Category: Match.com

Dating Apps: Tech Doesn’t Matter, Says Sex Columnist

Posted on October 10, 2015

Dating appsNYMAG – Oct 6 – Users choose dating apps the same way they choose bars – based on the people. The make-or-break factor in whether users stick around, is the crowd. With new apps getting launched every few months,  the dating app people will like best is the one that happens to have a user base that fits the demographic of people they want.

Here's a breakdown of some of the dating apps Maureen O'Connor, a sex columnist, have experimented with:

  • Tinder: Single people who hang out at bars.
  • OKCupid: Single people who hang out at coffee shops.
  • Match: Squares.
  • JDate: Jewish squares.
  • eHarmony: Christian squares.
  • Ashley Madison: Horny married guys.
  • Blendr: Horny single guys.
  • Happn: People with nice jeans who live near your subway stop.
  • Coffee Meets Bagel: Risk-averse nice guys.
  • The League: Hedge funds and Hamptons.

Dating apps, like all social situations, are malleable. They're whatever people want them to be.

by Maureen O'Connor
See full article at NYMag

Summarized by Courtland Brooks Internet Dating Marketing Consulting

Social Media Marketing: Zoosk Has The Most Fans, Tinder Is The Most Engaging

Posted on October 8, 2015

Screen-Shot-2015-10-07-at-3.50.09-PMDIGIDAY – Oct 8 – According to Unmetric and Socialbakers, two social media analytics firms, Zoosk had the largest Facebook fan base (13M), followed by Match.com (827K) and Tinder (369K). Tinder's fan base grew by 56% between Jan and now. Zoosk and Match.com maintain the lead on Twitter as well. Zoosk published the greatest number of FB posts, but Tinder had the highest average engagement and the most posts shared by fans.

by Tanya Dua
See full article at DigiDay

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Summarized by Courtland Brooks Internet Dating Marketing Consulting

Matchmakers Thrive In The Age Of Tinder

Posted on October 5, 2015

MatchmakersFASTCOMPANY – Oct 1 – When Match.com launched in 1995, it seemed like the matchmaking business was about to have its Amazon moment. "I wondered if we’re going to go out of business," says Amber Kelleher, a matchmaker who had been working with the enormous database of singles her mother had started building, by hand, in 1986. But the Kellehers' business grew. "People were able to take a baby step. They got to us faster," Kelleher says. Maria Avgitidis, the founder of Agape Match, says her clientele has also changed. "As online dating is becoming normalized," she says, "it’s driving up these niche apps and, at the same time, matchmaking." Agape typically charges $15K for six months.

by Sarah Kessler
See full article at FastCompany

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Summarized by Courtland Brooks Internet Dating Marketing Consulting

Proper Grammar Is Really Hot On Dating Sites

Posted on October 5, 2015

The grade screenshotWSJ – Oct 1 - Match.com asked ~5K singles what criteria they used most in assessing dates. Beyond personal hygiene, it was grammar. 88% of women and 75% of men care about grammar most, putting it ahead of a person’s confidence and teeth. The Grade, a new dating app, checks messages for typos and grammar errors and assigns each user a letter grade from A+ to F. One reason people judge grammar and spelling snafus so harshly is that they can reflect the level of effort, or lack thereof, that folks put into their bio. Certain types of typos are also associated with fraud.

by Georgia Wells
See full article at WSJ

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Summarized by Courtland Brooks Internet Dating Marketing Consulting

IAC Interactive Has Gone On Sale With Catalysts Looming

Posted on September 28, 2015

Iac logoSEEKING ALPHA – Sep 26 – Shares of IAC have fallen 20% while the company is in the midst of monetizing Tinder, in anticipation of an IPO later this year. The shares have been sold off in the last several weeks, from $85 to the current $68. Match Group is expected to rake in $900M in revenue this year with ~22% of the market share in the dating apps industry. While Tinder has yet to turn a profit, it has a surging user base that may be worth billions with ~74% of mobile dating market share. Some analysts have pegged the value of the entire Match Group to be ~$5B alone. With the Tinder CEO stating that the company is realizing 800M swipes per day, the company stands to reach as many people as half the active daily users that are currently on Facebook. The monetization from this active user base is enormous.

See full article at Seeking Alpha

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Summarized by Courtland Brooks Internet Dating Marketing Consulting

Most Dating Sites Have Bad Password Practices

Posted on September 10, 2015

PasswordFORBES – Sep 10 – An analysis of the security practices of 24 leading online dating sites has concluded that only seven use secure-enough password practices. Password management company Dashlane assessed each site on 19 different criteria, including the minimum length for a password to be acceptable, and whether there was a requirement for a mix of letters and numbers. Only Zoosk and OkCupid score ~50%. Most mainstream Internet services generally get 75 or above; Apple scores 100%. eHarmony scores 38, while Match.com, Gleeden and Adult Friend Finder all get 30%. At the bottom end of the scale, Badoo and POF with 22.

by Emma Woollacott
See full article at Forbes

Summarized by Courtland Brooks Internet Dating Marketing Consulting

Ads On Match.com Can Let Hackers Hold Computers For Ransom

Posted on September 4, 2015

Matchcom screenshotWASHINGTON TIMES – Sep 4 – Members of UK Match.com were warned by security experts about a virus from an add on Match.com's UK portal. The add contained code that can let hackers to take control of a victim’s computer and hold it for ransom. Match temporarily suspended advertising on its U.K. site.

by Andrew Blake
See full article at Washington Times

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Summarized by Courtland Brooks Internet Dating Marketing Consulting

Match Must Use Size To Overcome Challenges Facing Public Dating Services

Posted on August 26, 2015

Match group logosDEAL REPORTER – Aug 24 – OPW – Aug 24 – As The Match Group moves toward an IPO, it must use its size advantage to overcome the difficulties that have plagued other dating companies that have gone public. FriendFinder traded on NASDAQ and was delisted in 2013 for failing to trade above the USD 1 level. Zoosk filed for an IPO in 2014, intending to raise more than USD 100m, but withdrew the application citing unfavorable market conditions. In the past 2 years, shares of Snap Interactive have not been above the USD 1 mark with stock plunging 85%, and Spark Networks has seen its stock decline 60%, to USD 3.11. Chinese dating firm Jiayuan International has seen its US-listed stock rise 22% in the last year, however, their success is partly a by-product of China's booming economy. "Match's size will be an advantage over other publicly traded dating entities," said Mark Brooks, an industry consultant with Courtland Brooks. Its scale and brand awareness means it probably pays much less to acquire new users. “This is very clearly a game of size,” Brooks asserted, adding that Match.com does not have to pay search giant Google for every new member because it has built a brand through time, helped by TV and radio advertising.

by David B. Wilkerson & Marina Temkin & Louise Bleakley
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Summarized by Courtland Brooks Internet Dating Marketing Consulting

The Match Group Appoints New CFO Prior To IPO

Posted on August 21, 2015

Match Group picturePR NEWSWIRE – Aug 20 - Gary Swidler joins The Match Group from Bank of America Merrill Lynch where he worked for 18 years. Mr. Swidler is expected to begin in September.

See full article at PR Newswire

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Summarized by Courtland Brooks Internet Dating Marketing Consulting