Online Personals Watch: News on the Online Dating Industry and Business

Zoosk Introduces Its Own "HQ Trivia" With Lively

ADWEEK - Mar 12 - The company behind dating site and app Zoosk is putting its own spin on the HQ Trivia imitation trend with the restarting of its Lively app. Zoosk Labs debuted Lively in July 2016 as a dating app that enabled users to search for potential matches by browsing story collages made up of their videos and photos; it evolved into a group video-chatting app geared toward millennials. However, the developer said there was one missing element: Users didn't know how to initiate conversations with other users. So they incorporated several of the features that made HQ Trivia soar in popularity. In the revamped app, there are two half-hour sessions at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET. Players can join at any time during the session, and they will automatically be placed into teams of two through four players who compete as a team. Players can also add Snapchat-like face filters. Games last 12 questions, and teams learn their overall ranking when they're finished competing. Players can continue chatting after the game ends and will be prompted to add each other as friends.

by David Cohen
See full article at AdWeek

See all posts on Lively
See all posts on Zoosk

Summarized by the IDEA team

Dating Apps Are Embracing Video

TECH CRUNCH - June 28 - This week, both Hinge and Zoosk's Lively are rolling out support for video, each in their own way. Hinge will now allow users to add videos up to 30 seconds long into their profile by pulling from those that already exist on their phone. However, it's shying away from short-form, disappearing videos like those found in Instagram, Snapchat, or Messenger "Stories." Meanwhile, Zoosk's newer product Lively is hoping to capitalize on video to bring more people to its app. In Lively, users upload photos and videos that are then turned into story collages, which also include transitions and movement. Again, the idea is that using video can show off someone's personality much better than static, photo-only profiles. Now, Zoosk is pushing the bar even further in terms of video with the launch of live video chat. Users will be able to pick a topic and start chatting with others who are also available to chat. But the screen will be blurred so users feel more comfortable. Bumble will roll out its own video support as well. Even Match.com is getting into the video game with its Stories feature.

by Sarah Perez
See full article at Tech Crunch

See all posts on Hinge    See all posts on Bumble
See all posts on Lively    See all posts on Match.com

Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team

Lively Expands To Augmented Live Video Chat

NEWSWIRE - June 28 - Lively, a video-based social app, is releasing augmented live video chat. In the new experience users will pick a topic they'd like to talk about and instantly be connected with another person who'd like to chat. The camera will be blurred, with the blur going away over time. Users will have the option to keep adding the blur back, in case they wish to remain hidden.

See full article at Newswire

See all posts on Lively

Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team

The Internet Is Moving To Video, But Not Dating Apps

THE VERGE - May 17 - Dating apps are quick to try new trends. But when it comes to video, options are lacking. Top dating apps such as Tinder, Happn or Hinge don't allow users to share or upload videos. Earlier this year, Bumble announced its plan to add 10-second clips to its service, though it's yet to be made available. "Video is scary," says Behzad Behrouzi, who oversees product operations at Lively, a video-based dating app. Lively launched in 2016 under the umbrella of Zoosk. In March, Lively introduced Quickies, a Snapchat-like feature that allows users to record short clips of themselves with frames and filters. Implementing video requires time and money for development. Even if a business has the funds to add videos, there's the concern of bad behavior.

by Megan Farokhmanesh
See full article at The Verge

See all posts on Bumble
See all posts on Lively
See all posts on Zoosk

Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team

Dating App Lively Launches Quickies

PR NEWSWIRE - Mar 14 - Lively, the dating app that uses videos instead of static profiles, is launching quickies, topical frames that add context to their photos and videos. With quickies, daters don't have to both say yes to each other before they can start chatting. Instead, if they're interested in someone they send them a quickie in response to a picture or video on his or her profile to start a conversation. If they get a quickie from someone they're not interested in, they simply don't respond.

See full article at PR Newswire

Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team

2017 iDate Awards Winners

OPW - Jan 26 - The 2017 iDate Awards winners were announced and provided trophies at a ceremony last night in Miami. The iDate Awards are the dating industry's most recognized awards, highlighting the best and most innovative aspects of the business.

The 2017 winners are:

Best Affiliate Program:
Wamba & Mamba.ru

Best Niche Dating Site:
Christian Filipina

Best Dating Coach:
Julie Spira

Best Payment System:
CCBill

Best Dating Site:
Match.com

Best Product Design:
Dating Pro

Best Marketing Campaign:
eHarmony

Best Software & Saas:
Dating Pro

Best Matchmaker:
Andrea Messent (Drawing Down the Moon)

Best Up & Coming Dating Site:
Lively

Best Mobile Dating App:
Bumble

Most Innovative Company:
eHarmony

Best New Technology:
Smart Match App

Post by Courtland Brooks team