3. Relationship sites -
the pioneers of
online social
networking - are
waging a pitched
battle for members,
employing new
technologies from
video conferencing
to voice over
Internet protocol
(VoIP) to bring
Google-like results to
their niches.
4. Match.com has
reported record
activity as people
turn to the Internet
to find solace in a
soul mate. And as
long as the nation
is in a recession,
these sites are
expecting the
surge to continue.
5. Match.com
said that
during the
month of
November,
the site saw
its largest
growth in
membership
in over seven
years.
6. There are millions
of lonely hearts
looking for love
on the Internet,
but you won't
find the majority
of them on
Facebook or
MySpace.
7. Online dating sites
have exploded in
popularity in
recent years as
both the younger
and older
generations have
flocked to them
and other social
networks to meet
people.
8. Most sites are free
to join but require
users to cough up a
registration fee to
actually interact
with other singles.
Other sites
generate revenue
through banner
and click-based
ad partnerships
with Google,
Yahoo and other
Internet marketing
firms.
9. A $30 monthly
membership
fee is cheaper
than one night
out in the city.
10. Jupiter
Research, an
Internet
consulting firm,
said the
market grew
10 percent in
2006, to $649
million, and is
likely to grow 8
percent a year
until 2011.
11. quot;We've seen a
major growth in the
niche market of
online dating,quot; says
Joe Tracy, publisher
of Online Dating
Magazine; “They're
seeing more
success by
targeting a specific
passion.quot;
12. quot;The underlying
concept of the
whole network is,
it should be easier
to break the ice if
you already have
something in
common,quot;
explains Michael
Carter, company
founder of
Passions Network
which hosts more
than 100 niche
dating websites.
13. They say there's
someone for
everyone. Now
there's a dating
site for everyone,
too.
14. Sorkin, Andrew Ross. “Parent of Dating Sites Looks for
a Match,” New York Times (January 2008), Section C;
Column 0; Business/Financial Desk; Pg. 1
http://www.nytimes.com.offcampus.lib.washington.e
du
McCarthy, Ellen. “OnDating,” The Washington Post
(November 2008), Weekend Section, Pg. WE06
Hartley, Matt. “Money and relationships: It's Love 3.0,”
The Globe and Mail (Canada) (February 2008),
Report on business: Canadian Internet, Pg. B1.
Fung, Amanda. “Jobless, lovelorn rush to network;
LinkedIn, Facebook, Match.com report record traffic
as economy falters,” Crain’s New York Business
(January 2009, News Pg. 3.
