• by Tameka Kee , November 14, 2007

Lifetime Networks has rebranded its LifetimeTV.com property as myLifetime.com and inked distribution deals with digital powerhouses like Glam, Hearst and About.com.

Both the site revamp and syndication partnerships will create a wealth of highly-targeted inventory for advertisers seeking to reach women, from banners and pre-rolls, to mobile and game spots, the network says.

The move comes as broadcast media staples like Lifetime increasingly seek to shift some of their brand's TV equity online, even as the online female audience continues to fragment. According to Hitwise data, October traffic to LifetimeTV.com increased by 31% year-over-year, but it has decreased by nearly 20% in the past six months.

To combat the downward trend, Lifetime Digital has pumped myLifetime.com full of content from partners like About.com, RevolutionHealth and Hearst Digital, adding variety to its Home & Crafts, Health and Relationships channels.

Lifetime Digital's partnership with RealNetworks' RealArcade will bolster the site's casual game offerings, and in 2008, myLifetime.com's Games channel will roll out a new branded advergame, or a game tied to Lifetime intellectual property each week. The site will also feature more video content, including original Web-only series like "Gift Intervention" and "Mommy Madness" and select network shows.

According to Dan Suratt, executive vice president, Digital Media and Business Development for Lifetime Networks, the redesign stems from the "impetus to create an online space for women that does what the Lifetime brand does on air. It gives them a safe, trusted space where they can escape for a few hours, or even just take a couple of moments for themselves."

The Web site has also been seeded with a number of community features, from multimedia profiles that allow members to share photos and videos, to the ability to join official Lifetime groups or create groups of their own, as well as forums and private messaging options.

According to Elizabeth Ross, President Tribal DDB West, community features are key to the success of many woman-focused sites _ and niche Web properties like Maya's Mom (which Johnson & Johnson's BabyCenter acquired in late August) have gained traction by offering parents the option to write online journals, share pictures and save their favorite comments from other users.

"The real challenge is how to talk to women online in a way that's unique and genuine," says Ross. "And some of these niche sites have found a way to do it authentically so that moms think about them first before they think about TV network properties."

Advertisers like Clorox are more apt to ask for packages that include buys on sites like Maya's Mom, as well as properties like Lifetime and iVillage, "because the long tail is very real with women," Ross says. "It's not a slam dunk to have run of network on one TV brand's site, or even to say 'We're going to do a TV buy supplemented with ad network inventory and spots on a few niche sites.' You have to take a more holistic approach."

The Glam Media distribution deal is likely a play to improve the reach and diversify the kinds of buys advertisers can make with Lifetime, since the two companies will team up to create a new network of woman-focused sites with myLifetime.com as the centerpiece. Lifetime Digital will also provide video and games for syndication across other Glam Media properties.

Lifetime Digital also has a downloadable mobile application that is available for women who have Verizon, Sprint or AT&T mobile service. Starting in first quarter 2008, the company will launch a WAP-version of the site, with content and games as well as opportunities for advertisers. "It will be like myLifetime lite," Suratt says.