Each year, the #Nifty50 awards honor 50 men and 50 women who actively engage on Twitter. 2011 was the inaugural year. In 2012, the #Nifty50 recognized the top men and women on Twitter in the technology realm.
The purpose of the award is to acknowledge the contributions of honorees to their fields, as well as their level of engagement on Twitter; to encourage interaction with these leaders; and to expand social networks. When the timing is right, the #Nifty50 will be expanded to include an element of social good—the #Nifty50 Kids project, which will provide access to advanced technologies for low-income children.
This year’s #Nifty50 highlights men and women who write—more specifically, who regularly produce some form of business-related online content (blog posts, news articles, videos, infographics, etc.)—and who actively engage on Twitter. The honorees include both full-time (e.g., journalists, authors, or PR professionals) and part-time writers (e.g., bloggers).
Since the first awards, the #Nifty50 hashtag has been tweeted and retweeted nearly 7,000 times, with a total exposure of more than 50 million people, according to Topsy. The #Nifty50 was also featured in the new book by Mark (@mnburgess) and Cheryl Burgess (@ckburgess), The Social Employee (McGraw-Hill, August 2013) How Great Companies Make Social Media Work – Success Lessons from IBM, AT&T, Dell, Cisco, Southwest Airlines, Adobe, and Domo on building a social culture.
For 2013, we’re pleased to honor 50 women (below) and 50 men (in a post on the Blue Focus Marketing Blog) who are both outstanding writers and content producers and active social media connectors and engagers. Beyond their professional lives, the interests of these women range from the fairly conventional (travel, food, wine, health, fashion, family) to the unexpected (Star Wars, Milk Duds, beer, Swedish fish).
We’re proud to acknowledge these 50 women from 48 different organizations as the top #Nifty50 women writers on Twitter for 2013. You can find and subscribe to or follow the entire list on Twitter here.
(Editor’s note: Though I’d be proud to claim her as a member of my extended clan, I’m fairly certain that Marissa Pick and I have no familial relationship.)
Jennifer Aaker
@Aaker
Diana Adams
@adamsconsulting
Ardath Albee
@ardath421
Kare Anderson
@kareanderson
Judy Bellem
@JudyBellem
Meghan M. Biro
@MeghanMBiro
Susan Borst
@susanborst
Lisa Buyer
@lisabuyer
Sandy Carter
@sandy_carter
Karima-Catherine
@karimacatherine
Ann Charles
@annmcharles
Dorie Clark
@dorieclark
Heidi Cohen
@heidicohen
Julie Cottineau
@JCottin
Gini Dietrich
@ginidietrich
Jenna Dobkin
@JennaSD
Esther Dyson
@edyson
Marni Edelhart
@CarpeDiFemme
Kristi Eells
@Kristi_Eells
Laurie Friedman
@lauriefriedman
Anne Deeter Gallaher
@AnneDGallaher
Ann Handley
@annhandley
Catherine Hays
@catharinehays
Elizabeth Hitchcock
@ElizHitchcock
Amy Howell
@HowellMarketing
Martine Hunter
@martinehunter
Jennifer Kane
@JenKaneCo
Julie Kehoe
@juliekehoe
Katrina Klier
@KatrinaKlier
Shelly Kramer
@shellykramer
Megan Leap
@MeganLeap
Heather Lloyd-Martin
@heatherlloyd
Margaret Molloy
@MargaretMolloy
Wendy Marx
@wendymarx
Lori Moreno
@LoriMoreno
Marissa Pick
@marissapick
Maria Poveromo
@mariapoveromo
Tonia Ries
@tonia_ries
Jill Rowley
@jill_rowley
Lori Ruff
@LoriRuff
Angie Schottmuller
@aschottmuller
Esta H. Singer
@sheconsulting
Mari Smith
@marismith
Michele Smorgon
@maxOz
Elizabeth Sosnow
@elizabethsosnow
Jayme Soulati
@Soulati
Ann Tran
@AnnTran_
Casie Vogel
@casievogel
Deborah Weinstein
@DebWeinstein
Patricia Wilson
@brandcottage
Again, you can find and follow the entire 2013 #Nifty50 Twitter women’s list here.
