In the very unique industry of online dating, an e-business must use many marketing tools and techniques to catch the eyes of the business's audience. If the e-business is for some reason unable to accomplish this, the online dating sight will not last long. This section will discuss the marketing tools and techniques used by e-businesses in the online dating industry. There will also be a rating of the three most common online dating networks, rating many areas of the site from ease of use to customer service accessibility.
Few people will argue that online dating has become the preferred method to find dates, relationships, and possible soul-mates. eHarmony frequently advertises with the statistics that in one year they had 33, 000 people get married after meeting in its networking site. There are statistics out that predict that more than 100,000 people get married each year after meeting in a dating network. (Tracey, 2005) With statists like these, one can see why there would be so much high pressure to win curious newcomers. There are marketing tools and techniques used to win them over. These online dating sites have done many things correct.
Picking the best market audience is very important to online dating sites. Sites such as eHarmony.com and Chemistry.com market to the 35 and up group where Match.com tends to focus on the younger, Myspace generation of daters. These audiences play a very important part when analyzing marketing techniques because each audience appeals to a different form of marketing. An older generation does not look for as flashy or trendy of a page design where a younger generation may be bored without the coolest tricks. Chemistry.com has stepped out of the box with new ideas that really appeal to the youth. They have developed a "First Date Planning" module that will help newly met daters plan the first date. Even though it takes a simple approach of meeting at a coffee shop or local café, it breaks the ice for both parties. After the first date, the subscriber has the option to go in and input feedback and details about the date. This data is a reference only for the subscriber and is used to determine what the subscriber really is looking for in a partner. After filling out the personal notes, it allows the subscriber to send a message back to the person to let them know if her or she would like to continue dating or not.
In Brooks’ essay, his thesis states that “[t]he online dating world is superficially cynical . . . But love is what this is all about. And the heart, even in this commercial age, finds a way”(222)—implying that, although not perfect, online romance can work. He evidences his statement by illustrating how online dating “slows things down” (221), “puts structure back into courtship” (221), and “is at
In “A Million First Dates” (The Atlantic, Jan/Feb 2013), Dan Slater argues commiting to a stable relationship is negatively influenced by online dating because of a decline in commitment in couples. Essentially, the more options a person is given to find the perfect person in a short amount of time, the less they are inclined to stay in a relationship. For example, Slater’s case study subject, Jacob, a man with a difficult time meeting women and genuinely falling in love. After easily finding a dream woman on a dating website he found it easier to find someone else once their relationship ended. Hence, online dating made it easier for him (and possibly other users) to change views on a long or lifetime monogamous relationship. Additionally,
Ansari states in his article that because of technology Americans have never had as many romance options as they currently do allowing increased interaction. However, he does note that with all these options there are still downsides to online dating, much like medicine has its side effects. In the article there is a section titled “Where Bozos are Studs” Within this section we see him imply that the internet can make someone feel too empowered because of the many options they have. Also, Ansari points out that it is possible that the simplest of qualities could disqualify you from finding your soul mate on these dating sites. For example a man saw a woman who had similar qualities but she was a Red Sox fan so he continued to search. Ansari also expands more on the topic of dating in genera. He speaks on the phases of a relationship, the passionate phase and the sometimes unattainable compassionate phase. Ansari has a first-hand experience with how people failed to make it pass passionate love when he attends a wedding. Several couples who attend the wedding end up splitting
There is no doubt that recent technological advancements have changed the way humans interact with one another in the 21st century. Through email, text messages, and social networking sites, we are able to get in touch with people all over the world in a much faster and more efficient manner than in previous years. Since modern technology has become such an integral part of our everyday lives, it is certainly not uncommon for two people to meet and connect with each other via the Internet. Members of this relatively new subculture of online daters invest a great deal of time and energy into their romantic affairs. In fact, according to Robert Epstein’s “The Truth About Online Dating,” advertising materials from the largest online dating services suggest that over 50 million Americans are currently using such services, and that they are wholly satisfied with the results (34). Unfortunately, however, the controversial subject of online relationships in modern society is frequently misrepresented by the media. Many films and television shows exaggerate the risks associated with online dating, choosing to highlight extreme examples of lies and deception for the sake of maintaining their dramatic quality. Other forms of media tend to romanticize online dating, consequently giving Internet users unrealistic expectations for their own relationships. Whether it depicts the frightening or idealized side of online dating, popular culture makes a conscious effort to feature sensationalized stories in order to appeal to a target audience that relies solely on entertainment. As a result, the truth about Internet dating is not adequately conveyed, which ultimately results in the public’s distorted image of such online practices.
