NY TIMES — Jan 4 – The owner of JDate.com, Spark Networks, is in early talks with buyers that include Yahoo, eHarmony, IAC/InterActiveCorp (Match.com), and News Corp. (MySpace). Analysts suggested that a suitor might pay as much as $185 million for the company. According to comScore Media Metrix, Spark had 2.45 million unique visitors in November 2007, ranking it No. 4 among personal sites behind Yahoo Personals, Match.com sites and Singlesnet.com. Spark reported $6.56 million in net income with revenue of $68.85 million for 2006. "JDate is the best example of a successful niche dating site on the planet," said Mark Brooks, who follows the industry and is author of the blog OnlinePersonalsWatch.com. "It's a very attractive target," Mr. Brooks said, adding that for social (dating) sites to work well, "the big sites need to get bigger. The more people on a site, the more the site has to offer." FULL ARTICLE @ NEW YORK TIMES
Category: SparkNetworks
Email Data Source Ranks Dating Sites
PR WEB — Nov 29 — Email Data Source, a provider of email competitive analysis data, released its study ranking the Email Brand Equity Index™ of Online dating sites based on the quality and effectiveness of their marketing emails. The Email Brand Equity Index™ is determined by compiling historical data on email marketing messages and measuring the emails' perceived effectiveness in driving website traffic.
Email Brand Equity Rankings
1. Match.com
2. Friendfinder
3. Spark Networks
4. eHarmony.com
5. Reunion.com
6. Cupid.com
7. True.com
8. Family Friends
9. eCube Media
10. Beliefnet
9. eCube Media
10. Beliefnet
Spark Networks Reports Lower Revenues/Earnings
PRESS RELEASE — Nov 1 — Spark Networks (JDate, American Singles, HurryDate) reported revenues of $15.8 million, down 10% from YAG and net income of $2.0 millon, down 0.8 million vs. YAG. The company attributes this to first year implementation of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. Cash flow from operations increased 51% to $4.0 million and Contribution rose to a record $11.7 million. The company also repurchased 4.1 million share, 13% of its outstanding shares. Following a 14% price increase to one-month subscriptions in April. JDate's subscriber base returned to its pre-price increase levels, finishing the third quarter at 74,078 paid subscribers with a more favorable mix toward three and six-month subscription plans.
Spark Networks Announces Annual Meeting Results
PRESS RELEASE — Oct 8 — Spark Networks – a leading provider of online personals services such as JDate, BlackSingles, and ChristianMingle – announced the election of Spark Networks directors Benjamin Derhy and Thomas Stockham to the Board of Directors. Stockholders also appointed Ernst & Young as the company’s public accounting firm.
Speed Dating Goes Digital
THE NEW YORK TIMES — Oct 5 — Several companies, such as Speeddate, WooMe, HurryDate, and SingleCity, have entered or are about to enter the world of online speed dating. Aside from the unflattering images and fleeting encounters (can you really get to know someone in 60 seconds?), the webcam chat sessions seem ripe for nudity and bad behavior. FULL ARTICLE @ THE NEW YORK TIMES
Mark Brooks: The problem these sites have is in gaining traction and getting to critical mass so they can serve up enough dates. Ad buys won't convert for them, and users won't rave about them in the same manner, and on the same scale as social networks. I love the idea though. Hurrydate has the best bet. They were bought by Spark Networks at the beginning of 2007 so they have an efficient source of traffic, and are essentially an add-on-sale for Sparks sites which include JDate and the MingleMatch network. Dating sites need to do better monetizing their users so speed dating and online speed dating are a good option. I helped Cupid buy Predating back in 2004.
Spark Networks Loses Two Directors
PR NEWSWIRE — July 30 — Spark Networks announced today that it has lost two of its directors to 'other business commitments' Laura Lauder and Scott Sassa resigned from the company's board of directors, which now consists of seven members. CEO, Adam Berger, said the firm will enjoy reduced governance costs.
The full article was originally published at SocalTech, but is no longer available.