Robin Wolaner says
Wouldn’t it be nice if the top 50 women on Twitter issued a statement condemning the all-male makeup of the Twitter board?
Tom says
Interesting idea Robin. One would have to think that would have an impact.
Susan Borst says
Thanks for the inclusion! I know a lot of these fabulous women. I’m going to follow those I don’t know immediately.
Tom says
You’re most welcome Susan! That’s part of what the #Fifty50 is all about – increasing connections. 🙂
Angie Schottmuller (@aschottmuller) says
What an amazing list of smart business woman! I’m humbled to be in such great company. Thank you, Tom Pick and Cheryl Burgess! =)
Do you have a Twitter list with all these folks by chance?
Tom says
You’ve earned it Angie! The acknowledgment is just a technicality. 🙂
Working on that Twitter list now..
https://twitter.com/TomPick/lists/the-2013-nifty50-women
Linda Sherman says
Great to see quite a few friends on this list. I know it’s hard to catch all the possibilities on these lists but I want to give a shout-out to MarshaCollier who writes for a living and is an influencer on Twitter. Also Linda Bernstein who is WordWhacker on Twitter.
Patricia says
Thanks so much for including me. I am very honored. So many terrific women on this list.
Heather Lloyd-Martin says
Wow, I’m honored! Thank you so much for including me in your list.
(And what a great list of women – wow! Well done!)
Tom says
You’re most welcome Heather, I appreciate all you do.
Tom says
Absolutely Patricia, including you! 🙂
Tom says
Thanks Linda, I can tell you that getting it down to 50 was extremely difficult. Laura Crest and Missy Berggren are two more top Twitter women writers worth acknowledging. Thanks for the note about Marsha and Linda.
Jayme Soulati says
Wow…what a #RockHot list of esteemed. And, I’m on it, too! Yippee! Truly dancing a jig and will also become acquainted with 2/3 of the list I’ve yet to follow.
Tom and Cheryl, thanks so much. Honored.
Tom says
You’re most welcome Jayme, the list wouldn’t have been complete without you!
Paul A says
It would be better to add an embedded “Follow” button rather than have your readers open up 50 tabs to follow these ppl.
Tom says
Great point Paul! I will add a link to the Twitter list (which is https://twitter.com/TomPick/the-2013-nifty50-women/members BTW).
Jen Kane says
Thanks for including me, darlin. I never get listed on anything. So this was an unexpected treat. And, quite frankly, today I needed an ego hug. 🙂 This is some amazing company to be in.
Hope all is well!
Tom says
Hi Jen, you never get listed? Well, that’s just not right. Hopefully this exposure helps change that. Happy to shine a little light on your awesomeness. 🙂
Amy Howell says
This is a HUGE Honor and I am so happy to be in such wonderful company! Thank you Tom and Cheryl and I appreciate being included. Congrats to another great year and it just keeps getting better! Amy
Lori Moreno says
Thank You! So Honored to be in this Great List with Awesomes!
Love You!
Lori
Tom says
No problem Amy, well earned, and thank you for the positive feedback!
Tom says
You’re most welcome Lori, glad the #Nifty50 inclusion inspired such strong emotions!
Lisa Buyer says
I love all the women on this list, I am in such In good company, a woman’s tweets are never done! Sighhhh! 🙂
Tom says
Neither are a man’s. 🙂
esta says
Wow. What an amazing surprise! Thank you Tom and Cheryl, I’m so appreciative and honored to be included in such an outstanding group of women. esta
Tom says
No worries Esta. Yes, it’s an amazing group, and you deserve to be part of it. 🙂
Debbie Gartner aka The Flooring Girl says
What a super list. I see there is some consistency with earlier lists (which is good) and some new faces on the list. Nice job.
Tom says
Thanks Debbie! The choices are always difficult; so many deserving Twitterers to choose from.