Category: eHarmony

Online Dating Service Adheres to Founder’s Moral Values

Posted on July 6, 2005

EharmonyUSA TODAY — July 2 — You’ve no doubt seen Neil Clark Warren on TV commercials.  "He’s like the grandpa who wants to set you up," says Nate Elliott, an online media analyst with Jupiter Research.  Warren, 70, really is a grandpa. Born on an Iowa farm, he’s quick with a down-home hug and a smile. His pale blue eyes grow misty when he speaks of his love for his wife of 46 years, Marylyn, the senior VP at eHarmony.  He really does want to set you up – but only if you’re emotionally healthy, heterosexual and want to get married.  Nothing in Warren’s TV or radio ads ($50 million spent last year, $80 million projected this year) hints at his Christian background.  The Web site doesn’t play it up, either.

Mark Brooks: eharmony excludes the outliers.  True and Perfectmatch are non exclusionary. 

eHarmony: Heart and Soul

Posted on May 20, 2005

Eharmony_clarkUSA TODAY — May 19 — "He’s like the grandpa who wants to set you up," says Nate Elliott, an online media analyst with Jupiter Research.  He really does want to set you up – but only if you’re emotionally healthy, heterosexual and want to get married.  A psychologist with a divinity degree, Warren has emerged from the Christian community – three of his 10 books on love and dating were published by conservative Focus on the Family – to become one of the Internet’s most unlikely entrepreneurs.  Nothing in Warren’s TV or radio ads ($50 million spent last year, $80 million projected this year) hints at his Christian background. The Web site doesn’t play it up, either.  eHarmony increasingly is seeking out secular audiences through online partnerships, including promotions on USATODAY.com and other news sites owned by USA TODAY’s parent company, Gannett. As part of that effort, Warren is trying to distance himself from Focus on the Family and its founder James Dobson, a longtime friend.  Of the leading dating sites, eHarmony is the most expensive, starting at $49.95 a month. Match begins at $29.99, Yahoo at $19.95. Spark Network’s largest site, American Singles, starts at $34.95. But at least 7.5 million people have registered to take eHarmony’s test, which is free. Users must pay to get contact information for matches. Some also criticize eHarmony’s decision to refuse to provide matches for gays and lesbians – a policy that differs from Yahoo, Match.com and many other sites.  It "calls for some very careful thinking. Very careful research." He adds that same-sex marriage is illegal in most states. "We don’t really want to participate in something that’s illegal." Warren says he rejects 16% of those who take his patented personality test because they’re poor marriage prospects. Weed-outs include people under eHarmony’s 21-year-old age limit and those whom the site decides are lying on the test. It also removes those believed to have certain types of emotional instability, such as obstreperousness (they just can’t be pleased) and depression, because "depression is pretty highly correlated with emotional problems," Warren says.

Mark Brooks: Watch this space.  Next week OPW will feature an interview with Duane Dahl, CEO of eHarmony’s #1 competitor, Perfect Match.

Dating Service Branches Out From Evangelical Roots

Posted on May 15, 2005

Eharmony_warrenDETROIT NEWS — May 7 — Warren has strong ties to evangelicals, who were overwhelmingly responsible for the early success of eHarmony.  Although it attracted 2.7 million visitors in March, according to ComScore Media Metrix, the site lags far behind Yahoo Personals, which drew 5.9 million visitors, and Match.com, with 4 million. Warren grew up in Iowa. His father, who had ambitions to be a preacher, ended up owning several businesses, including a car dealership. Warren married his Pepperdine University sweetheart in 1959, and Marylyn Warren is now head of PR at eHarmony. They have three grown daughters.  Warren received a divinity degree at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1959 and a doctorate in psychology at the University of Chicago in 1967, while working for a short period as a pastor.  He began his private therapy practice in Pasadena, Calif., and taught at Fuller Theological Seminary as dean of the graduate school of psychology from 1975 to 1982. Frustrated by stagnation in academia and seeing the marital problems in his clients, he began writing. In 1993 he hit the jackpot for authors: an appearance on "Oprah." While eHarmony is cagey about how it makes matches, it makes clear that one factor doesn’t enter into the process: physical type. They don’t plan to expand into matchmaking for gay men or lesbians. EHarmony also rules out people who have been married more than twice or people who are severely depressed.

