MARKETING VOX — Sept 15th — According to two sources, Time Warner is in talks with Microsoft about selling a stake in AOL and then combining it with Microsoft’s Web unit MSN. Under the plan being considered, Microsoft would pay some money to Time Warner for the AOL stake, leaving the two companies approximately equal partners in the venture.
Mark Brooks: Match currently provides AOL’s and MSN’s online personals.
EMARKETER — Sept 15 — Intel's recent report on digital lifestyles in Europe found that in some countries, as many as 13% of those with computers have tried Internet dating. A report from Nielsen//NetRatings, "21st Century Dating: The Way It Is," found that one in every three Internet users in the UK would use the Web to meet a potential partner. Alex Burmaster, an analyst at Nielsen//NetRatings, says "Two of the leading online dating services in the UK have both attracted over half a million unique visitors in May and June 2005." Women are more likely to be looking for friendship or shared interests. Men are more likely to be looking for a long-term relationship, intimate relationship, short term relationship or marriage, although the men were also four times more likely to be looking for a no-strings fling than women. "Men choose their dates based on looks but women, on the other hand, put far more emphasis on personal characteristics and descriptions." Interestingly, even though 33% of respondents admitted to lying to some degree on their profile, men were more likely to use a photograph taken in the last 12 months and to tell the truth. Women, to quote the report, were "more likely to be creative with the truth."
The full article was originally published at eMarketer, but is no longer available.
Good news, bad news…The bad news is, we’re stiiiill working on the anonymous phone calling services white paper and the mobile dating white papers. The good news is, it’s because we’ve gone COMPLETELY OVERBOARD!!! We just keep coming across new things we want to include. What to do. Anyway, hang tight and drop me an email if you’d like to receive the first copies of either of the white papers. The anonymous phone calling services white paper will be out first. Mark Brooks, Editor, Online Personals Watch
Good news, bad news…The bad news is, we’re stiiiill working on the anonymous phone calling services white paper and the mobile dating white papers. The good news is, it’s because we’ve gone COMPLETELY OVERBOARD!!! We just keep coming across new things we want to include. What to do. Anyway, hang tight and drop me an email if you’d like to receive the first copies of either of the white papers. The anonymous phone calling services white paper will be out first. Mark Brooks, Editor, Online Personals Watch
The full article was originally published at Village Voice, but is no longer available.
The full article was originally published at Village Voice, but is no longer available.
BUSINESS WIRE — Sept 12 — Berman Health and Media announced today that the Showtime network picked up its reality television series "Sexual Healing" starring Dr. Laura Berman anticipated to premier in Spring of 2006. Berman also announced an agreement with Spark Network to create a co-branded electronic dating website with American Singles called datingsmart.com sharing revenue 50/50.
The full article was originally published at BusinessWire, but is no longer available.
Mark Brooks: Smart move. I think we'll see more of these kinds of cobranding deals.
BUSINESS WIRE — Sept 12 — Berman Health and Media announced today that the Showtime network picked up its reality television series "Sexual Healing" starring Dr. Laura Berman anticipated to premier in Spring of 2006. Berman also announced an agreement with Spark Network to create a co-branded electronic dating website with American Singles called datingsmart.com sharing revenue 50/50.
The full article was originally published at BusinessWire, but is no longer available.
Mark Brooks: Smart move. I think we'll see more of these kinds of cobranding deals.
MERCURY NEWS — Sept 11 — Wendell Loyd has gone on plenty of bad dates. He wasn't meeting the right woman so the former software developer created http://www.realidate.com, which helps singles meet through volunteer activities benefiting Bay Area charities. "A lot of people don't tell the truth," says Wendy, who met her boyfriend through www.datemypet.com. "With the big sites, you're getting at a demographic that's just, well — everybody. There's no pre-screening for people who might have the same interests or what you're looking for." Sandler, of San Francisco, is working on www.asoundmatch.com, which matches music-loving singles.
Mark Brooks: If you have a particular 'thing' that you are looking for, there's probably an online personals site that caters to your needs. However, I recommend choosing from the top 15 if you don't have a particular preference.
Mark Brooks: …and many users use more than one online personals service on an ongoing basis to increase their odds of success.