Category: Match.com

The Disastrous Effects of Match.com

Posted on January 31, 2007

WASHINGTON POST — Jan 28 — (Written by a woman interviewed by The Washington Post whose mother helps her find dates on Match.com.)  We do everything possible to please our man. You prefer French cooking? Mais oui, mon cher! You want my hair long? No problem.  What the hell has happened? Match.com and other online dating services have given men access to a smorgasbord of women.  We are bolting sooner and sooner if there is a lull in the conversation or the slightest hint of incompatibility, knowing that the next one will appear within a few mouse clicks.  Be honest about your age and size. You may think you will charm him with your dazzling personality but you're simply wasting his time and yours if you lie.  Don't respond to winks or messages from men with no photos, they're married or involved.  If he doesn't ask to meet you within a week of phone calls and e-mails, he is either busy serial dating or too busy working to date you.  Keep the date short and do not even think of sleeping with him until he is clearly nuts about you. The way he treats your family is very important. If he is cold, indifferent, or not eager to spend time with them, run! FULL ARTICLE @ WASHINGTON POST

Mark Brooks: Thanks to Kathryn Lord for the heads up on this article.  Is internet dating really responsible for the demise of the long term relationship?  Let's discuss this further, your comments please…

How Match Found Love Among Boomers

Posted on January 29, 2007

Matchcom_18_8WSJ — Jan 27 — Match has been reaching out to singles over 50 and divorcées, pitching itself as a destination for mainstream daters who want serious relationships. Its TV ads feature a 71-year-old with the user name DanishBeauty22. Although Match made up less than 5% of IAC's $6.5 billion in sales over the past 12 months, it contributed more than 10% of the company's $464 million in operating profit. In the past two years, Match has boosted the number of paying customers by a third. At Match, 23% of subscribers are over 50, more than double the number two years ago. Yahoo Personals has seen double-digit growth in the number of users over 50 in the past two years, thanks in part to a new service that provides extra control, privacy, and security. eHarmony's fastest-growing age group last year was the over-50 segment. CEO, Mr. Safka asked his staff to check the behavior of older daters on the site and to pinpoint their difficulties in using it. For example, many were stopped cold while filling out their online profile by the fourth question, which asked their views on body art and piercings. Match developed a variety of one-click buttons: "How It Works" to help new users navigate the site, "See More Like Him/Her" to help users find other candidates that might catch their eye, and most important, a "No Thanks" button to ease the awkwardness of turning down electronic suitors. Mrs. Williams likes Match's "Connections" button, which takes her to a set of pictures of the men with whom she corresponds. Match hired "Dr. Phil." Match is policed by a staff of 12, who review each profile before it is posted, removing explicit photos and working to keep out prostitutes, financial schemers, agencies offering foreign brides, and liars. 

Mr. Safka is also trying to repeat his stateside success internationally, challenging Match's chief international rival, Meetic, which has 80% of the French market and attracts young daters with sexy, fast-paced ads. Based on its experience in the U.S., Match is aiming at over-40s seeking someone to "share life's journey," not younger ones looking for hookups.

Mark Brooks: Match is wringing more money from each customer, targeting the users that are more likely to be paying customers, and expanding abroad. A winning combination for revenues and the bottom line. They have also just started charging for MatchTalk and are testing different pricepoints.

How Match Found Love Among Boomers

Posted on January 29, 2007

Matchcom_18_8WSJ — Jan 27 — Match has been reaching out to singles over 50 and divorcées, pitching itself as a destination for mainstream daters who want serious relationships. Its TV ads feature a 71-year-old with the user name DanishBeauty22. Although Match made up less than 5% of IAC's $6.5 billion in sales over the past 12 months, it contributed more than 10% of the company's $464 million in operating profit. In the past two years, Match has boosted the number of paying customers by a third. At Match, 23% of subscribers are over 50, more than double the number two years ago. Yahoo Personals has seen double-digit growth in the number of users over 50 in the past two years, thanks in part to a new service that provides extra control, privacy, and security. eHarmony's fastest-growing age group last year was the over-50 segment. CEO, Mr. Safka asked his staff to check the behavior of older daters on the site and to pinpoint their difficulties in using it. For example, many were stopped cold while filling out their online profile by the fourth question, which asked their views on body art and piercings. Match developed a variety of one-click buttons: "How It Works" to help new users navigate the site, "See More Like Him/Her" to help users find other candidates that might catch their eye, and most important, a "No Thanks" button to ease the awkwardness of turning down electronic suitors. Mrs. Williams likes Match's "Connections" button, which takes her to a set of pictures of the men with whom she corresponds. Match hired "Dr. Phil." Match is policed by a staff of 12, who review each profile before it is posted, removing explicit photos and working to keep out prostitutes, financial schemers, agencies offering foreign brides, and liars. 

