Dating Website - Opinions Welcome!

[champerington]

Hi all,

Just throwing it out there to see what people's opinions are on creating a dating website. I have been on and off one particular website for 3/4 years and there is no doubt its appeal is growing.

Is it potentially a nice little business?

How unique would it have to be to be competitive?

I'd love to hear some opinion on it from those shrewd business heads out there!

 

[businessfunding]

Just like any business, you would need to ask yourself what you are adding and what niche you can fill (and what people will pay for it)

It is a vast and growing market, however it is also very well served with ads from big players from Match.com and Dating Direct through an astonishing array of niches including Russian Brides, Uniform Dating, rich blokes seeking 'company' etc, etc, etc..

There was a piece on it in The Sunday times, yesterday

Doesn't mean that there isn't a niche for you if you can find it..

 

[Moneyman]

Super saturated market. Unless there is a niche you think that is extremely high on a list that nobody has a tick box for.

 

[Victry77]

I've used a couple of sites myself, but from my own personal viewpoint, I think online dating has had it's peak (or maybe I've just had my peak, haha).

 

[thelegalstop]

Dating sites seem to have lost their power since the social networks appeared, so basically if you are thinking of the next "men seek women" website, I think you will need a very strong USP.

 

[Amazin]

Dating sites seem to have lost their power since the social networks appeared

what do you mean by that? Do they offer internal dating services? If not then people would need to message random girls they don't know just like a salesman.

 

[AlexandraS]

That strategy worked for Mel Sykes' fella.

These sites have a lot of bad press eg fake profiles to keep the punters paying.

 

[Alan]

No reason you can't take on Match.Com or Uniformdating etc, all you need is a massive marketing/advertising budget. Sponsor a prime time TV dating show and you'll get traffic. Think big.

 

[stand4]

It's a massive task. I think pof has killed it unless you're very niche or have bundles to throw at it.

 

[JonathanSEO]

Ukbusinessforumsdating.co.uk

Do it.

 

[paul4uk]

In my personal opinion I would suggest opening a dating site locally rather than nationally. I own a local dating site for the area that I live in and its picked up rather well.

I guess the advantage would be the customer would want to find a local partner rather than trawling through people outside their location.