Online Dating Industry Journal

Will Predictive Analysis Boost eHarmony's Match Rate?

(Online Dating Industry Journal) Relationship service eHarmony,who have already claimed to be responsible for over 90 member's marrying each day, is turning to algorithmic analysis to try and improve its matchmaking capabilities. 

According to an article in Information Week, eHarmony is looking to software to determine more variables and more accurately measure those variables that go into compatible matchmaking.  From the article:

"The software, from SPSS, will be used by eHarmony for scientific research, brand development, compatibility models, customer satisfaction and retention, and product research. One plan: Begin tracking couples before they get married to figure out which relationships last and which ones don't. The company should think about sharing those significant findings with the rest of the world."

Kim's Comments:
I encourage any major online dating service that genuinely tries to improve its service to provide better long-term matches to do everything they can to do so.  A combination of expert advice from social psychologists along with algorithmic software to better determine what should go into a compatibility test to produce optimal results seems like the perfect blend of technological assistance and educated human intuition.   

Only time will tell if eHarmony is actually able to improve matchmaking results by the addition of predictive analysis software into their determinations, but, since they already have a great meeting-to-marriage history, it seems this algorithmic analysis will only help to streamline their process.

Technology is Changing the Way We Date

(Online Dating Industry Journal) An article in the Times Leader discusses how new technologies are changing the singles dating scene.  Now, rather than the typical number exchange and phone call, people are relying much more on text messaging and email as it is more convenient, less committal, and often more anonymous.  From the article:

"With the emergence of e-mail, text messaging, instant messaging and handheld devices like Treos and BlackBerrys, dating has evolved so that the thrill of a quick response goes hand-in-clammy-hand with the uneasiness of knowing you are reachable no matter where you are."

The pros of text and email dating communication were counterbalanced by some cons mentioned in the article.  One of the biggest downsides to this sort of communication is its depersonalized nature and your easy ability to end a relationship without face-to-face communication.

Kim's Comments:
The way people get to know each other in the dating world is continuing to evolve, as is seen with not only technology in the dating scene but the incorporation of mobile technologies for online dating as well.  Online dating service owners need to be continually on the cutting edge of communication technology.  In order to retain members, dating services need to update as times and technologies change and advance, otherwise the services run the risk of losing members as they embrace new ways to communicate thanks to advanced technology.

Personality Profiling for Dateline One to One

(Online Dating Industry Journal) Dateline One to One, a UK introductions service, has recently integrated Thomas' Personality Assessment and Personal Feedback reporting into its service including Thomas' Personal Profile Analysis.  According to Thomas:

"Thomas' Personal Profile Analysis (PPA) enables websites to offer their members private-label behavioral assessment and personalized reporting based on people's unique behavioral preferences. The PPA is a web-based, self-administered, forced-choice adjective checklist consisting of 24 tetrads of descriptive words. From these, individuals select the word they believe describes them most and the word that describes them least. In 6-8 minutes, the PPA assesses member's basic characteristics, perceptions, motivators, communication style and unique strengths. The Thomas PPA is independently certified to meet the testing standards set by the British Psychological Society. Upon completion of the assessment, Thomas' Personal Feedback report provides members with objective, positive feedback about their personality enabling them to present themselves with greater confidence."

YooMedia, owners of Dateline One to One plan on utilizing other technology from Thomas on additional sites.  Along with this new personality profiling, YooMedia plans to implement Thomas' Essay Coach, Compatibility reporting and Personality Search. Thomas' Essay Coach assists members in promoting themselves more effectively within free-range text (essay) fields with personality-based suggestions unique to the individual. 

Sprint Offering Mobile Chat for Webdate Members

(Online Dating Industry Journal) An article on Mobiledia.com details the the latest mobile chat offerings from Sprint.  Sprint is launching three new ways to meet and chat with people through mobile devices - Jumbuck Island from Jumbuck Entertainment, The Lounges from AirG, and Webdate Mobile from Trilibis Mobile. 

"Jumbuck Island" is a new 3D wireless chat service where users can go to a virtual "island" and chat using chosen avatars.  "The Lounges" are three separate chat rooms - Sports, Latino, and Friends - where members can talk in their chosen community.  "Webdate Mobile" lets mobile users browse profiles and communicate as members of online dating service Webdate.  From the article:

"Webdate Mobile, enabled by Trilibis, is the world's largest mobile dating service, which gives users anytime, anywhere access to one of the most popular online dating communities, including complete personals with photos, profile searches and browsing and anonymous messaging to other Webdate members. Webdate Mobile lets subscribers search for singles in their area, view members' photos and full profiles, check messages in the Webdate inbox and send messages to any of Webdate's 5 million members. Among the new features in the Sprint version are MyWebdate, which presents suggested matches based on one's profile preferences, and New Faces, which provides a quick view of new members to join in the user's locale. Webdate Mobile is available for $4.99 per month."

Read more information here.

Telephone Safety Features Gaining Popularity

(Online Dating Industry Journal) UK based company Liquid11 has produced a new service called "Stay Safe" that, according to the company, allows its members to socialize and meet without having to give away personal details.  The new safety feature enables a member to obtain their own temporary telephone number that can be connected directly to their existing mobile phone.  With this temporary phone number members don't have to give out their personal cell or home phone number.

