Month: November 2013
iDate Awards Voting Now Open
OPW – Nov 11 – The voting for the iDate Awards is now open and ends on January 3, 2014. The winners will be announced at the iDate Awards ceremony on January 15th in Las Vegas during the Internet dating conference. Here are the finalists.
One In 12 users Have Been Trolled On Social Networks
THE DRUM – Nov 20 – Only 35% have reported abuse on social networks. A survey of 5,517 UK citizens found that one in 12 of users have suffered trolling on social media. More users of Ask.fm (15 per cent) had experienced abuse than any other network.
by Ishbel MacLeod
See full article at The Drum
This post also appears on SocialNetworkingWatch.
Deutsche Telekom Sells 70% Of Scout24
GVA.BE – Nov 21 – Deutsche Telekom sells a stake of 70% in its Internet subsidiary Scout24 to U.S. investment company Hellman & Friedman for ~1.5 billion Eur in cash. Scout24 operates sites such as AutoScout24, FinanceScout24, JobScout24, TravelScout24 and FriendScout24, one of the biggest German dating sites.
See all posts on FriendScout24
This post also appears on InternetDatingInvestments.
Jiayuan Q3 Financial Results, Revenue Up 13%
PR NEWSWIRE – Nov 20 – Q3 Revenue was $21M, up 13% YOY. Net income was $17.6M, up 10.7% YOY. The number of average monthly paying users is up 7.6% to 1,368,726. Online services contributed $17.7M, personalized matchmaking services and events contributed $3.2M.
No Investor Love For Spark Networks
LA BUSINESS JOURNAL – Nov 20 – Shares of Spark Networks dropped ~17 % after Great Hill Partners, the company's largest shareholder, said it would sell its entire stake (19.7%) in the company. Great Hill priced the offering of ~4M shares at $6 each.
OKCupid Emails Still Give Anyone Full Access To Your Account
VENTURE BEAT – Nov 21 – It seems others can still get inside users account through links in OKCupid emails despite reports about the security issue earlier this year. It’s through a feature called “login instantly.” The link is set up with an authentication token that tells the website, “It’s okay, this person’s legit, let ‘em in,” assuming you’re who you say you are because you’re accessing the site through your email. That doesn’t work when someone else has their hands on the email, or just the link.
LoveRoom: New Controversial Dating/Rental Site
DIGITAL JOURNAL – Nov 21 – LoveRoom is a new dating and rental site rolled into one. The motto of the site is “Rent your room for free to attractive people.” LoveRoom can end up with the reputation as a “free sex site” or a “meat market.” Users can choose to share their bed. Wired UK believes that nothing good could come out of LoveRoom in the long run. Right now, LoveRoom is in beta mode until February of next year.
HowAboutWe For Couples
FAST COMPANY – Nov 20 - HowAboutWe cofounders Brian Schechter and Aaron Schildkrout started a site for couples, named HowAboutWe for Couples. The National Marriage Project found that married men and women who go on a date at least once a week were 3.5 times more likely to report being "very happy" in their marriages. HowAboutWe did a sizable database of ideas for dates. The couples site operates in a similar way to the matchmaking site: Pay $18 per month to browse dates and earn a free one, then pay per date based on which one you choose. Though only 12% of users who met through the site are using the couples feature, Schildkrout says that HowAboutWe for Couples has maintained a 90% month-over-month retention and has ~500K users.
by Lydia Dishman
See full article at Fast Company
Mark Brooks: 12% retention into their married program is a phenomenal success!
iDate Awards 2014 Finalists
Best Dating Site
This award is for the best overall dating site on the internet today
- AmorEmCristo.com
- CorpsSocial.com
- PlentyOfFish.com
- Relationship.com
- Smooch.com
Best Product Design
This award is for any dating product with the best looking design
- Alpha.co.il
- ChristianLove.com
- DateaCowboy.com
- HowAboutWe.com
- jDate.com
- Przeznaczeni.pl
- RSVP.com.au
- Smooch.com
Best Dating Software & SAAS Provider
This award is for the best dating site software or matchmaking software
- DatingFactory.com
- DatingPro.com
- Hubpeople.com
- Skadate.com
- WhiteLabelDating.com
Best Mobile Dating App
This award is for the best overall working mobile dating site
- ChristianFilipina.com
- DatingWingmanApp.com
- Lovestruck.com
- Tinder
- Upforit.com
- Zoosk.com
Best Matchmaker
This award is for the best matchmaker in the industry
- Caroline Brealey (MutualAttraction.co.uk)
- Exa Palmeter (Sugarmatchmaking.com)
- Maria Avgitdis (AgapeMatch.com)
- Paul Carrick Brunson (PaulcBrunson.com)
- Sarah Ryan (electclub.co.uk)
- Tina Bradley (elanlondon.co.uk)
Best Dating Coach
This award is for the best overall dating coach in the industry
- Damona Hoffman (DearMrsD.com)
- Julie Ferman (JulieFerman.com)
- Rita Colbert (RitaColbert.com)
- Renee Piane (SinglesAdvice.com)
- Samantha Krajina (relationshiprocketscience.com.au)
Most Innovative Company
This award is for any company in the online dating and matchmaking industry (including vendors) that have shown the highest level of innovation
- DatingFactory.com
- Hubpeople.com
- Luxury-Excursions.com
- SaucyDates.com
- WhiteLabelDating.com
Best New Technology
This award is for the best individual technology created by a vendor for dating sites/matchmaking sites or created by the dating site/matchmaking site themselves
- CatholicMatch.com
- DatingPro.com
- Neotechnology.com
- Scamalytics.com
- SeekingArrangement.com
- WorldDatingCompany.com
Best Payment System
This award is for the vendor in the online dating and matchmaking industry with the best overall payment system
- CCBill.com
- Dimoco.eu
- Mundipagg.com
- PaymentWall.com
- Paypoint.net
- SafeCharge.com
Best Affiliate Program
This award is for the best affiliate program in the online dating and matchmaking industry
- Ashleymadison.com
- CatholicSingles.com
- Dream-Marriage.com
- LoveMe.com (A Foreign Affair)
- Upforit Networks
Best Marketing Campaign
This award is for the dating site or matchamker with the best marketing campaign (online or offline)
- AmorEmCristo.com
- Cougarlife.com
- Lovestruck.com
- MutualAttraction.co.uk
- PaulCBrunson.com
- Zoosk.com
Best Up and Coming Dating Site
This award is for the best dating site less than 3 years old that is showing remarkable promise for the future.
- ChurchofChristSinglesMingle.com
- CoffeeMeetsBagel.com
- Dating-Mondial.com
- eRomance.com
- GlutenFreeSingles.com
- PlusMen.com
- Tinder
- WeLoveDates
Best Niche Dating Site
A niche dating site focuses on a distinct subset of the population by lifestyle, culture, religion, interest or behavior.
A niche dating site focuses on a distinct subset of the population by lifestyle, culture, religion, interest or behavior.
- CatholicSingles.com
- ChristianFilipina.com
- CatholicMatch.com
- LoveMe.com
- Plusmen.com