Mark Brooks: eHarmony is doing a good job of cornering the most serious (read profitable) segment of the online dating market.

eHarmony Featured in Article Entitled ‘The Perfect Match’

Posted on April 30, 2005

Ncw_cover_eharmonyOPW Scoop — Apr 30 — Oops!  Click on the image for a look at the cover of electronic retailer magazine.  eHarmony's Dr Clark is featured in an article entitled 'The Perfect Match.'  Perfect Match has got to love that.  eHarmony is the powerhouse of the relationships/personality profiling niche of the online dating world…only it's hardly a niche now.  They've carved out the niche and turned it into the fastest growing sector of the online personals market with it's high (perceived) value premium memberships.  Perfect Match and Dr Pepper Schwartz are giving them a run for their money.  If only Perfect Match could eke out some VC smart money as well.  eHarmony raised $110 million recently.  Still, Perfect Match landed exposure on Dr Phil.

Concerns About Florida Online Dating Bill

Posted on April 30, 2005

Netcoalition_1PRNEWSWIRE — Apr 26 — America's leading internet and technology firms and trade associations expressed deep reservations about the Florida bill that would impose government oversight on online dating and require criminal background checks or disclosures for users of online dating services. In a letter to the Florida legislature, the group noted that the bill would impose new liabilities and responsibilities upon not only Internet dating sites, but on an almost limitless array of Internet sites and services and has the potential to create a false sense of security for users.  Although there have been very few, if any, instances of online dating related crimes in Florida, the legislation would require background checks or disclosures that the services do not screen customers.  "Consumers are in the best position to determine which services provide them with the most security and comfort," concluded Netcoalition spokesperson Erickson, "not the government."  NetCoalition serves as the public policy voice for: AeA, Amazon, AOL, Association for Competitive Technology, CareerBuilder, eBay, eHarmony, Electronic Retailing Association, FriendFinder, Google, IdeaOasis, Information Technology Association of America, Internet Alliance, Internet Commerce Coalition, Lavalife, Match.com, Microsoft, MyEMatch.com, NetChoice, ProfileDoctor, Singles Industry Trade Association, Spark Networks, TechNet, The Right One, Trufina, Userplane, U.S. Internet Service Provider Association, VeriSign, Yahoo!

Mark Brooks: Weighty opposition to the background checks legislation.

Weezer Star Gives Up On Online Dating

Posted on April 28, 2005

Weezer_online_datingCONTACT MUSIC — Apr 26 — Oddball WEEZER star Rivers Cuomo…"I signed up to eHarmony once, and it took three hours to fill out that online form – so many personal questions.  Then I clicked on submit, and instantaneously they responded and said, ‘We are sorry, but there is no one anywhere in the world that is appropriate for you.’ So that was it, I gave up."  FULL ARTICLE @ CONTACT MUSIC

Mark Brooks: Same thing happened to me.  Then a couple of days later I got a few matches, then a few more…I was so relieved that I wasn’t deemed insane and unmatchable that I immediately paid up.  Is this some form of ‘conversion/selling psychology.’

Dating in the City

Posted on April 20, 2005

GREATER MILWAUKIE TODAY — Apr 15 — Most have heard of the concept of "speed dating." The FastDater process consists of three minute "dates." From there, participants are able to rate and select whom they’d like to date again. If a match is made, via e-mail the pair is contacted for further communication.  I subscribed to eHarmony.com, Match.com and AmericanSingles.com. The matches that had been made for me by the futuristic, ultra complex eHarmony.com computer were not exactly what I was looking for.  Says a DJ user,"I do believe many people misrepresent themselves and embellish on their looks, but I would do it again. In fact, quite a few couples that have used my DJ service met online and got married. Go figure."  Milwaukee resident Heather Lane met her husband, Anthony, through Match.com. "Match.com was recommended by friends. I went into it with an open attitude and by the third date, I met him.  It was fun and I’m definitely happy, he’s a great guy." 

