Top Online Dating Sites: Singlesnet takes the lead
Written by Max Freiert (contact - e-mail) -- January 3rd, 2008 | Recommend ThisOnline personal sites are a lot like social networks; the most critical factor for a site’s success is people. More specifically, the volume and activity level of members needs to be high enough for users to make connections, and for visitors to be enticed to join. But despite the online personals market becoming increasingly crowded with newcomers, the top dogs of the industry seem to be as strong as ever.
The chart below compares total site traffic to total active members for the top US online personal sites. By comparing these two numbers, its possible to see how factors such as acquisition efforts, site design, and audience impact site usage.
- Mate1.com and True.com both do a terrific job of driving visitors to their sites, but this traffic simply doesn’t convert. Members represent 13% and 24% of total visitors (respectively).
- HotorNot.com members also make up a small share (21%) of total visitors, but this results from the fact that visitors can rate members (the main draw of the site) without being a member themselves.
- Plentyoffish.com, a service built on ad revenue is a great success for all involved. More visitors become members because the service is completely free, and the site generates an a great deal more money because members consume considerably more pages.
- Niche dating site BlackPeopleMeet.com also sees a large number of members as a share of total visitors (71%) due to a very targeted audience.
The next step in the love equation is member usage, and if repeat visitation is any indicator, consumers find a great deal of value in free (or at least open) services. The chart above shows overall member involvement (measured as the total number of times a member accessed each site). Since this metric is a function of both total members and member activity, it paints a more accurate picture of each site’s base.
- SinglesNet.com, ranked 4th in terms of UVs, ranks first in total member visits at over 27 million in December. A fairly open platform and free trial membership helps encourage registrations and an average of 10.7 monthly visits per member.
- PlentyofFish.com, despite having around 1/5 as many visitors, nearly ties Yahoo Personals in terms of total visits. The entirely free service encourages users to communicate, and drives Plentyoffish members to visit the site an average of 14 times a month.
- While the represent major dating services in terms of total visitors, both True.com and Mate1.com look like they compete more with Niche site BlackPeopleMeet when compared on the basis of member visits. Aggressive acquisition and sales tactics (such as requiring a subscription for any type of user-to-user communication) are prime factors in their equally low repeat visitation (around 5 times per month per user)
With social networking providing much the same service as a dating site, its interesting that pure online personals sites continue to grow. But then again, “looking for anything I can get” doesn’t really mean anything on Facebook, but it will probably get you a full inbox on Mate1.
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January 5th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Seems to me like online dating sites keep coming and going, much the same as social networking darlings of the year. Every year, there seems to be some new hot site that attracts a lot of people. Traffic then seems to just sort of die down slowly. The success of online dating and social networking sites should be measured keeping in mind the length of their existence.
January 7th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Your feature about online dating sites was really informative, wish I had seen it sooner!
I’d like to add some info about an online site not included in your story as a service to your readers: HurryDate.com. It operates a speed dating service, and I signed up for one of its events on Nov 1. The event was cancelled, and I have yet to receive a refund or anything more than an automated email response saying the company would respond soon.
I have since checked out HurryDate with the Better Business Bureau, and discovered that–surprise, surprise–there were numerous complaints against this company. Buyer Beware.
January 8th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
There are so many dating sites out on the web. I did some research when initially building http://www.datingsitedirect.com and found that for every quality site, there are 10 others that are junk. Many sites are just affiliate doorways to other sites. And then some are just riddled with advertising to the point where it’s almost unreadable.
January 12th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
I agree with the comment by CC, it is very difficult to find a decent site, because it seems sometimes you can’t see the wood for the trees. So many sites these days are claiming to have millions of members. Then when you join, you find it’s more like a couple of hundred with loads of blank and empty profiles. This article is interesting. The bigger sites seem to go from strength to strength, while it seems like a lot of the little ones are struggling to get a core membership unless they happen to be in some kind of niche market, such a black, or ethnic match sites. I’ve had very good personal experiences with Singlesnet.com, and it’s so plain and simple to use.
January 13th, 2008 at 4:32 am
Hi!
It s not necessarily a dating site, more of a social genealogical website which aims to connect the whole world by encouraging people to build their family trees.
On http://www.jworld.famillion you can also share pictures and stories and check if there are relatives out there that you didn t know about!
It s great - I found that I had family in Argentina and this summer I am planning to travel there…
regards,
Deborah
January 13th, 2008 at 5:01 am
yo debbs…
i think i heard thats site too… it’s like finding connections through family or somehting, though i think you mighta got the name wrong… its famillion.com
cheers,
M.J.A.
