HERALD TRIBUNE — Mar 20 — In part because of its provocative ads, True.com, based in Irving, Texas, has become one of the most visited sites in the $700 million-a-year online dating industry, attracting 3.8 million people last month. True's rise has been controversial. The company has riled competitors like Match.com and Yahoo Personals, which say that True's lowbrow advertisements clash with its high-minded lobbying and legal efforts.
Month: March 2007
TRUE Riles $700 Million Industry
HERALD TRIBUNE — Mar 20 — In part because of its provocative ads, True.com, based in Irving, Texas, has become one of the most visited sites in the $700 million-a-year online dating industry, attracting 3.8 million people last month. True's rise has been controversial. The company has riled competitors like Match.com and Yahoo Personals, which say that True's lowbrow advertisements clash with its high-minded lobbying and legal efforts.
Things Dating Sites Don’t Want You to Know
BEST SYNDICATION — Mar 19 —
– More men – I’ve seen companies advertise before about having "too many women" on the sites, but personally I think that’s all spin.
– Sometimes people lie – What to do: Don’t be tempted to lie yourself.
– Online dating is a commitment. It’s not easy – You’ll need to invest time and energy.
– Background checks are no guarantee of safety – Background checks are very limited. There’s no substitute for personal responsibility.
– Many features are not really necessary – Dating sites keep making up new things and making us think we need them. Dating sites are like toilet paper: beyond certain functionality, there’s only fluff. Some features are really quite useful
(ice breakers, messaging, etc.) while others are just there to make the site appear cool and funky. Don’t be fooled into thinking that having more features instantly makes a site better. FULL ARTICLE @ BEST SYNDICATION
Mark Brooks: Actually, there really are more women than men on sites like PerfectMatch and Chemistry. But only for the age 45+ demographic. Mary.com reports 87% women registrants…but hey, with a name like Mary.com, no wonder.
Things Dating Sites Don’t Want You to Know
BEST SYNDICATION — Mar 19 —
– More men – I’ve seen companies advertise before about having "too many women" on the sites, but personally I think that’s all spin.
– Sometimes people lie – What to do: Don’t be tempted to lie yourself.
– Online dating is a commitment. It’s not easy – You’ll need to invest time and energy.
– Background checks are no guarantee of safety – Background checks are very limited. There’s no substitute for personal responsibility.
– Many features are not really necessary – Dating sites keep making up new things and making us think we need them. Dating sites are like toilet paper: beyond certain functionality, there’s only fluff. Some features are really quite useful
(ice breakers, messaging, etc.) while others are just there to make the site appear cool and funky. Don’t be fooled into thinking that having more features instantly makes a site better. FULL ARTICLE @ BEST SYNDICATION
Mark Brooks: Actually, there really are more women than men on sites like PerfectMatch and Chemistry. But only for the age 45+ demographic. Mary.com reports 87% women registrants…but hey, with a name like Mary.com, no wonder.
Social Networking News is at SNW1.com
OPW — I've moved the social network rankings to SocialNetworkingWatch.com (snw1.com for short) and will be focusing a little less on social networking news on Online Personals Watch moving forward. If you want the scoop on the social networking world please subscribe to the Feedblitz daily news email at the top left hand corner of Social Networking Watch. I'm updating it daily now. – Mark Brooks
Social Networking News is at SNW1.com
OPW — I've moved the social network rankings to SocialNetworkingWatch.com (snw1.com for short) and will be focusing a little less on social networking news on Online Personals Watch moving forward. If you want the scoop on the social networking world please subscribe to the Feedblitz daily news email at the top left hand corner of Social Networking Watch. I'm updating it daily now. – Mark Brooks
Online Dating Profiles
SEATTLE TIMES — Mar 19 — Cheesy glamour portraits, beefcake shots and half-baked pictures, wedding picture with the significant other cropped out except for the hand. The honchos at dating sites have seen enough, and they have called in the photo police. Match.com recently hired Jay Manuel from "America's Next Top Model" to dish some common sense on Match.com's new Portrait Toolkit. Some use webcams for self-portraits, or what David Coy of LookBetterOnline.com calls the "serial-killer" look with shadows and bad lighting.
The full article was originally published at Seattle Times, but is no longer available.
Mark Brooks: For photos, users should have friends pretend they are on a photo shoot and take 100 photos of them, then choose the best five. For profiles, users need to be more specific and 'engage their characters.' Sure, you like walks on the beach, but, why?
Online Dating Profiles
SEATTLE TIMES — Mar 19 — Cheesy glamour portraits, beefcake shots and half-baked pictures, wedding picture with the significant other cropped out except for the hand. The honchos at dating sites have seen enough, and they have called in the photo police. Match.com recently hired Jay Manuel from "America's Next Top Model" to dish some common sense on Match.com's new Portrait Toolkit. Some use webcams for self-portraits, or what David Coy of LookBetterOnline.com calls the "serial-killer" look with shadows and bad lighting.
The full article was originally published at Seattle Times, but is no longer available.
Mark Brooks: For photos, users should have friends pretend they are on a photo shoot and take 100 photos of them, then choose the best five. For profiles, users need to be more specific and 'engage their characters.' Sure, you like walks on the beach, but, why?
Is This The Age of the Online Avatar?
THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR — Mar 16 — Second Life (4.5 million registered) is "MySpace meets The Matrix" and is beta testing an integrated voice function that could substitute typed exchanges. In the near future members will circle virtual campfires, in photo-realistic avatar form, on a regular basis. Avatars have gone mainstream. Imvu.com already offers avatar-to-avatar chat. DigitalSpace.com creates 3D imaging for clients. FULL ARTICLE @ CS MONITOR
Mark Brooks: Watching a movie helps you escape into the story for a couple of hours. Second Life helps people truly escape, and become the story. There’s a real need for this kind of escape. I’m just a little disturbed that there’s a real need for this kind of escape. Are we spending a little too much time ‘plugged in.’
Is This The Age of the Online Avatar?
THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR — Mar 16 — Second Life (4.5 million registered) is "MySpace meets The Matrix" and is beta testing an integrated voice function that could substitute typed exchanges. In the near future members will circle virtual campfires, in photo-realistic avatar form, on a regular basis. Avatars have gone mainstream. Imvu.com already offers avatar-to-avatar chat. DigitalSpace.com creates 3D imaging for clients. FULL ARTICLE @ CS MONITOR
Mark Brooks: Watching a movie helps you escape into the story for a couple of hours. Second Life helps people truly escape, and become the story. There’s a real need for this kind of escape. I’m just a little disturbed that there’s a real need for this kind of escape. Are we spending a little too much time ‘plugged in.’