CLICK PRESS — June 19 — Shaadi.com launched a new feature, which allows members to search for a partner based on a preferred profession. Located in the Partner Search section of Shaadi.com, this tool can now be used by all to find professionals such as Doctors, Engineers, Chartered Accountants, Pilots, Actors or any other profession. FULL ARTICLE @ CLICK PRESS
Month: June 2007
Dating on the Go
WSJ — June 21 — Millions of consumers have begun prowling for a date on their cell phones, thanks to new mobile-dating services that enable "real-time" dating — that is, letting users connect on the spot with the people they pick out. Match.com will soon launch a new mobile-dating service that will allow its 15 million members to access their profiles and send messages to potential matches from their phones. If one of the matches sparks a member's interest, he can request a phone conversation, prompting Zogo to send a text message to the match's phone. Jumbuck Entertainment's FastFlirting service for about $3 a month, allows users to sign into a virtual "lobby" where they can select a flirting partner. Still, some worry that location-based features might be misused. FULL ARTICLE @ AZ STARNET
Mo’ Money with
BUSINESS WIRE — June 20 — Userplane Money is now available to anyone developing applications for Facebook. The move enables developers to earn money with the widgets they make available to users of Facebook. Userplane offers customizable communication tools, such as live IM and chat, that can be added to any site for free, simply by cutting and pasting a few lines of HTML code. Userplane serves unobtrusive ads in its players, and splits the proceeds with participating publishers.
The full article was originally published at Business Wire, but is no longer available.
Engage.com Seeks Values
PRESS RELEASE — June 19 — 64% of singles want to know about a date's social values. ~7 in 10 want to be in sync on social issues. Engage.com's "Social Engagement" survey of 500 single adults shows 58% are active with social causes including: environmentalism 24%, education 18%, and homelessness and poverty 10%. "A social consciousness is sexy," said Relationship Expert Trish McDermott, a leading authority on online dating and Chief Matchmaker for Engage.
The full article was originally published at PR Newswire, but is no longer available.
Mark Brooks: Trish used to be head of PR at Match.com.
True Tips from Herb’s Wife
QUICK DWF.COM — June 20 — Girl Talk goes pro this week with expertise in online dating. Kerensa Vest, a relationship and profile coach for True.com will guide 'Girl Talk'. Vest met her husband, Herb Vest on a blind date, and the two of them built TRUE (16m members) together in 2003. FULL ARTICLE @ QUICK DWF.COM
Semel out, Yang In
CNN MONEY.COM — June 18 — Yahoo!, the No. 2 search firm that has struggled in its battle with Google, said Monday that Terry Semel was out as CEO, to be succeeded by Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang. FULL ARTICLE @ CNN MONEY.COM
Mark Brooks: Yahoo Personals has held steady at top 3 spots across the ranking services for the last 6 months. On Comscore MediaMetrix Y! Personals dipped down to #2 for march and April but is back up to the top spot for May. Hitwise has them at the #3 spot since January.
Take Precautions Before First Date
ABC NEWS — June 16 — An estimated 40 million Americans use online dating and there are more 1,400+ sites, but some question their safety. Prosecutors say a Philadelphia nursing student was conning women on Match.com. He was convicted this week of assault. Jeffrey Marsalis, 34, pretended to be a doctor, an astronaut and even a spy to lure women. True.com provides background checks. Match gives temporary phone numbers. Intelius.com will conducts dating background checks. FULL ARTICLE @ ABC NEWS
Mark Brooks: The dating industry takes another hit. It's all the dating websites fault! 'Online dating's not safe.' Sigh! Unfortunately, with 40 million people using these sites, statistically speaking, there should be several rapes and a couple of murders every day. Internet dating improves over real world dating. But, the industry can do more. Let's take this into the comments section… Your comments please…
The Cruel Business of Love in China
CHINA DAILY — June 19 — There's no shortage of companies looking to capitalize on the so-called "lovesick" Chinese youth, challenge to turn love into cash. There's 137 million internet users in China. 56 million are using the web to look for love or friendship, according to iResearch. The Chinese online "friends and dating" market reached 400 million yuan February 2007. Most multinationals are also looking to enter this fruitful market, either by acquisition or partnership, following the leads of Meetic buying YeeYoo.com and Match buying edodo. "The biggest opportunities will pass soon", said Mark Brooks, of Online Personals Watch. "Non-Chinese companies should move this year, or they will miss the Chinese boat."
PlentyofFish on The Today Show
OPW — June 19 — Markus Frind, CEO of PlentyofFish is on The Today Show this morning. One man, one (simple) site, #1 in Canada, #1 in U.K. (for heterosexual dating) and #4 in U.S.A. He said he wanted to be the top dating site in the world…and he’s actually doing it! One guy (and his girlfriend, Annie) !!! He’s an inspiration. Is he a threat to YOUR business? What to do? Your comments please…
eHarmony Uses Tealeaf Software
INFORMATION WEEK — June 15 — eHarmony has started using TeaLeaf’s Web monitoring software in an effort to improve the customer experience. eHarmony uses TeaLeaf to detect reliability and access problems, and the product team has begun using it to watch how people navigate the site to better tweak offerings. eHarmony saw that it was losing some potential customers during the four-step checkout process to purchasing a subscription, so it shortened it. The marketing team has started using TeaLeaf to determine the success of campaigns, and customer care reps can peruse specific user sessions to get to the bottom of a customer complaint.