January 31st, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Does the “Active Members” represent paying users or just users who have signed up for the free access?
Also, I assume that the second graph of member visits represents the repeat visits of the members, since these numbers are higher than the unique visitor counts in the first graph, yes? Thanks
February 2nd, 2008 at 8:18 am
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February 9th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Hey, check out my new dating site at http://www.amorliber.com. Over 2000 new members in January 2008 alone!
February 13th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Singlesnet is misleading to say the least. The very first day I signed up I recived several e-mails, all stating that someone was interested in me. WOW! I’m popular on this sight! Hello!?? Turns out anyone who views your profile ends up in your mail as being interested in you. Next to their photo is an icon ( an eye ). Wait! Today I get the same e-mail, “Someone is intrested in you.” , but now there’s a ( heart ) icon next to the photo. Okay, now we’re talking. Click on that… says: “You are a ONE TO ONE MATCH”. Awesome! What the hell does that mean? Who decided it? Where is it explained? What’s the next step? Is there a next step? Or do we just have the same birthday or something. It’s not explained antwhere, what the icons mean or what your next step should be. I’m sure they have plenty of meaning to the people who’ve created the sight, just not to me.
In other words you’re limited to what you can know and what you can do on this sight. Sure there’s a lot of people on it but it was not well planned out.
February 27th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
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April 3rd, 2008 at 8:22 am
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April 5th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Well I’ve been a member of singlesnet for quite a while and I must say….some of you are idiots. Yes! singlesnet attracts scammers to the site AS DOES ANY WEBSITE WITH A DATABASE OF USERS MORE THAT 2!!!!! There is no place you will ever find that is scam or spam free (jeeze just look at this blog right here
“# Alexander
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I also noticed the post regarding notifications (dave) they aren’t too hard to figure out. The interest notification says “your profile has caught xxxx’s eye and may be interested in you”. If you look at the options and abilities that you have do you see anything that would allow you to send something close to that? NO, so where do you come up with the bright idea that other people magically have this ability? Maybe the creators of singlesnet expected people to be able to use some common sense, maybe that is too much to ask.
April 10th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Anyone who helps themself to your checking account, after numerous attemps to contact the date site, ARE scammers, where is the common sense in that, less-on. Moron is much to positive.
April 16th, 2008 at 6:02 am
You can find best dating services here :- http://www.sweetsingles.com/ but are you go for dating don’t forget it…..
Be honest. Like what is always advised to many others who engaged in Online Dating, it is always best to be honest with
everything you put into to your profile. From the photo you upload to the details on your profile, if you are serious in
finding romance, Be Honest.
2.Be careful with whom you give out your personal details to. There are a lot of internet creeps so make sure you know the
person well before you jump into conclusion of giving out your numbers and addresses. You don’t to be a victim, do you?
3.Always remember that nobody’s perfect. The person you are chatting at the other end may sound so perfect for you but don’t
expect too much from that person. No one was made perfect so if your potential online boyfriend lacks something you want,
don’t despair. You yourself aren’t perfect.
April 16th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
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I love this website and refer you guys to use these.
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April 25th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
They all have one problem: The high fees. But I found a new site, freehappydating.com with free membership and member contact for free.
May 4th, 2008 at 11:56 am
Singlesnet is showing greater activity as it is open to a volume of spam and “girls” marketing web cam opportuntiies…unlike the other sites mentioned. It is garbage. The above article is obviously written to make it look more real to those that don’t do your homework…but a short visit here will prove what nonsense it is
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/singlesnetcom-c7927.html
May 10th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
I really like UofSingles.com …it’s geared towards college students. Kind of the the next step after Facebook
May 15th, 2008 at 1:42 am
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May 19th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
If you want a decent, FREE dating site, go to http://www.okcupid.com. No, I don’t work for them, but of all the dating sites I’ve seen, it is the most interesting and as I said, it’s free!
June 8th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Yes I agree with everyone, Singlesnet is full of Bull. You can send flirts, but they are very limited, they say you can receive and read emails, thats a bunch of crap. You can receive them for free, but you can’t read them. They say you can create your own profile for free, yes but you can’t post it.
I’m totally tired of people coming up with scams to take advantage of the general public. They know that once we believe that someone has taken an interest in us, that we will go to certain lengths to do whatever they want. Psychologically they keep trying to get us by the balls, and after reading the afore comments, I’m not giving them one dime!!!
June 28th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Hey guys, looking for a decent site? I was searching myself and recently joined LiveDateLove.com - it’s competely free. If you want, check it out for yourself.
August 4th, 2008 at 10:52 am
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