TECH CRUNCH — Dec 20 — Yahoo Personals has a new feature called Quick View, designed to let users scan for potential mates more quickly. Instead of scrolling up and down to view profile information, members can simply select from fifteen different traits (non-smoker, enjoys traveling, etc.) and call them date "makers" or "breakers." They can then view profiles organized by whether or not they include a deal breaker. It's a good way to weed out those undesirables more quickly. FULL ARTICLE @ TECH CRUNCH
Month: December 2006
Yahoo Upgrades Personals
TECH CRUNCH — Dec 20 — Yahoo Personals has a new feature called Quick View, designed to let users scan for potential mates more quickly. Instead of scrolling up and down to view profile information, members can simply select from fifteen different traits (non-smoker, enjoys traveling, etc.) and call them date "makers" or "breakers." They can then view profiles organized by whether or not they include a deal breaker. It's a good way to weed out those undesirables more quickly. FULL ARTICLE @ TECH CRUNCH
Internet Dating Conference – January 15-16, 2007
BUSINESS WIRE — Dec 19 — The Miami Internet Dating Conference and Social Networking Conference will be held January 15-16, 2007 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Discussions include: revenue models, community building, online and offline marketing strategies, venture capital, software, mobile, video streaming, web 2.0, metrics, idea generation, coaching and user generated content (UGC). Speakers include executives from: American Capital, CollectiveX, Cupid.com, Developer Shed, eCrush, Insight Partners Ventures, Google, Mobestar, MSN, Multiply, Nokia, Online Personals Watch, Plenty of Fish, Profile Helper, Sparta Social Networks, Tickle, Userplane, Yahoo! Personals.
Internet Dating Conference – January 15-16, 2007
BUSINESS WIRE — Dec 19 — The Miami Internet Dating Conference and Social Networking Conference will be held January 15-16, 2007 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Discussions include: revenue models, community building, online and offline marketing strategies, venture capital, software, mobile, video streaming, web 2.0, metrics, idea generation, coaching and user generated content (UGC). Speakers include executives from: American Capital, CollectiveX, Cupid.com, Developer Shed, eCrush, Insight Partners Ventures, Google, Mobestar, MSN, Multiply, Nokia, Online Personals Watch, Plenty of Fish, Profile Helper, Sparta Social Networks, Tickle, Userplane, Yahoo! Personals.
eHarmony Case Study
STARTUP-REVIEW — Dec 10 — eHarmony was launched Aug' 2000 with $3M funding and grew to $100M+ revenue and established a new category. Sequoia and TCV invested $110M in November 2004 and it was rumored ~$80M was used to buy out founders shares. eHarmony made its mark in the online dating landscape by establishing its brand as the site for the serious relationship seeker, particularly women. eHarmony weeds the non-serious. On traditional dating sites, over 80% of e-mails go unanswered. eHarmony was the first site to moderate the flow of introductions and was able to charge more and monetize women more effectively. eHarmony got its first growth spurt by being featured on Christian radio program, Focus on the Family. In 2001 eHarmony struggled to acquire users but in 2002 the service produced marriages which generated PR. The positive PR fueled eHarmony's ability to graduate into radio and TV advertising, the key to its success in taking revenues to the next level. One of the themes that I see recurring in the Startup Review case studies is the importance of mainstream, offline PR to scaling an Internet business. The real people that wanted to tell their stories on TV, radio, and print made for a great human interest story. Companies that have a consumer service that naturally lend themselves to a good story are likely to see the greatest success.
The full article was originally published at Startup-Review, but is no longer available.
eHarmony Case Study
STARTUP-REVIEW — Dec 10 — eHarmony was launched Aug' 2000 with $3M funding and grew to $100M+ revenue and established a new category. Sequoia and TCV invested $110M in November 2004 and it was rumored ~$80M was used to buy out founders shares. eHarmony made its mark in the online dating landscape by establishing its brand as the site for the serious relationship seeker, particularly women. eHarmony weeds the non-serious. On traditional dating sites, over 80% of e-mails go unanswered. eHarmony was the first site to moderate the flow of introductions and was able to charge more and monetize women more effectively. eHarmony got its first growth spurt by being featured on Christian radio program, Focus on the Family. In 2001 eHarmony struggled to acquire users but in 2002 the service produced marriages which generated PR. The positive PR fueled eHarmony's ability to graduate into radio and TV advertising, the key to its success in taking revenues to the next level. One of the themes that I see recurring in the Startup Review case studies is the importance of mainstream, offline PR to scaling an Internet business. The real people that wanted to tell their stories on TV, radio, and print made for a great human interest story. Companies that have a consumer service that naturally lend themselves to a good story are likely to see the greatest success.
The full article was originally published at Startup-Review, but is no longer available.
Teligence Partners With BlackPlanet and MiGente
CCN MATTHEWS — Dec 15 — Members of Community Connect's (16 million members) BlackPlanet.com and MiGente.com will be able to use voice (phone) chat communities Vibeline and Fonochat. Teligence offered Livelinks® in the '90s followed by TangoPersonals®, Interactive Male®, Vibeline®, and Fonochat®. Customers use these voice enabled systems for chatting and connecting.
The full article was originally published at CCN Matthews, but is no longer available.
Teligence Partners With BlackPlanet and MiGente
CCN MATTHEWS — Dec 15 — Members of Community Connect's (16 million members) BlackPlanet.com and MiGente.com will be able to use voice (phone) chat communities Vibeline and Fonochat. Teligence offered Livelinks® in the '90s followed by TangoPersonals®, Interactive Male®, Vibeline®, and Fonochat®. Customers use these voice enabled systems for chatting and connecting.
The full article was originally published at CCN Matthews, but is no longer available.
YouTube Brings out Media Giants’ Competitive Claws
HERALD TRIBUNE — Dec 17 — A handful of giant media companies, like NBC Universal, News Corp., Viacom and possibly CBS, are close to announcing a new Web site that will feature some of their best-known television programming and other clips in an attempt to build a business for distributing video on the Internet to rival YouTube. The new business could be announced as soon as this week.
The full article was originally published at Herald Tribune, but is no longer available.
YouTube Brings out Media Giants’ Competitive Claws
HERALD TRIBUNE — Dec 17 — A handful of giant media companies, like NBC Universal, News Corp., Viacom and possibly CBS, are close to announcing a new Web site that will feature some of their best-known television programming and other clips in an attempt to build a business for distributing video on the Internet to rival YouTube. The new business could be announced as soon as this week.
The full article was originally published at Herald Tribune, but is no longer available.