Online Dating Industry Journal

Do's and Dont's of Online Dating

(Online Dating Industry Journal) The Huffington Post has posted and interesting / entertaining article about the do's and dont's of online dating. Here's an excerpt:

"DO learn the lingo of dating profiles. For instance:

    * He describes himself as 'cuddly.'

     Translation:  chubby.

    * He writes, 'I've been told I'm very handsome.'

     Translation:  by his mother.

* He's 'Executive Vice-President of Strategic Planning for a Major Corporation.' Translation: he's self-employed in some cockamamie business, headquartered in his basement..."

Click here to read the entire article.

Online Daters Fall For Witty Lines

(Online Dating Industry Journal) Rosemary Desmond, of the AAP news service, has written an article about research indicating the danger and ease of which women fall for witty lines online.

From the article:

"Internet daters beware - witty emails don't lead to love, an Australian researcher says.

Too many people, particularly women, who go online in search of relationships fall for a clever line, said Queensland University of Technology (QUT) relationships psychologist Matthew Bambling.

They quickly formed emotional attachments to unsuitable people they had not even met in real life..."

Click here to read the full article.

Joe's Comments
It's easy to form attachments online before you meet someone when you've been communicating with them for awhile. This researcher recommends only a couple of emails before you meet for coffee to determine compatibility. It kind of flies in the face of what many online daters practice - getting to know someone in-depth online before meeting. There seems to be pros and cons to both, but as this article points out, waiting longer only sets you up for a bigger disappointment. Not everyone I know would agree with that.

Online Dating Magazine Advertising Special - Monday and Tuesday Only

5/21: 12:01am. Three of the four packages were taken during the promotion time period. The one remaining has expired as of midnight and is no longer available.

(Online Dating Industry Journal) Online Dating Magazine is offering the below advertising specials to readers of the Online Dating Industry Journal. The below offers are only good if booked on Monday or Tuesday. Each is only available on a first come, first serve basis. Once an offer has been taken, this page will be updated to reflect that.

To book any of the offers, contact joetracy@earthlink.net.

Here's what's left in this special offer (offers already taken have been removed):

Ad Space:
120X600 Ad on all 1,300 pages of Online Dating Magazine for 3 Months. Ad is on right hand side (currently Chemistry.com 7 Days Free ad)
Cost:
$1000 for entire three months ($200 savings)
Free Bonus:
30,000 468X60 Banner Ad Impressions served via the Online Dating Banner Exchange (which includes the top middle space on all Online Dating Magazine pages and other Online Dating Magazine Websites). Also, your ad runs the rest of May for free!

To book a space, follow these steps right now:

1) Send an email to joetracy@earthlink.net or call 503-315-2466 stating what advertising special you want.

2) We will send you payment information. In the meantime, prepare your ad creative.

3) After approval, we need your payment and creative. Your ad will then begin to immediately run on all 1,300+ pages of Online Dating Magazine.

Online Dating Magazine does not allow adult sites or sex sites (i.e. Adult Friendfinder) to advertise.

These special offers end at 11:59pm on Tuesday, May 20 or until all are taken. This page will be updated to reflect what is still available.

The last time Online Dating Magazine had a special offer, it was taken within one hour of posting - so act quick!

To view other advertising packages, visit OnlineDatingAdvertising.com.

Online Dating Happiness and Headaches

(Online Dating Industry Journal) WTNH has published an article about the experience of two online daters that met via eHarmony and how the process of online dating leads to both happiness and headaches.

The article also addresses the growing dissatisfaction of online daters with online dating services, quoting Howard Schwartz from the Better Business Bureau. From the article:

"Schwartz says the Better Business Bureau has been processing a skyrocketing number of complaints. Some people are unhappy with the results.   

'They're being matched with people that are inappropriate -- not even close to their criteria,' Schwartz said.

Many are unhappy with the process such as 'automatically renewing the membership when people think they're only signing up for a month, rude customer service,  difficulty in obtaining the so-called fine-print,' Schwartz concluded..."

Click here to read the entire article.

Joe's Comments
The industry can't keep ignoring consumer complaints. It will reach a breaking point if not addressed or drive more people to free online dating services.

Jewish Online Dating in Australia

(Online Dating Industry Journal) The Australian Jewish News has published an article about Jewish online dating, complete with recommendations like "don't act desperate" when contacted by someone. It also addresses the Jewish online dating scene in Australia.

From the article:

"...there are thousands of Jewish singles in Australia who are looking for Mr or Miss Right.

At the moment, Australian Jewish dating website J-Junction has 920 people on its books. J-Date, an American-based dating website, has a significant number of Australian Jews signed up and there are also Jewish singles who advertise on secular dating sites..."

Click here to read the entire article.

Joe's Comments
The article says J-Junction has... uh... 920 people on its books. But their Website says quite a few more...

Swedish Site - No Online Dating Stigma Here

(Online Dating Industry Journal) One country where online dating is big (and getting bigger) is Sweden where there are few inhibitions. Swedes have embraced online dating and as one Swedish news site puts it, the popularity of online dating goes beyond singles.