Mark Brooks: PreDating is still the leading spee dating company.  I helped Cupid tie the knot with them last year.  Hurrydate and 8 Minute Dating follow on.

Niche Dating Sites Allow Special-interest Singles to Find Each Other

Posted on April 5, 2005

ARIZONA TRIBUNE — Apr 5 — The online personals industry is experiencing "The Big Squeeze." Mark Brooks, an online personals industry analyst and editor of Onlinepersonalswatch.com, says hundreds of small dating sites have emerged in the past five years. They are now competing for advertising dollars with the big guys like Match.com. But lower profits don’t mean the online dating bubble is about to burst, says Brooks. "It’s actually quite the opposite in some ways. Online (dating) is as solid as ever. It’s no longer cheesy and it’s no longer sneered at."  Brooks estimates there are about 900 Internet dating sites, and he claims that more people than ever are signing up.  Niches are the growing trend among these smaller start-ups. "There’s really something for everybody."  People who enjoy hiphop can find love on Hiphopsinglesconnection.com and (young) women looking for generous men to shower them with gifts may find success at Sugardaddyz.com. There are also companies that cater to "varying levels of singleness."  People looking for a spouse may have the best chance on eHarmony. The site is known to include members who are motivated and serious about ending their singlehood, says Brooks. On the other hand, Friendster.com helps individuals create a social network and don’t necessarily aim to make love connections. "They do a good job of modeling the real world."  FULL ARTICLE @ EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE

Mark Brooks: I recommend some of the niche sites such as ChristianCafe.com, DateMyPet and SeniorFriendFinder.  Never heard of Hiphopsinglesconnection and Sugardaddyz though.  They look like intriguing, but have no traffic (according to www.alexa.com) and probably just a handful of members.

How To Look For Love Online

Posted on April 3, 2005

Cbs_online_dating_interviewCBS EARLY SHOW — Mar 31 — Today, online dating is socially acceptable and totally mainstream. 26 million people visit dating sites each month. Consumers will spend over $500 million on online dating services this year.  The Early Show turns to AOL's Consumer Adviser Regina Lewis for tips on finding love online.  Lewis says that for many singles, heading online is actually the preferred method of hooking up with potential dates because it offers them more control over their dating lives…"it can be a lot more productive. That has inherent appeal for a lot of people with busy lives."  Lewis says about half of the people who date online claim to be "serious daters." The other half, are "casual daters," who simply want to meet more people and have a good time.  Match.com, the largest, claims that about 200,000 users a year find the relationship they are looking for. Eharmony reports 4,000 marriages.  About 18% of those dating online now are over 55.  The other big trend is the growing number of "niche" dating sites. "The people I talk to who seem happiest with the process view it all as upside," she says, "They're happy to go on three or four dates a week even if many of them turn out to be not-so hot. They look at it as at least I'm getting out there.  Others do get burnt by the process and often make comments like, 'If I go on one more bad date, I am going to scream, and this is taking up tons of time and getting me nowhere.'" Then again, when you remind them, sitting at home also gets them nowhere, they tend to come around and concede, 'I guess you're right.'" FULL ARTICLE @ CBS NEWS

Mark Brooks: This sums up the upside of online dating nicely.  There's not much in the way of downside, and it's a helluva deal for the money.

Dr Warren Interview; Dating Service Founder’s Goal: Love that Lasts

Posted on March 28, 2005

Eharmonys_dr_warrenFORT WAYNE NEWS SENTINEL — Mar 28 — What made you start eHarmony?  "More than anything else, it had to with my grieving over the incredible amount of marriages that kept ending in divorce right in front of me (while working as a psychotherapist). I did 512 divorce autopsies and found that 75% of the marriages that failed were in trouble from the day they started. The reason was that the two people were not very well matched for each other.  We have 436 questions we ask.  71% of all people who start the questionnaire finish it. A soul mate is somebody who tends to see the world in a similar way in which you see it, and when you’re around them you feel really good about yourself. Anybody who is emotionally and characteristically healthy has a soul mate. If you’re in some way or another pathological, you probably don’t have one." 

Mark Brooks: This interview gives some insight to eHarmony’s matching methodology and philosophy.  Match based on similarities…extricate the extremes.