Mr. Safka is also trying to repeat his stateside success internationally, challenging Match's chief international rival, Meetic, which has 80% of the French market and attracts young daters with sexy, fast-paced ads. Based on its experience in the U.S., Match is aiming at over-40s seeking someone to "share life's journey," not younger ones looking for hookups.

Mark Brooks: Match is wringing more money from each customer, targeting the users that are more likely to be paying customers, and expanding abroad. A winning combination for revenues and the bottom line. They have also just started charging for MatchTalk and are testing different pricepoints.

Predictions for 2007

Posted on January 28, 2007

FunnelOPW — Jan 28 — Here's my thoughts on what 2007 holds for online dating and social networking.  What are your predictions?  Your comments please.

1. The Internet Dating market will stratify further with the introduction of new high end services and hybrid sites offering mostly free services. e.g. Match.com's VIP service and LTR.com
2. Social Networks will continue to niche out. e.g.
ActiveRain, A Small World, Grono.net, iWiW.net, MyChurch.org, Rate.ee, WAYN, Zaadz
3. A free eHarmony will emerge
4. Mobile dating will pick up after the launch of the iPhone and N95
5. A new social networking site will steal some of Facebook’s thunder and focus purely on the student market
6. Two more top 10 dating properties will offer optional background checks
7. Match will pioneer high-end matchmaking
8. Dating and social networking services will do voice, properly
9. PlentyofFish will rise to a top 5 dating site rank in the UK and USA

Predictions for 2007

Posted on January 28, 2007

FunnelOPW — Jan 28 — Here's my thoughts on what 2007 holds for online dating and social networking.  What are your predictions?  Your comments please.

1. The Internet Dating market will stratify further with the introduction of new high end services and hybrid sites offering mostly free services. e.g. Match.com's VIP service and LTR.com
2. Social Networks will continue to niche out. e.g.
ActiveRain, A Small World, Grono.net, iWiW.net, MyChurch.org, Rate.ee, WAYN, Zaadz
3. A free eHarmony will emerge
4. Mobile dating will pick up after the launch of the iPhone and N95
5. A new social networking site will steal some of Facebook’s thunder and focus purely on the student market
6. Two more top 10 dating properties will offer optional background checks
7. Match will pioneer high-end matchmaking
8. Dating and social networking services will do voice, properly
9. PlentyofFish will rise to a top 5 dating site rank in the UK and USA

Study: Freshen It Up To Keep Sales Hot

Posted on January 23, 2007

MatchBRAND WEEK — Jan 23 — Want to make sure your brand is still viable? Then rip it up and start over every three to five years.  And that doesn't mean overhauling the packaging. That's the key the finding of a new survey sponsored by the American Marketing Association, Luth Research and MiresBall. Brands that were refurbished within that time period scored highest on its success index.

The full article was originally published at BrandWeek, but is no longer available.

Mark Brooks: Have you noticed how nightclubs have to be given a complete facelift every three to five years. Same deal with dating sites, hence Match.com's recent makeover.

Study: Freshen It Up To Keep Sales Hot

Posted on January 23, 2007

MatchBRAND WEEK — Jan 23 — Want to make sure your brand is still viable? Then rip it up and start over every three to five years.  And that doesn't mean overhauling the packaging. That's the key the finding of a new survey sponsored by the American Marketing Association, Luth Research and MiresBall. Brands that were refurbished within that time period scored highest on its success index.

The full article was originally published at BrandWeek, but is no longer available.

Mark Brooks: Have you noticed how nightclubs have to be given a complete facelift every three to five years. Same deal with dating sites, hence Match.com's recent makeover.

