Does digital marketing have a glass ceiling for women? Take a look at some of the big challenges for female professionals in the industry, and some new tools for overcoming them.

As a woman in the online marketing field, I've found there are common challenges women are facing. You would think being a woman in a male-dominated industry would be the biggest challenge, right? As a co-developer of a social network for women in the digital marketing industry, I am often privy to hearing the challenges that women in this industry share with one another, and I have found that these challenges almost always begin with "I wish" or "I want more." Check out the five top "I want more" statements that I hear all the time:

1. I want more respect: Women want more respect on many levels. If I am the VP of Marketing, Mr. Prospect, then why are you calling to discuss new marketing initiatives with my CEO, who happens to be a male? And even though you are my client or partner, pet names are not always a way to get my attention. Also, how do sleazy booth babes drive traffic or business? (Well, we know how… but why?)
2. I want more collaboration: Women work well in a collaborative environment -- especially with other women. In a room of mostly men during company meetings, why is it that when the woman speaks, all the men stop to hear her, but have nothing to add? Can I get some feedback please?
3. I want more communication: Women tend to ask a lot of questions, and men can find this irritating, rather than realizing we are trying to gather information to collectively provide solutions, or get understanding to better serve the customer.
4. I want more support: Women like support groups. Knowing she has peers experiencing the same issues she does is a positive affirmation that helps motivate her to seek solutions. Support also boosts confidence, which helps anyone achieve better results!
5. I want more opportunities to advance: Specifically I have heard this statement in reference to the male/female ratio in the industry. So many men are in executive positions, or are starting their own companies, and in most of the industry, you see more men than women at tradeshows and conferences. As women, can we do more to get ahead?

Are you a woman who has experienced some of the above? I am sure these challenges are somewhat similarly faced in other working industries, but certainly in such a dynamic field as online, there are resources or tools out there to help us succeed. More and more, digital media is becoming more collaborative, more community-based, more communication-oriented and more intuitive -- areas in which women naturally excel.

We are professionals leading the world of Web 2.0 and social media. Yes, in our personal lives, we generally enjoy marketers' online efforts, and are open to online shopping. But as working professionals, advertisers should know that we are more than the sum of our PayPal accounts and spending habits, and should realize the power of our unique insight. In turn, we are networking online to expand our business skills, knowledge and opportunities, and one of our primary online concerns is to find ways to help us in these efforts.

Resources:
Networking. Social networks are also evolving into specifically created resources for professional women who want to interact and share ideas.

And what have I found so far that can help female digital professionals to get ahead? For starters there are mainstream social networks like LinkedIn, which have several business support groups designed to help women meet our unique business challenges. Some of these include Ladies who Launch, and Downtown Women's Club, which were created by women in this industry -- and some even have local chapters.

Education. There are also conferences held to help encourage success for women in interactive marketing, such as The Marketing Success Conference, held annually.

Sharing experiences. Another interesting resource I have found to be helpful is the blog. For example, Lipsticking is not only just for women, but it provides helpful resources as well as stories shared by other women in the interactive industry. Lipsticking, run by Yvonne Divita, is a wonderful place to hear what women have to say about all kinds of topics ranging from marketing to women online to struggling in the workplace; it also offers links to business resources for women entrepreneurs. You will also find articles written by women sharing their ideas, their struggles and their successes in the interactive industry!

Insight. Why do women experience different frustrations or struggles than men in the interactive industry? Are we trying too hard to out-perform the men? I pondered this very question, and then I found an article by Holly Buchanan titled: Women in the workforce who overcompensate. Buchanan gave some great insight as to why women may have struggles in a male-dominated industry, and she gave some great tips.

Conclusion
Whether or not you are experiencing challenges as a professional working woman or just want to hear what other women are saying, you are not alone. The power we women have is our voices. There are many ways to connect online to other women and share ideas, vent and hear what other women are experiencing. And while you are meeting other women and discussing similar challenges, that next business opportunity or marketing idea you wanted may just present itself.

Danielle Reed is an affiliate manager with Rextopia and a co-founder of Glam Interactive Group.