Spark Networks On American Stock Exchange
PR NEWSWIRE — July 6 — Spark Networks has gained approval from the U.K to become a Delaware Corporation, a reorganization that took place July 9. New shares will be distributed to stock holders on the American Stock Exchange. The new ticker symbol is "LOV" for this provider of online personals services. The Spark Networks are JDate.com, AmericanSingles.com, BlackSingles.com, and ChristianMingle.com.
Which Dating Sites Affiliate Programs Convert the Best?
OPW — May 28 — These are the conversions for the affiliate programs that Online Personals Watch makes money from. The period is for March 21st 2006 through March 21st 2007. I only list the affiliate programs from which Online Personals Watch generated more than 1000 unique click throughs for. Here are the top converting programs ranked by the earnings per unique. Affiliate links for these sites appear in the left bar in the form of industry rankings, and from links from posts on OPW.
Love Knows No Borders
MEDIA POST — Feb 19 — France has the highest proportion of Internet users visiting online personals sites. ComScore Networks recently reported that 22% of French Internet users, age 15+, visited online personals sites in December 2006, followed by the British with 20%, and the Americans with 13%. Interestingly, usage of dating sites seems to peak in the summer months in each country; July in the U.K. and U.S. and September in France.
Top Personals Sites in the U.K. (Visitors Age 15+ December 2006 Home and Work Locations)
Total Web Users in U.K. (Age 15+): 29,788,000
Personals Category Total: 5,836,000
DatingDirect – 1,427,000
LoopyLove – 960,000
GirlsDateForFree – 618,000
Match.com Sites - 510,000
Interrodate.co.uk – 452,000
Top Personals Sites in France (Visitors Age 15+ December 2006 Home and Work Locations)
Total Web Users in France (Age 15+): 24,409,000
Personals Category Total: 5,317,000
Meetic - 2,258,000
Easyrencontre - 724,000
CapFriends.fr – 369,000
2Become1-fr.com – 337,000
MSN Dating & Personals - 299,000
Top Personals Sites in the U.S. (Visitors Age 15+ December 2006 Home and Work Locations)
Total Web Users in the U.S. (Age 15+): 152,350,000
Personals Category Total: 20,555,000
Yahoo! Personals - 4,153,000
Match.com Sites** - 3,970,000
TRUE – 3,086,000
Spark Networks - 2,504,000
Singlesnet – 2,173,000
The full article was originally published at Center For Media Research, but is no longer available.
Love Knows No Borders
MEDIA POST — Feb 19 — France has the highest proportion of Internet users visiting online personals sites. ComScore Networks recently reported that 22% of French Internet users, age 15+, visited online personals sites in December 2006, followed by the British with 20%, and the Americans with 13%. Interestingly, usage of dating sites seems to peak in the summer months in each country; July in the U.K. and U.S. and September in France.
Top Personals Sites in the U.K. (Visitors Age 15+ December 2006 Home and Work Locations)
Total Web Users in U.K. (Age 15+): 29,788,000
Personals Category Total: 5,836,000
DatingDirect – 1,427,000
LoopyLove – 960,000
GirlsDateForFree – 618,000
Match.com Sites - 510,000
Interrodate.co.uk – 452,000
Top Personals Sites in France (Visitors Age 15+ December 2006 Home and Work Locations)
Total Web Users in France (Age 15+): 24,409,000
Personals Category Total: 5,317,000
Meetic - 2,258,000
Easyrencontre - 724,000
CapFriends.fr – 369,000
2Become1-fr.com – 337,000
MSN Dating & Personals - 299,000
Top Personals Sites in the U.S. (Visitors Age 15+ December 2006 Home and Work Locations)
Total Web Users in the U.S. (Age 15+): 152,350,000
Personals Category Total: 20,555,000
Yahoo! Personals - 4,153,000
Match.com Sites** - 3,970,000
TRUE – 3,086,000
Spark Networks - 2,504,000
Singlesnet – 2,173,000
The full article was originally published at Center For Media Research, but is no longer available.