Category: Match.com

Social Networks vs. Dating Sites

Posted on September 1, 2006

MARKET WATCH — Aug 31 — The popularity of free social networks, with MySpace having some 103 million members, does make you wonder why online dating sites are still charging. Back in 2000 a mere quarter of a million people logged on to dating site Match.com from home. Today, there are 3.2 million visiting Match from home each month, and 4.9 million, if you include those checking out their prospects at work.  Match generated $248 million last year and the run-rate is $312 million for this year. David Siminoff says Spark Networks will do ~$70 million in sales and estimates eHarmony generates $165 million and Yahoo Personals, $100 million. Just adding the big four makes $600 million. Chump change compared to the roughly $12 billion in advertising online. Love is in the niches. That's the view of Siminoff, who's restructured the operations at Spark Networks. Spark Networks has 26 different verticals.  Siminoff says the median time a marriage lasts is 6 years. "Liquidity in relationships has gone up a lot."  Maybe social networks draw from online dating sites, but in the end, the entire market of people dating has just gone up.

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

Bean Town Wired for Love

Posted on August 2, 2006

BostonPR WEB — Aug 2 — Those looking for love might want to consider Boston, recently ranked the No. 1 city for online dating according to the annual Forbes Best Cities for Singles report. The Forbes report, conducted since 2001, takes several considerations into account: culture, nightlife, number of single people, cost of living alone, and for the first time this year, the popularity of online dating. 12% of recently engaged or married people meet online today. Match.com provided the number of active members in each metro area Forbes ranked, per capita. The following cities ranked as the best cities for online dating:
1. Boston (No. 2 overall),
2. Denver/Boulder (No. 1 overall),
3. Seattle (No. 7 overall),
4. Washington D.C./Baltimore (No. 9 overall),
5. Raleigh-Durham (No. 6 overall),
6. Orlando (No. 24 overall),
7. Tampa (No. 35 overall),
8. Minneapolis/St. Paul (No. 14 overall),
9. San Francisco/Oakland (No. 4 overall),
10. Las Vegas (No. 21 overall)
FULL ARTICLE @ PR WEB

Mark Brooks: This is great intell. for entrepreneurs considering starting a regionally focused dating site. 

When Tall and Handsome Turns out Short and Pudgy

Posted on August 2, 2006

CHICAGO TRIBUNE — July 30 — Lawmakers and Web sites clashing over legislative proposals to keep clients from being scammed. "You guys can either be part of the solution or feel like you're victims of someone taking over your business," Florida state Rep. Kevin Ambler told industry insiders at a conference in SanFrancisco this month. "But this is going to come … like a freight train roaring down the track."  New York already has passed a consumer statute to regulate dating sites. A half-dozen other states–including Illinois–are considering similar laws to require matchmaking services to conduct criminal background checks, or at least post a notice alerting clients that they are on their own.  Eric Straus of Cupid.com stated: "Government is sticking its nose where it doesn't belong."  Still, during the last year, Yahoo Personals and Match.com were sued for allegedly posting phony profiles and using "date bait"–sending employees to act as members–to keep subscribers from bolting. While no background checks can be foolproof, they can go a long way to deterring scammers, supporters say. Some say the dangers are exaggerated and that the response is an overreaction. Others say that a basic check–about $1.50 each–would be inadequate, plagued by out-of-date information and riddled with inaccuracies. A first-rate search, on the other hand, would be more expensive.

Mark Brooks: Truedater.com allows singles to enter the member id's of online daters after a date, give feedback on them, and verify that they represent themselves accurately in their profile.

Dating Sites and Live Events

Posted on July 25, 2006

THE MIAMI HERALD — July 22 — A handful of online dating services — once the go-to places for finding that significant other — are realizing that the best way to meet is by actually — meeting. ''We use the Internet to get people off the Internet,'' says Myles Weissleder, VP, Meetup.com, (two million members). JDate and Lavalife have organized both casual and elaborate events. Kristin Kelly, Match.com's spokesperson, ''At the end of the day, you need to meet. Online dating is only efficient if you know when to meet. Hanging online is not what we want you to do,'' Kelly said. But Match.com does not organize offline events. ''We used to have a separate events business but it just wasn't profitable for us,'' Kelly said.

Mark Brooks: Events offer dating sites a double edged sword. If you run GREAT events, you'll get great word-of-mouth. People like to talk about what they've done on their evenings and weekends. However, the other side of the sword can cut deep. Run mediocre to poor events and the negative word of mouth can be crucifying. You can't run a dating events business half heartedly.

