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Ruben Buell - Monetizing Dating Apps Via Gifting
LTR - Ruben is the CEO of RealGifts, which provides a platform for users to access top-selling products from various brands and send personalized gifts through mobile apps and websites.
RealGifts is a platform that allows people to send physical gifts across social and dating platforms. Ruben Buell, who has a lot of experience in the dating industry, spoke about RealGifts and its potential benefits for dating platforms. He explained that gift-giving is an important aspect of building and strengthening relationships and can help people stand out on dating apps. The RealGifts platform offers a way for people to send gifts that recipients will love, creating a positive feeling and a dopamine rush. The platform is customizable and generates revenue for channel partners.
The March LTR was kindly sponsored by technology providers Livebox by The Meet Group, Courtland Brooks and Matchmaker.com
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SugarDaddyMeet Hits 7M User Milestone
DIGITAL JOURNAL - SugarDaddyMeet, a dating platform for well-off men and attractive women, has reached the milestone of 7M users after Valentine's Day 2023. Launched in 2007, the platform asserts itself as a popular choice for those seeking genuine connections and luxurious lifestyles. Over the past five years, the platform claims to have experienced an 87% increase in global registrations and aims to attract an additional 1M members by the end of 2023. SugarDaddyMeet says it implements strict dating rules to maintain authenticity, with only 45% of applicants successfully passing the review process.
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Chinese Social Platform Soul Mulls Hong Kong Listing Again
PANDAILY - Soulgate, the developer of the social media app Soul, has submitted another listing application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The company initially planned an IPO in the USA but abandoned this plan in June 2022. According to the prospectus, Soulgate achieved operating revenues of 498M yuan ($72M), 1.281B yuan ($185M) and 1.667B yuan ($241M), respectively from 2020-2022, while experiencing losses of 579M yuan ($84M), 1.3B yuan ($188M) and 508M yuan ($73M) during the same period. Soul is China's first social networking platform where all users interact through virtual identities, with ~30M monthly active users and ~9.6M daily active users.
This post also appears on VerySocialNetwork
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FITFCK: the Dating App for Gym-Goers Backed by OnlyFans Founder
GYMFLUENCERS - FITFCK is a new dating app designed specifically to help gym-goers find like-minded matches while also providing a community space for members to share their love of all things active. The founder, Jamie Wykes-Hobday, has received funding from OnlyFans founder Tim Stokely. The amount of funding is undisclosed, but it has reportedly amplified the business's value to over £3M. Stokely isn't the only one to have backed the business. Gaming YouTubers Sam Harry and Martin Wood, AKA Chaotic and SXVXN have also all invested in the project. The plan is for FITFCK to evolve over time to be more than a dating app, and the platform has already shown its potential as a community space for fitness lovers, with events and meet-ups attracting lots of interest.
by Frankie Michael Rudland
See full article at Gymfluencers
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Dating Maestro Plays in Dubai
OPW - A one-off concert by Dmitry Volkov and friends happened last night in Dubai at the Theater Of Digital Art. It was a multi-sensory masterpiece by the CEO/Founder of Social Discovery Group.
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ProSiebenSat.1 to Cut Jobs, Seeks Buyer for Dating Business
REUTERS - ProSiebenSat.1, a German media group, is planning to reduce costs and cut jobs while focusing on its in-house streaming platform Joyn. The company's CEO, Bert Habets, also announced plans to divest its online dating service, ParshipMeet Group, once it finds a suitable buyer. Habets did not rule out an initial public offering but said it was unrealistic in the current market climate.
by Klaus Lauer
See full article at Reuters
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47% of Gen Z Daters Think Men Should Take the Lead in Relationships
CNBC - According to data from Bumble's State of the Nation 2023 survey, 40% of Americans believe that men should take the lead in a relationship, and 47% of Gen Z respondents subscribe to this belief. The survey also found that only 11% of respondents believed women should make the first move on a dating app. Jessica Small, a marriage counselor and therapist, explains that despite progress towards gender equality, traditional gender roles and beliefs still influence the dating landscape, especially in the early stages of dating when women may not feel comfortable being forward. However, once a couple is in a defined relationship, Small feels women usually take the lead in household and social matters.