The Local - a Swedish news site published in English - recently published an article titled "Internet Dating Goes to The Movies". The article talks about the popularity of Internet dating in Sweden and how some online dating services are reaching out via popular singles events. And unlike the United States, in Sweden there is virtually no "online dating stigma".

From the article:

"There is absolutely no stigma attached to internet dating in this country as almost everyone knows somebody who actually hooked up for good with someone they met online. However, even the virtual meat market can be tough going, especially if you are a reserved Swede who is a teeny bit scared of actually meeting up in the flesh..."

Click here to read the entire article.

Joe's Comments
Part of the perception of the online dating stigma in different countries is created by how the media covers the topic. In the United States there is still a lot of press that stereotypes online dating and puts forth that it is still for "desperate people".

City Official Resigns After Flap with Girl He Met Online

(Online Dating Industry Journal) Richard Mulligan, a top city official in Chandler, Arizona, has resigned after ongoing legal battles stemming from a woman he met on Match.com who later became his girlfriend, then ex-girlfriend. According to the Arizona Republic, the girl Mulligan met online filed reports against him for assault and stalking, resulting in his arrest.

From the article:

"On Monday, the day after his arrest, Mulligan sought an injunction against Banna, claiming the former girlfriend's unannounced visits to his home and "loud screaming or throwing up" in his front yard disturbs his two teen-age sons and neighbors. He said in his petition that Banna collaborated with his ex-wife to get the earlier injunction..."

Click here to read the full article.

Joe's Comments
While online dating is, by far, the best medium to meet people to date, be careful with the type of person you decide to enter into a relationship with. Early warning signs should be your red flag to get out of a potentially disastrous relationship earlier, versus later.

Promotion Codes - Offer Yours to Online Daters

(Online Dating Industry Journal) Services like eHarmony have found a new way to reach online daters - through Online Dating Magazine's Online Dating Promotions section. The section, which opened this year, publishes promotions and promotion codes that dating services are offering to Online Dating Magazine readers.

For example, eHarmony is offering Online Dating Magazine readers 20% off a six-month membership by using the promotion code CJSPRINGPROMOAAB. Readers visit the site, sign up for a six-month subscription, then use the code to receive the instant discount.

If you run an online dating service and would like to be considered for a listing in the Online Dating Promotions section of Online Dating Magazine, then you need to do the following:

1) Contact jtracy@onlinedatingmagazine.com with the name of your service, a link to it, and what kind of promotions you can offer Online Dating Magazine readers.

2) Be prepared to offer new codes regularly. Requirements for keeping your listing active is by providing fresh codes for readers and not allowing any old codes to expire without being replaced. Once a service is removed from the listing, it is not allowed back on for six months.

3) This service is only available to online dating services, niche services, and relationship services that do not allow any adult content (i.e. nudity) on their sites. Online Dating Magazine is a "family-friendly" publication.

Right now the Online Dating Promotions section offers promotions for eHarmony, PerfectMatch, Match.com, and Date.com. The service is free and an excellent way of promoting/marketing your service to Online Dating Magazine readers.

Bone Fish Rebranding Image

(Online Dating Industry Journal) Bone Fish, a company that provides co-branded online dating services that share the same database (White Label Dating), has announced that it is re-branding its corporate image.

“To commemorate our first decade in the online dating and adult sector – and to prepare ourselves for the journey ahead – the team at Bone Fish Ltd made the decision to modernize and completely re-brand the company image to take on a more contemporary, upbeat and proficient standing in the white label dating marketplace," says Michael Fitzgerald, Director of Bone Fish. "Because although we have surpassed the targets set-out in our 1999 ten-year plan, in a sector as competitive as ours it is important to continually innovate and change to ensure success for the future.”

Bone fish has more than 14,000 clients who run their own dating services using the white label dating solutions provided to them. The company was founded in 1999 by Fitzgerald and Graham Hampson.

Phase One of the re-branding effort was a complete redesign of the company's Website. The re-branding  effort will continue later this year when Bone Fish launches a completely revamped service it claims will be "bigger and better" and "unparalleled in the marketplace".

Joe's Comments
Branding is one of the most important and overlooked aspects of public relations and marketing. But it goes well beyond the scope and depth of what Bone Fish says it is doing. I'd recommend the book Brand Aid for those interested in learning more about corporate branding.

Little League Treasurer Stole Money for Online Dating

(Online Dating Industry Journal) Richard Dunlap, a little league treasurer in Oakfield, New York, is trying to work out a plea agreement in his case of embezzling money to pay for online dating services (mostly adult-oriented ones) and family vacations. Dunlap is accused of stealing nearly $30,000, completely depleting Oakfield-Alabama's little league savings account. He did it by using the league's credit card to buy vacations, pornography, and online dating memberships. He'd then falsify reports that were sent to the league administrators.

The league was able to start its 50th season thanks to donations from the public to keep it going after the scandal.

Joe's Comments
I know online dating services are expensive, but "ouch" - let's not embezzle to pay for them!