Online Personals Watch: News on the Dating Industry and Business

Presidential Election, OnlineBootyCall Stylie

OPW -- Jan 28 -- Here's another tongue in cheek campaign from OBC. Booty Decision 2008 is a poll on OnlineBootyCall.com that encourages people to get involved in the Presidential campaign. Vote on which candidates and their spouses you think are worthy of a booty call. The polls are still open. For the spouses, Elizabeth Edwards leads with 70%. The candidates' leader is Hilary with 57%. Barack Obama has only 48%. Comparing parties, Democrats averaged 52%; the Republicans only 25%.

Mark Brooks: Your comments please.

Plentyoffish Offers Ad Targeting

THE PARADIGM SHIFT -- Jan 27 -- It's tough to find dating sites that will actually allow you to advertise your dating site on them.  Plentyoffish allows competitors to advertise. Markus drives a ton of traffic (millions of dollars/yr) to dating sites. You can buy age and gender targeted traffic on POF through Google now. Right here.  (Full Disclosure: Plentyoffish.com is a client of Courtland Brooks)

CPMs Headed Up?

ONLINE SPIN -- Jan 24 -- JPMorgan analysts, in their "2008 Internet Investment Guide, Nothing but Net" which was released last month, expects the CPMs of graphical online ads to grow 3.9% and the number of ads per page view to increase 8.3%. Overall, they expect revenue per page (RPM) to grow 12.6% in 2008. They cited four primary drivers: lower comparables from 2007, better inventory sell-through, behavioral and geographic targeting and ad exchanges. There will be a CPM growth on social networks. It won't be hard, since these networks are driving off of such a low base as it is, but they will certainly benefit from much better targeting. FULL ARTICLE @ ONLINE SPIN

This post also appears on FrequentFlirters and SocialNetworkingWatch.

Match.com Powers Dating For FreeAds

NETIMPERATIVE -- Jan 24 --  Match.com launched the dating service on Freeads.co.uk, the UK's biggest independent classified site. Users of Freeads.co.uk will have access to Match.com's database of UK singles. Match.com also powers the dating services for MSN and Yahoo. FULL ARTICLE @ NETIMPERATIVE

Penthouse To Discuss Its Acquisition Of FriendFinder At iDate

MARKET WIRE -- Jan 24 --  Marc Bell, CEO & Owner of The Penthouse Media Group Inc., will discuss the acquisition of Various, which included the popular dating website FriendFinder, at the Internet Dating Conference taking place on January 31-February 1, 2008 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Based upon current registration figures, this event will be the largest gathering of online personals executives in history. FULL ARTICLE @ MARKETWIRE

 Mark Brooks: This sets a few precedents. #1 The very public acquisition of an adult dating company, #2 FriendFinder actually coming out and talking. Definitely a good thing. This will be one of the best attended sessions at iDate.

PlentyofFish Selected For New Microsoft Startup Accelerator Program

PR WEB -- Jan 23 -- PlentyofFish has been chosen to join the Microsoft Startup Accelerator Program, designed to connect high-potential startups to an extensive support network that provides access to Microsoft people and programs, guidance on future directions, and support to accelerate their success. Companies like PlentyofFish were selected by Microsoft for the program based on their innovation, marketability, growth potential, funding, platform decision and strategic importance to Microsoft. FULL ARTICLE @ E MEDIA WIRE

Gay Love Online, And This Time They Mean Business

GFN -- Jan 22 -- E-Harmony's discrimination towards gay clients, has led entrepreneurs to rethink services specifically for gay singles. Patrick H. Perrine MA, PhD is the founder and matchmaker behind myPartner.com. GFN spoke to Dr. Perrine about how he went from relationship counselor to online cupid.

GFN: Why enter into the competitive Internet dating world?
Patrick Perrine: I realized there was a major underserved market of gay and lesbians singles. Nobody was providing a place with the right tools and resources to create positive relationships.

GFN: What did you learn from sites like Gay.com to make myPartner different?
PP: We did a tough competitive analysis, and we took our initial user feedback very seriously. Match.com is incredibly successful because they are constantly changing. That was a big model for us. 

GFN: Where did you get the financing to develop the site?
PP: I used my personal resources to develop the company. Recently, I did take on some angel investors.

