Month: February 2006

BUSINESS WIRE — Jan 31 — GMI (Global Market Insite) surveyed 17,502 online consumers across 18 countries to find that Americans go online seeking friendships (21%) more than casual sex (16%) or a serious, long-term relationship (19%).  40% of Americans had friends who found significant relationships through online dating.  Almost 40% of U.S. respondents strongly believe that having an online relationship or engaging in "cybersex" is considered equal to cheating on their partner. A mere 10% of the Russian respondents defining cybersex as "cheating."  Join GMI's online panel or email them for more information at info@gmi-mr.com.  RELEASE @ BUSINESS WIRE
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

10% of those polled found a long-term partner through internet dating sites. Britons are somewhat reluctant Internet daters. Only 5% have married as a result of the internet, 14% have had a casual sexual relationship. 14% have had a serious or long-term relationship – lower than the global average.
The nationalities most likely to date online are the Brazilians, Germans and Americans (10%). The Dutch, French, Spanish and Danes (4%) are the least likely to wander the web searching for a date.  The survey suggests consumers are reasonably happy with their Internet dating service – 36% said their Internet date was "somewhat successful" whilst 11% said it was extremely successful. Americans are the most dissatisfied and more respondents – 21% – no longer use online dating. 

The full article was originally published at Tiscali Europe, but is no longer available.

Mark Brooks: There are generally two kinds of internet dating users.  Those who invested the necessary time and met someone and are happy, and those who did not invest the time, did not meet someone special and are unhappy with their experience.  Online dating advertising can suggest 'instant gratification,' but online dating takes a very significant commitment of time and effort.  Online daters will, at the very least, need to send hundreds of messages and date tens of people, over the course of several months, to have any chance of meeting the right person.  As Dr John Gray suggested at the internet dating convention, online daters should make it their goal to go on their first 20 dates just to have fun and get to know some people, before they start trying to fine 'the one.'

SOURCE WIRE — Jan 31 — UK dating & friendship site, www.makefriendsonline.com, sales have doubled in the last twelve months. Launched in 2000, by 2004, the small website started by two friends had naturally accumulated more than 500,000 members and become profitable. The emphasis is on friendship (the best basis for all relationships) rather than sexual availability.  RELEASE @ SOURCE WIRE

NEWSHOUSE NEWS SERVICE — Jan 29 — Geared for high-schoolers, myYearbook.com has mushroomed into a 300,000 members site.  The Cooks, ages 17 and 16, are courting investors.  Pages are simpler than MySpace to customize.  Kids can Flirt, Bully or Secretly Admire each other with a mouse-click, or send Gold Stars or High-Fives. Members get an online "Yearbook," complete with a "Will" and a "Locker" for sharing music, photos and videos.  They envision ads targeted more precisely than Google or Amazon, based on members' entries. MyYearbook.com is "not as safe and secure as it should be," says Parry Aftab of advocacy group Wired Safety, which next month plans to introduce a teen networking site called Yfly.com. 

The full article was originally published at Newshouse News Service, but is no longer available.

Mark Brooks: I recently came across Piczo which targets the same demographic and has an Alexa rank ~600.

THOMAS WEBSITE — Jan 26 — Yoomedia’s Dateline One to One members are profiled with the Thomas PPA assessment and then asked to build their ideal date in personality terms. Dateline One to One members wanted tools to take the guess work out of the search process. In 6-8 minutes, the PPA assesses member’s basic characteristics, perceptions, motivators, communication style and unique strengths. The Thomas PPA is independently certified to meet the testing standards set by the British Psychological Society.  For 30 years Thomas has assisted a wide range of partners, is deployed in over 50 countries in 22 languages, and has assessed over 4.5 million people.

Mark Brooks: First, the online dating world improved over news paper personals and the ‘real world’ by offering search.  Then it improved by offering more modes of communication such as instant messaging, chat and message boards.  Now, the online dating worlds next advances will be in personality profiling.  Users need more help.  Personality profiling offers much hope.  Does it deliver?  Your comments please.

ECONFIDANT — Feb 1 — econfidant.com offers personalized advice via the web from trained experts – not academics or therapists — who understand the challenges and thrills of dating today.

The full article was originally published at Econfidant, but is no longer available.

Mark Brooks: Dr John Gray offers a coaching service by phone. 

PRWEB — Jan 27 — PeekaBio.com cards are presented, recipients can then go to the site and view the member's profile and email them anonymously through the site if they're interested.  RELEASE @ PRWEB

Mark Brooks: This could be a nice feature for existing dating sites to improve user retention. 

MOORPARK ACORN — Jan 27 — For more than 40 million Americans online dating services has become a place for the perfect match.  Experts at the Better Business Bureau are offering advice in choosing the right service and tips to help ensure your safety. Start by selecting a site that seems likely to attract the type of person you want to meet.  Try before you buy.  Are there plenty of members in your geographic area and demographic?  To help ensure your safety do not reveal any personal information and use only the communication tools provide by the dating service.

The full article was originally published at Moorpark Acorn, but is no longer available.

Mark Brooks:…also, make sure someone knows where you are, and meet your date in a public place, not your home.