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Half of Singletons Have Received an Unwanted Nude Photo
THE SUN - A poll of 4K singletons who are actively dating found 28% are tired of negative experiences when looking for love, while 33% get easily irritated. Being ghosted without explanation (43%), getting stood up on a date (40%) and receiving unsolicited nude pictures (40%) are some of the main bugbears of those polled. The research was commissioned by Plenty of Fish, which has partnered with author and life coach, Michelle Elman, to create the 'Desirable Dating Guide'. It shares advice on how singles can tackle undesirable dating behaviours and engineer more positive experiences. Receiving unsolicited nude pictures proves a prevalent issue as nearly half of singles (48%) have previously been sent unsolicited pictures from a match or date.
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Newborn Town to Acquire BlueCity
PR NEWSWIRE - Newborn Town has signed an agreement with Spriver to acquire Chizicheng Strategy Investment, a subsidiary of Spriver. This acquisition will make Newborn Town the controlling shareholder of BlueCity, which is owned by Chizicheng Strategy Investment. Upon completion of the acquisition, Newborn Town will consolidate the financial statements of BlueCity into its own financial statements. BlueCity is a leading player in the LGBTQ social vertical, with its flagship Blued app as the second-largest LGBTQ platform globally in terms of active users while holding the leading position in terms of users in several Asian countries and regions. Newborn Town is a company with diversified social networking services based in Hong Kong, listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The company was founded in 2013 and provides various social networking services such as live streaming, interactive entertainment, and audio services. Newborn Town has a global footprint and operates in key markets, including Japan, Korea, North America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
See full article at PR Newswire
This post also appears on InternetDatingInvestments and VerySocialNetwork
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Muzz Fights Third Lawsuit from Match Group and Calls for FTC Investigation
LINKEDIN - Match Group has sued Muzz (formerly muzmatch) for the third time over a patent related to digital matchmaking (Patent 666 - "Matching Process System and Method"), day after their appeal hearing in the UK. Muzz asserts that it declined Match Group's acquisition offers and has invested ~$1M in countering their legal actions. Muzz is calling on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Match Group's dominant position and treatment of competitors.
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ParshipMeet Group Implements New Leadership Structure
PARSHIPTMEET GROUP - ParshipMeet Group, a leading international provider in dating and video, has announced a reorganization of its businesses, focusing on a more integrated approach. The new structure will be led by a new CEO, Marc Schachtel, and CFO and COO, Henning Rönneberg. Geoff Cook, co-CEO of The Meet Group, has left the company on mutual terms to pursue new entrepreneurial ventures. As COO Video, Jim Bugden will continue to operationally oversee ParshipMeet Group's Video activities. Jim Bugden has been with the company for twelve years, most recently helping expand Livebox's third-party customer portfolio. The Livebox solution allows streamers to quickly and easily connect with their audiences and monetize their livestreams. The reorganization aims to set the company up for future growth, with its dating apps and live-streaming solution expected to contribute to ParshipMeet Group's future expansion. ParshipMeet Group will also streamline its organizational setup and implement cost efficiencies.
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Geoff Cook Takes a Bow, Leaves The Meet Group
OPW - After an 18-year journey, Geoff Cook is bowing out of the CEO role of The Meet Group.
MeetMe grew from nothing to millions of active users. Tagged was acquired and turned into a livestreaming video success. Livebox, is a successful Creator Economy service powering top social apps. Tagged, LOVOO, Skout, and GROWLr were acquired. Parship Group and The Meet Group merged 2.5 years ago as ParshipMeet Group, and emerged as a dating and video leader.
See Geoff's post on Linkedin here
Mark Brooks: Our hats off to Geoff, a luminary in the dating industry, for his foresight, innovation, and leadership.
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FITFCK Appoints James Brodey as New COO and Moves to New Office
LINKEDIN - FITFCK, a London-based dating and social app for health and fitness enthusiasts, has moved into a new office and appointed James Brodey as its new Chief Operating Officer. The new office features two whiteboards, one for business tasks and another for recording lifting personal bests. James Brodey is an angel investor and CEO of Brodey Capital, a venture capital and private equity company based in London. Brodey was also the first angel investor of FITFCK.
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High There App Revamped as Social Network for Cannabis Enthusiasts, No Longer Just a Dating App
FORBES - Kaya Now has launched an updated version of its High There app, which aims to create a safe, moderated, digital cannabis-friendly community for users. The revamped app includes industry-led content, a live chat feature, a Global Stories feature for users to share their experiences, and a tailored feed algorithm for customized content. High There has shifted from a 'connection model' to a 'follow model', moving away from its original dating-focused concept to create a social network for cannabis enthusiasts.
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