• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, January 21, 2009

Meredith Corp. announced Wednesday that it has created a new Women's Network that allows advertisers to reach up to 15 million unique visitors per month through Meredith's various Web sites. Most are affiliated with one of the publisher's lifestyle magazines, extending their reach. However, the Women's Network also includes some new launches and acquisitions.

The Women's Network is a sort of meta-network consisting of the Better Homes and Gardens Network, which rolls up the BHG Web site with "Better Recipes" and "MixingBowl," a new food-focused social network set to go at the end of the month; the Parents Network, which combines the Web sites for Parents, American Baby and Family Circle; and the Real Girls Network, which includes Fitness, More and Ladies' Home Journal.

In November, Meredith took a stake in the Real Girls Media Network, which includes about 30 female-focused communities and social networks, with roughly 3 million unique visitors per month. One site, DivineCaroline.com, targets "Gamma women"--a cohort of about 55 million American women, ages 25-54, who have traditionally been under-served by marketers, despite their influence on a wide range of purchase decisions and important role in disseminating product information through word-of-mouth.

The Real Girls Network also includes CarTango.com, MomAdvice.com and BlissfullyDomestic.com.

Meredith faces stiff competition in the realm of online ad networks. The Glam Network, for example, attracts more than 40 million unique visitors per month. iVillage and AOL Living both draw 15 million unique visitors per month.

A rung or two down the age ladder, Alloy Media + Marketing's Teen.com online network got the top spot in the teen category in December, with about 6 million unique visitors that month--mostly teenage girls.