Mar 17 — The Asian internet dating market is hot…and an unknown quantity for most American dating services. The Beijing internet dating convention is coming up fast so best get those visas in process if you want to attend. Visa information for iDate. Beijing idate2006 takes place May 18-19. – Mark Brooks
Month: March 2006
It’s Not Just Your Kid’s Internet: Online Dating Appeals to More Mature
ASSOCIATED PRESS — Mar 15 — The main reason more mature singles are going online for love is simple: more widespread access to the Internet, hence more familiarity with online dating. And dating sites are catering to older members. Yahoo Personals, for example, has an advice column for users over 50. Another reason: "Baby boomers are seeing their children use online dating, and watching their success at finding mates," says Rochelle Adams, spokesperson for Yahoo Personals. Match.com says boomers (age 45-59) are its fastest growing segment — they've increased by 350 percent since 2000, now numbering 1.7 million. Spokesperson Kristin Kelly says older users tend to be much clearer and more realistic about what they want: "There's no substitute for the wisdom gained with age." FULL ARTICLE @ TMC NET
Social Networking: Good business?
Mark Brooks: It took several years for online dating to become profitable. Social networking was primed in 1999, born again in 2003 and should be profitable this year.
The Prof and Speed-Dating
WELWYN & HATFIELD TIMES — Mar 15 — University of Hertfordshire professor, Richard Wiseman, will lead the world's first mass experiment on the science of speed-dating to uncover the secret of finding the perfect partner. Professor Wiseman, 40, hopes to discover whether people with different personalities get on best, or whether similarity is the secret of success.
The full article was originally published at Welwyn & Hatfield Times, but is no longer available.
Mark Brooks: eHarmony matches on similarity. TRUE and PerfectMatch less so.
Online Personals Watch Interview, CEO of Webdate, Abe Smilowitz
OPW INTERVIEW — Mar 15, 2006 – Webdate is blazing a trail with it's webcam based dating and mobile dating platform. It's taking a futuristic position. I caught up with Abe Smilowitz, CEO of Webdate…
What is webdating?
Webdating is the new safe and secure way to date where two individuals can go on their first date online using our patented video chat. They have the ability to meet each other and get a feel for each other’s personality and get to know each other a little better before they take it offline.With ‘webdating,’ you get a feel for chemistry and the ability to pinpoint each other’s personality and character; you can see them, see how they smile, see how they move and this gives you insight into what that person is really like as opposed to just reading a typed profile or chat with them on IM which is less personal.
What proportion of your membership is actively using webcams for webdating these days?
80% of our users have used videochat. At any given time, there are abut 1000 – 1500 people using webcams at one point or another. Webcams are inexpensive and easy to purchase these days. They usually run about $30.
Webdate is channel agnostic? What's that mean?
Users are able to meet in a variety of ways and methods. They are able to communicate and interact with each other online as well as through their mobile phones. Actually, they are able to interact from their mobile phones with people online as well. So, a user that is on their mobile phone can interact with people online at any given time. We allow users to interact with a variety of different methods and communicate regardless of what type of technology they have whether it be mobile or internet.
What cell phone carriers are you on deck with now?
We use Sprint, Nextel, US Cellular and Boost. We also are about to add Cricket and will launch with a major/top 3 carrier; but I’m not at liberty to announce that just yet.
Do you think mobile dating will overtake online dating one day?
No – I think they will work together. One won’t take over the other. I think there will definitely be more growth in mobile dating than the online stage. The online stage is more of a mature market place. The mobile area is starting to grow and hasn’t met its maturity level. It’s still a virgin market.
What are your estimates for the 2006 mobile dating market size?
It’s such an emerging market place…and it really depends on what deck placement you get and and what kind of compatibility you get with handsets. It’s difficult to estimate the market revenue for 2006; however, in the near future, I feel it will be in the billions of dollars in the mobile Space. Everyone has a mobile phone and not everyone has a computer or internet access. Cell Phone companies are giving out internet ready phones now, so as more people are renewing their contracts and time goes by, everyone is potentially a customer. Online is a different experience; you need a computer, high speed internet access…or dial-up. The cell phone market potentially has far more reach than online does.
What are you plans for webdate in 2006?
We will expand our global and online reach and work on some other projects that I cannot mention at this time.
tBlog’s “Suggestive” Network Poses Threat To Myspace
Online-Content Revenue Hits New Record: Report
NEW YORK BUSINESS — Mar 14 — Music downloads have overtaken dating as the leading driver of online content, with total revenue last year reaching an all-time high of $2 billion, up 15% from 2004. According to the Online Publishers Association, spending in the Entertainment/Lifestyles category, Which is driven mainly by purchases of digital-music downloads, reached $574 million in 2005 — a 39% increase. For the first time the category was ahead of Personals/Dating, where spending rose 7% to $503 million. The report doesn’t track pornographic or gambling Web sites.
tBlog’s “Suggestive” Network Poses Threat To Myspace
PartyPoker.com and Lavalife Offer Freeroll Poker Tournament
CASINO CITY TIMES — Mar 9 — PartyPoker.com and Lavalife are teaming up to offer a free 11-week long No Limit Texas Hold'Em tournament series that offers single poker players a chance to meet new people while playing cards online. Players interested in participating must be members of both Lavalife, which provides both land-based and online dating services, and PartyPoker.com, a leading online poker casino. Both memberships are free. RELEASE @ CASINO CITY TIMES
Mark Brooks: I think certain brands work well with poker. Hold on, isn't internet gambling illegal in the USA. How's that going to work? Lavalife is Canadian, so this is a nice differentiator for them that US companies can't really offer.
USA Creates MySpace-Like Site For Viewers
Mark Brooks: Myspace has pushed bands, Friendster has pushed TV stars. This makes sense for a network to try and create buzz.