consumers, specifically women, these phrases have quite a lot to do with you and your bottom line.

Research shows us that women view themselves as much more interdependent than men, meaning that they strive to feel connected to other people. Unlike men who view themselves as very independent of others, women place much importance on their interrelatedness with society, social relationships and social groups. In fact, we get a great deal of our identity in this way.

As of 2009, there were an estimated 25 million "mom" bloggers. These women are in touch with each other, following the ups and downs of each others' lives, cheering and supporting each other on the entire way. More often than not they've never met 'in real life,' but this doesn't stop them from viewing each other as friends and members of the same community. Blogging is just one example of the way that social media can help women stay connected to each other. From Facebook and Twitter to Ning and Meetup, there is no shortage of web destinations offering a spot to belong. If Facebook were a country, it would be the third largest in the world! News travels fast among these tight-knit online communities and if you have a great product, what better way to get the word out?

So how can this information be translated into a marketing strategy? Basically by choosing to spend time and effort creating an online community where your publics can connect...as this will definitely have positive implications for your organization. The more connections, the more opportunities to spread the word about your company!