GFN: What is your advertising/marketing plan? 
PP: We get a lot of traffic from organic search. October 1st was the start of our major online advertising campaign. 

GFN: Do you eventually want to address lesbians?
PP: It may be something we tackle in the future.
FULL INTERVIEW @ GFN

2nd Virtual iDate Conference

OPW -- Jan 23 -- The second virtual iDate conference for the Internet Dating Industry will take place on January 24, from 8am to 8pm EST. The event is designed to help you make appointments for the Miami event in January. If you are unable to attend, the pre-conference virtual event will assist you in meeting with others. Pringo Networks is hosting the event and Userplane will provide the chat software (including Video Chat). More information on the virtual conference can be found here. Register here.

The Attack Of The Ad-Sponsored Phone Call

CNN MONEY -- Jan 15 -- At the end of last year, privately held Internet phone company Jangl started testing "in-call" advertising. While customers wait for Jangl to connect their calls, the originating party may hear a short audio advertisement. Potential advertisers, Jangl says, include wireless game and ringtone purveyors. Jajah, also an Internet-based communications company, is set to launch in-call ads this year. Customers will opt into the service, and in exchange for listening to a 15-second clip, they'll earn credits that will offset their phone bills. FULL ARTICLE @ CNN MONEY

 Mark Brooks: This is ground breaking. Free anonymous calling, with a rev share back to site owners. Nice! (Full Disclosure: Jangl is a client of Courtland Brooks)

This post also appears on SocialNetworkingWatch.

iovation Provides Safer Environment for iDating Community

AD-HOC NEWS -- Jan 22 -- Mobeze, online dating community, has implemented iovation's ReputationManager service to help reduce fraud and abuse for its San Diego-based online dating Web site. Using patented device-based technology, iovation's ReputationManagerTM service allows Mobeze to screen Internet-based devices at any point of customer interaction, from registration to sign-on, while protecting the identity and privacy of their customers. FULL ARTICLE @ AD-HOC NEWS

New Sexual Revolution For Baby Boomers

PRESS RELEASE -- Jan 22 --  A recent article on lavalifePRIME, a social dating site exclusively for single Boomers, states that a recent study done in the UK found that more than one-third (37 %) of 1,000 respondents ages 50 to 65 said that they would be willing to sleep with someone on the first date. That's twice the number of Generation X singles (just 18 % of the under-40 crowd) who would also say yes to a casual intimate encounter. Most experts interviewed by lavalifePRIME believe that Boomers are more open to sex because they grew up in an era of free love, sexual freedom, swingers, feminism and the introduction of the birth control pill. FULL ARTICLE @ PR LEAP

WhiteLabelDating.com Hires Courtland Brooks Agency

NEWS WIRE -- Jan 22 -- WhiteLabelDating.com, a provider of white label internet dating sites, has hired Courtland Brooks to assist with business development, guide worldwide product and marketing strategy, and manage media relations in the U.S. Courtland Brooks is a boutique consultancy that works solely with internet dating and social networking companies. WhiteLabelDating.com is launching in the U.S.A. at the Internet Dating Conference in Miami on January 31st. WhiteLabelDating.com is powering hundreds of online dating sites for brands such as EMAP (UK's largest publishers of magazines), IPC Media (UK's 2nd largest dating site), and Dennis Publishing (one of the world's leading independent publishers), as well as individual sites such as the UK's social networking and dating website, Singles365.com. FULL ARTICLE @ NEWSWIRE

Iovation Founder To Speak At iDate

PR WEB -- Jan 22 --  iovation co-founder and vice president, Jon Karl, will be part of a panel that will educate attendees on how sharing critical information is playing a key role in helping online dating sites combat fraud and abuse in the discussion, "Combating Fraud in Internet Dating". Topics of discussion will include: How to improve your ability to spot scammers, spammers and predators hiding behind multiple identities, what tools are available to stop known fraudsters, how combining forces and sharing information is a winning strategy in combating online fraud and abuse. FULL ARTICLE @ E MEDIA WIRE

Are Gay Relationships Different?