Company Director Grant Hardy said, “With all the chilling stories in the media these days about the dangers involved with dating and meeting new people, we thought how invaluable it would be to be able to instantly gain a temporary number just when you need it any time day or night, allowing people to give out a contact number to potential suitors without worrying!”

The system works by routing a temporary number to users existing mobile phone, which they do by texting “SAFE” to 80876.  You are then returned a message containing a temporary phone number connected to the mobile number you sent the text from. All calls to the temporary number are screened allowing the recipient to refuse a call if they wish.  The charge to forward calls is £1.50 and  each temporary number is connected for one week and can be disconnected at any time by texting SAFE END to 80876.

Kim's Comments:
With the gaining popularity of features such as Liquid11's "Stay Safe" and advancing communication technologies like Skype, the pace of online dating relationships may pick up.  With these new technologies, a person's anonymity is better protected than in the past.  Now that you don't have to give out your personal phone number, many online daters will most likely be more likely to agree to talk on the "phone" sooner.  The sooner the voice-to-voice communication, usually the sooner the first date. 

Cell Phone Services Are The Next Frontier In Online Dating

(Online Dating Industry Journal) An article in NY1 News briefly details the next step in cell phone usage for online dating.  From the article:

"Now the next step in mobile dating is where things get a little more interesting, a little more scary. This is when every phone is enabled with Global Positioning System. This is for when you call 911, emergency workers can pinpoint exactly where you are. Now apply that to dating. Imagine you're anywhere in the world - at a club or on street corner - all of a sudden your phone lights up and tells you someone with similar interests is standing about 30 feet away.

“That is one of the reasons Sprint especially is so interested in this cell phone dating,” says Segan. “They're in the middle of enabling all of their phones with GPS services, and they need to find a way to make that a very strong selling point. Well, having the GPS tell you if there are cute singles in your vicinity is a fun selling point.”

Many wireless carriers admit it is an interesting application. Sprint, though, insists it needs to fully vet some privacy and safety concerns before you'll be able to pinpoint that exact someone as late as December 31st, 11:59 p.m."

Kim's Comments:
Cell phone GPS abilities can be a good thing and bad thing in the online dating world for obvious reasons.  As the article states, it might be fun to be able to locate your online (or cell phone) match in order to meet up or just know how close or far they are to you while you speak with them.  But this brings up some huge privacy issues.  In the online dating world, you may be ready to communicate via text or cell phone, but not ready to meet someone in person.  Keeping your location private is vital to staying safe before meeting in person, expecially if you don't know the person on the other end of the line very well.

Yahoo! Fixes Security Flaw in Yahoo Personals Database

(Online Dating Indstry Journal) According to CNET:

"Yahoo plans to tighten security on its dating site after a security expert uncovered a method for breaking into members' accounts.

"The main problem is that Yahoo Personals ads contain clues about key personal information--namely birth date and ZIP code--that members also use to reset their passwords. If an intruder obtains that data, the only thing that would block him from changing passwords and accessing accounts are members' secret questions, such as "What's your pet's name?" "What is your favorite pastime?" and "What is your all-time favorite sports team?"

As the credibility of Yahoo! Personals is under attack due to a recent lawsuit filed against the company, it is vitally important that Yahoo! take huge steps to insure their member's privacy online.  This obviously couldn't come at a worse time for Yahoo, but quick steps to alleviate the situation is a start in the right direction towards reparing their image.

PodDating: The Future or Just a Fad?

(Online Dating Industry Journal) More news has come out about PodDater.com, the  site that combines the popularity of the iPod with online dating by allowing members to download video profiles of potential matches to their video iPod.  Nate Elliot, an online dating analyst at Jupiter Research, told the Chicago Tribune that these sorts of attempts to "break the mold" of online dating services (he also mentions mobile phone dating) are a "big gamble" as most have been generally unsuccessful.  Elliot told the Chicago Tribune:

"Consumers don't seem to care about bells and whistles,"...noting that the $500 million online dating industry is the largest category of paid online content.

"There's a reason that online dating is more popular than the forms of offline dating. The Internet provides an ideal medium for matchmaking. It has a combination of depth and anonymity."

John Myers of Pod Dater was quick to refute the doubtful statements claiming that poddating is the future and "younger people have embraced certain types of technologies in ways that need to be explored." 

The article also touches upon the wary feeling of some online daters have towards dating services and the fear that they may not really work.  A feeling that has grown in light of recent lawsuits against the big names in online dating - Match.com and Yahoo! Personals. 

Kim's Comments:
Only time will tell if these new online dating trends will transform the way singles participate in online dating or are just gimmicks that will fade as their novelty wears off.  It is my guess that a handful of tech-oriented singles may embrace the new technology but I have to agree with Elliot...the Internet seems to be the ideal medium for online dating.  When in front of your home computer you have privacy, comfort, and, most of all, time to sit and examine profiles or send and respond to messages...three things that a portable iPod does not necessarily provide.  Plus, have you seen how small those screens are?  While incorporating video into profiles seems like the logical next step in online dating, I'm not yet convinced that mobile or iPod video will catch on. 

Yes it might be a good way to pass the time during a long commute on public transportation, but I'm not sure how many people use it as anything more than just that, a way to pass the time.  Serious daters will most likely get on their home computer when ready to look for a date.