Matchmaker Looks to Cash in on Population Woes

Posted on July 18, 2006

Matchcom_18_3_1JAPAN TIMES — July 15 — For the government, the declining birthrate and delayed marriages are big headaches.  Jim Safka, CEO of Match stated, "Solutions we provide are a perfect fit with the social changes we are trying to counteract in Japan." Jim was in Japan for four-day visit through Saturday. Match.com has 15 million members from 240 countries. In 2002, it entered Japan, where it claims 710,000 members. The total fertility rate hit a record low of 1.25 in 2005. In 2004, the average age at which men and women first marry hit record highs of 29.6 for men and 27.8 for women.  The online matchmaking industry is still underdeveloped in Japan.  People are more cautious about meeting via the Internet.  In the future, members will be able to show their driver's license or other identification to the matchmaking company, which then will place an icon on the person's top page to certify that his or her information is trustworthy, Safka said.  He also plans to start a new personal consultation service in early 2007 in which members looking for serious relationships are assisted by personal consultants who can introduce them to handpicked candidates selected from other members.  "Privacy, security and safety is our number one concern."  Safka said he went to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and asked that consideration be given to certifying online dating companies. 

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

Mark Brooks: The industry is leaving money on the table. Users wants more service. They want dates.  Match is making big changes.  Match.com is building an even stronger brand (with Dr Phil) and picking up on the premium market that real world matchmakers service.

MateCheck Date Check

Posted on July 9, 2006

MatecheckCLICK PRESS — July 7 — Since its launch in 2005, MateCheck.com, has collected comprehensive reviews and character ratings for over one million men registered with such sites as Match, eHarmony, Yahoo Personals and JDate.com. DateScore™ determines a man's authenticity based on objective information provided by women with first-hand knowledge—the women who have already dated him! FULL ARTICLE @ CLICK PRESS.COM

Mark Brooks: Nice concept. I've had paid membership on several dating sites for over 6 months. I checked five sites on Matecheck. Matecheck only found me on one of the five sites.

Women Fall for Voice, Men for Looks

Posted on July 9, 2006

Men_and_woman ASIAN NEWS INT. — July 8 — Researchers at the University of Bath have revealed that men and women judge the opposite sex differently when it comes to finding a perfect partner. While men are attracted to a woman’s looks and physical appearance, women tend to be are turned on by a man’s voice. Almost half the women quizzed in the study said the way a man speaks is crucial. The research was commissioned by internet dating service Match.com.

Mark Brooks: Dating sites need to enable users to connect earlier by voice. Voice and video are the way of the future. Mobile voice and video dating are the next step beyond that. Location based services…the next step beyond that. 

Match UK Live TV ads

Posted on June 28, 2006

Loveisland_logoBRAND REPUBLIC — June 28 — Match is to screen what it claims is the first ever live TV ad. Filmed in front of a live audience, the ad will be shown on ITV1 during this year's 'Love Island' on Sunday August 6 and will be the only ad in breaks during that evening's programme. The Match.com campaign was devised by creative planning agency Monkey, and Hanft Raboy & Partners.

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

Mark Brooks: This is a great blend of advertising + PR + viral marketing.  The UK is still prime territory. I'm surprised more US dating companies (besides Yahoo and Match) haven't extended their presences in the UK. 

Join Match.com at Bachelorism.org to Cure Affliction

Posted on June 15, 2006

Matchcom_18_3PR NEWSWIRE — June 14 — Match takes a stand against bachelorism, to raise awareness for the causes and cure for this devastating syndrome. FULL ARTICLE @ SYS-CON

Mark Brooks: So nice to see Match roll out this kind of tongue in cheak PR/viral campaign. 

Match.com to Expand MSN Partnership

Posted on June 15, 2006

Matchcom_18_2PR NEWSWIRE — June 13 — Match will extend its existing global partnership with MSN (MSN Dating and Personals) to include Windows Live services, MSN Search, MSN Messenger, MSN Spaces, and the MSN.com homepage. Jim Safka, Match CEO said, "Our long-term alliance with MSN is incredibly important to our business and, more importantly, to the people that trust us to help them in their search." Match has 15m members in 30 countries. MSN attracts 30m visitors each month in 30 countries. John Nicol, MSN.com GM, said: "Online personals has developed into one of the top consumer activities on the internet, leading the content spend for the last three years in the US and fast accelerating in every global market." In the UK, Match has more than 1.5m members and is ranked #1 in UK by Nielsen//NetRatings.

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