Digital Matchmakers Get Down to Business

Posted on January 18, 2007

Logo2007_6MIAMI HERALD — Jan 16 — The online dating industry needs to start stealing tricks from younger and nimbler websites. That seemed to be the message floating through the hallways at iDate, the annual conference of the Internet dating industry. 350 participants were at the iDate (and Social Networking Conference). Dating sites (think Yahoo Personals and Match.com) are seeing users poached by social networking sites. While those sites are not specifically designed to find a date, that is how they are being used, said Michael Jones, CEO of Userplane. ''Traditional online dating sites are feeling the pinch,'' he said. Of the Top 10 dating sites in the United States, seven saw a declining number of unique visitors throughout 2006, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. At the same time MySpace overtook Yahoo as the world's busiest website. But the poison is the antidote, said Jones. By stealing pickup lines from social networking competitors — such as allowing users to link to their MySpace profile or upload slide-shows from sites such as Flicker and Rockyou — the industry can woo back admirers. Just a few years ago, anyone with a server, a black book and the verve could launch an online dating site, said Mark Brooks, the publisher of Online Personals Watch. Now the market is crowded and competitive, and the only hope for newcomers is to generate heaps of buzz and tap unexplored niches. Or, as Brooks sums it up: "Word of mouth marketing and differentiate — or die.'' Date.com CEO Meir Strahlberg said he didn't see any need for a radical reinvention to keep up with the MySpaces of the world.

Mark Brooks: iDate2007 was hands down the best internet dating conference yet. I felt there was more energy at this conference than last year. The halls were full of top level business schmoozing. The Royal Palm Hotel was more expensive but far more comfortable than last year. Worth the extra, and the location was perfect. It was walking distance to the convention center, and right on the beach. The convention center was a higher standard venue in many ways but we need to change the room orientation next year. Wide rooms work better than long rooms. The keynote presentations were packed out and the multi track system worked well. However, next year it would be great to have a distinct social networking track and a distinct internet dating track. That would encourage greater SNS participation and 500+ attendees. I think 75% of the attendees were dating focused this year. We'll see more social networking interest at the July conference in California. Your comments please…

Digital Matchmakers Get Down to Business

Posted on January 18, 2007

Logo2007_6MIAMI HERALD — Jan 16 — The online dating industry needs to start stealing tricks from younger and nimbler websites. That seemed to be the message floating through the hallways at iDate, the annual conference of the Internet dating industry. 350 participants were at the iDate (and Social Networking Conference). Dating sites (think Yahoo Personals and Match.com) are seeing users poached by social networking sites. While those sites are not specifically designed to find a date, that is how they are being used, said Michael Jones, CEO of Userplane. ''Traditional online dating sites are feeling the pinch,'' he said. Of the Top 10 dating sites in the United States, seven saw a declining number of unique visitors throughout 2006, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. At the same time MySpace overtook Yahoo as the world's busiest website. But the poison is the antidote, said Jones. By stealing pickup lines from social networking competitors — such as allowing users to link to their MySpace profile or upload slide-shows from sites such as Flicker and Rockyou — the industry can woo back admirers. Just a few years ago, anyone with a server, a black book and the verve could launch an online dating site, said Mark Brooks, the publisher of Online Personals Watch. Now the market is crowded and competitive, and the only hope for newcomers is to generate heaps of buzz and tap unexplored niches. Or, as Brooks sums it up: "Word of mouth marketing and differentiate — or die.'' Date.com CEO Meir Strahlberg said he didn't see any need for a radical reinvention to keep up with the MySpaces of the world.

Mark Brooks: iDate2007 was hands down the best internet dating conference yet. I felt there was more energy at this conference than last year. The halls were full of top level business schmoozing. The Royal Palm Hotel was more expensive but far more comfortable than last year. Worth the extra, and the location was perfect. It was walking distance to the convention center, and right on the beach. The convention center was a higher standard venue in many ways but we need to change the room orientation next year. Wide rooms work better than long rooms. The keynote presentations were packed out and the multi track system worked well. However, next year it would be great to have a distinct social networking track and a distinct internet dating track. That would encourage greater SNS participation and 500+ attendees. I think 75% of the attendees were dating focused this year. We'll see more social networking interest at the July conference in California. Your comments please…

OkCupid Raises $6 Million

Posted on January 12, 2007

Okcupidlogo_1GIGAOM — Jan 12 — OkCupid raised $6 million from a group of angels. Each time I talk to Yagan about his new company, he pulls out some variation on the same line: "Our goal is to reduce GDP by half a million dollars by completely eliminating the subscription online dating market." Yagan says he can run a successful dating site without making people pay, something PlentyofFish has also had success with. OkCupid currently has 600,000 active users (logged on within 90 days). Match.com has 1.3 million subscribers. PlentyofFish reports a quarter million users logging in per day. Yagan led SparkNotes and eDonkey before but, didn't take venture capital. He talked to twenty VC firms last year but went with collecting checks from five angels, whom he says he's not disclosing because we've never heard of them. FULL ARTICLE @ GIGAOM