The ways in which people interact, connect, and communicate with one another has changed significantly due to technology. This is parallel to the rise of dating networks. Twenty years ago, dating strictly consisted of face-to-face interactions. A change first occurred when basic dating websites were introduced. These websites asked various questions about interests, hobbies, career, and life. This information is then used to match users with people who share similar characteristics. However, a new dating social network, Tinder, has “swiped” the nation and created a sensation: The Tinder Effect. Tinder has enhanced the need for instant gratification in our “hookup culture”, and by analyzing how it works we can determine how it can and cannot relate to realistic relationships.
Think about how your grandparents met; was it at a job they both worked at? Then think how your parents met, through their friend group? Now, how do you plan to meet your soulmate? Over the past ten years, dating has done a complete 360-degree turn. A study done on Americans by the Pew Research Center found, “66% of online daters have gone on a date with someone they met through a dating site or app, and 23% of online daters say they have met a spouse or long term relationship through these sites (Smith and Duggan).” From a boy asking a girl’s parents permission to date their daughter, to today when people resort to dating apps and websites like, Okcupid or Tinder.
Stanley, T. (2006). Online Dating Sites get Stood up by Consumers. Advertising Age, 77, 10.
The ancient ritual of courtship allowed both genders to seek partnership, but as social norms changed dating became more common among young people. Romantic engagements have almost always been a part of society, but they have also been a source of sorrow. Some want to blame dating sites for the actions of human beings, but even with that factor removed people would still exhibit unethical behavior. The chances of finding a stable partner depend on the general intentions of the population, but society has developed more efficient ways of finding a partner whom does want to settle down. While less romantic than meeting in a bookstore or university, people resort to online dating not only for convenience but for accuracy/ efficiency. Necessary
Based on a research of Online Dating & Relationships, Smith and Duggan stated that the ways of finding partners have been changed with the times. In the past, people used matchmaking, arranged marriages and printed personal ads. With the rapid technology advancement, there are alternative methods - online dating sites and smart phone dating apps. To compare with the people who date traditionally, people who date online are active to choose their dream man or woman by browsing the others profiles (9).
In the twenty-first century, we use the internet for almost everything that we do. We use search engines such as Bing or Google to find information. Websites like Netflix and Hulu allow us to watch shows and movies without an expensive cable or satellite subscription. Social networks provide a new way to communicate with friends and family. Entire companies are run through the internet. With gas prices rising every day, it has also become increasingly popular to see a lot of jobs turn to telecommuting. It’s only natural that as other aspects of our lives conform to the internet, that online dating should also begin to be more prevalent in how we form new romantic relationships. Online dating is the new normal, and this is more evident now than ever.
People in society today can find potential sex partners in a heartbeat. In Nancy Jo Sales’ article “Tinder and the Dawn of the ‘Dating Apocalypse,’” she talks about how powerful the Internet and dating applications can be in helping one find potential partners. Jo Sales argues that dating applications and the Internet are not generally used for dating, but they are used for finding instant sex partners that lead to one-night stands. Short-term relationships are increasing due to the Internet and applications and will continue to increase in the future. Scholars have argued that sexual activity has tremendously increased, moving from traditional dating to a new style of dating called hookups. Also, research indicates numerous examples
Dating nowadays has evolved into something similar to a math equation. Technology has changed society and culture so much in the 21st century that something which did not seem normal probably 30 years ago seems mundane now: meeting people via computer. In order to find the most compatible person, suddenly people are not able to find “the one” and need the help of a computer to tell them who their personality matches with, causing many people to not develop proper social skills along with confidence. People have different relationship goals which they wish to achieve, be it through either traditional or online dating. Although traditional and online dating have many similarities, at the same time they are very different when it comes to the
The first part of the online dating, the profile, a summary of one self with positive sentences and adjectives, is where the risk begins. Dating websites requires the website users to start by writing about himself or herself. Individuals usually do not include any negative aspects, which could potentially harm his or her chance in attracting a companion. Instead, individuals put whatever they can to have the best website search as possible. Some of thi...
Wether people find what or whom they are looking for in cyberspace may rely on the individual themselves. With technology advancing every day the internet as a platform for forming relationships is advancing as well. With an ever growing community of online users,
...nships are being adjusted. They cater to the very need that Americans have, something that is not time consuming. The sites use algorithms to match someone with a compatible date. After mates are matched they begin to email or chat. Sometimes dates come out of these conversations and the couple ends up married. But most of the time nothing happens. What technology has done is make users shallow. With Social Media everyone sees the profile and that’s it. The profile is the pre-judgment that others can have on the user.