TIME -- Jan 17 -- Many people, gay and straight, assume gay men are worse at maintaining relationships than straight people are. The psychologists found that when gay men initiate difficult discussions with their partners, the partners are worse than straight or lesbian couples at "repairing"--essentially, making up. That's one reason gays and lesbians end relationships sooner than heterosexuals. In a 2004 paper, psychology professor Lawrence Kurdek of Wright State University in Ohio reported that over a 12-year period, 21% of gay and lesbian couples broke up; only 14% of married straight couples did. Legalizing same-sex marriage would probably help prolong gay relationships. For gays, breaking up usually means simply moving out, not hiring divorce attorneys. FULL ARTICLE @ TIME

Internet Dating Conference Tix & Hotel

OPW -- Jan 22 -- The last day for buying your tix through the online booking system is Friday January 25th, for $850. After that, you can buy your conference ticket on the day for $995.  Hotels within 1 mile of the Miami Beach Convention Center are shown below. Prices are from Sidestep. Check in Jan 30th, check out Feb 1st. - Mark Brooks

0.3 miles
. Catalina Resort 4*, $156
. Dorchester Hotel and Suites 3*, $155
. Shelborne Beach Resort South Beach 3*, $249
. The National Hotel 4*, $199
. Townhouse Hotel 4*, $205
. Carlton Hotel 3*, $139
. Island House South Beach 3*, $134
. The Delores Clarion Collection 3*, $171
. South Beach Plaza Hotel 4*, $129
. Winterhaven Hotel 3*, $119
. The Marlin Hotel 4*, $151
0.9 miles

Rabbis Play Online Cupid To Help Jews Marry Jews

REUTERS -- Jan 21 -- Marrying outside the faith is an issue for many in the U.S. Jewish community.  U.S. rabbis are turning to an on-line dating service to help Jews marry Jews. As a result a few rabbis have started offering subscriptions to their congregants on JDate, an online network dedicated to hooking up Jewish singles. I've had 14 people take up the offer since October, said  Rabbi Donald Weber of Marlboro, New Jersey. FULL ARTICLE @ REUTERS

Moniker.com Plays Matchmaker at iDate 2008

PR NEWSWIRE -- Jan 18 -- Moniker, the provider of Domain Asset Management services, is set to host a social networking and dating domain name auction at iDate 2008 and the Social Networking Conference. The live auction will take place on Thursday, January 31 at 4:30 pm ET at the Miami Beach Convention Center, the common location of the two conferences. More than 100 domain names will be on the auction block during the one hour live auction.  An additional 2,000 domain names will be available online. FULL ARTICLE @ EARTH TIMES

We Just Clicked

TIME MAGAZINE -- Jan 18 --  In the U.S., there are close to 1,000 dating sites, led by Match.com, eHarmony and Yahoo! Personals. The industry rang up $649 million in revenues in 2006, according to Jupiter Research. Of the 92 million unmarried Americans, about 16 million have tried online dating, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project. In 2003 online daters increased 77%. Match.com is now in 35 countries, 30% of its 1.3 million members live outside the U.S. eHarmony, which started in 2000, has accrued 17 million members, $200 million in annual revenues and 30% yearly growth. Western online matchmakers face challenges in the Chinese matchmaking market. Of the 14 million Chinese Internet daters, only 500,000 pay subscription fees; thus industry revenues are estimated at just $24 million, according to iResearch. Paying users are expected to rocket to 3 million by 2010, generating sales of at least $160 million. FULL ARTICLE @ TIME MAGAZINE

Winter is #1 Break-Up Season

PRESS RELEASE -- Jan 17 -- Research conducted by Yahoo! Personals shows that we are now in National Break-Up Season. The survey revealed some major faux pas to avoid when it comes to breaking up: Digital Don'ts – 28% of the respondents selected "sending a text or instant message" or "through e-mail" as the worst methods for breaking up. 19% considered Monday the best day to break up with someone. 37 % selected "a public place" as the worst location to break up. A complete National Break-Up Season survival guide can be found online at http://personals.yahoo.com/breakup. FULL ARTICLE @ MARKET WATCH

UK Hitwise Rankings Update

OPW -- Jan 18 -- We've just updated Hitwise UK Online dating rankings. SexInTheUK is # 1, moving PlentyofFish, Gaydar.co.uk and DatingDirect down to #2, #3 and #4. Pocado.com entered the chart at #6. BeNaughty, GirlsDateForFree and TelegraphDating dropped to #7, #8, #10 from #4, #6 and #8. LoopyLove slides off the top 10.