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Online Dating and Advertising Prove To Be A Good Match

February 11, 2009

With Valentine’s Day this weekend, many curious and lovelorn singles are turning to online dating sites to find that special someone. And if advertising by those sites is any indication, this may be a real golden age for online hook-ups.

An analysis of ad expenditures by online dating sites shows significant year-to-year increase since 2003. In 2007, when the most recent full-year data is available, advertising for these sites topped out at almost $193 million. And with data complete through the first three quarters of 2008, last year’s online dating ad spends are on pace to exceed that figure.

The bulk of online dating ad spends are found on Cable TV. In 2007, $117 million – or 61% of all ad buys – were spent on cable. Network TV ran a distant second with a total $24.8 million in ad expenditures. Internet ad spending was not included in Nielsen’s analysis, since internet ad spends do not factor search/sponsored links, which are likely a significant part of a dating site’s campaign strategy.

The top advertiser among online dating sites is eHarmony. Through the first three quarters of 2008, the site spent $93.3 million, almost twice as much on advertising as Match.com, who placed second on the list ($47.6 million). Match’s sister brand – Chemistry.com – placed third with $28.3 million in ad expenditures.

Other dating sites specializing in one particular niche or another showed significant increases in ad spend in the first nine months of 2008. BlackSingles.com, which matches African-American singles, nearly doubled its ad spend. And the Ashley Madison Agency, which encourages married men and woman to enter into extramarital affairs, spent four times as much ($243,000) on advertising through September 2008 compared to the same time period last year.

Rank Site Jan 07 to Sep 07 Jan 08 to Sep 08
1 E HARMONY WEBSITE-DATING SVCS EHARMONY.COM 79,019.631 93,255.171
2 MATCH.COM WEBSITE-DATING SVCS 51,170.580 47,607.049
3 CHEMISTRY WEBSITE-DATING SVCS CHEMISTRY.COM 12,125.655 28,282.073
4 CUPID.COM WEBSITE-DATING SVCS 1,067.142 847.231
5 NOCHEATERSDATE WEBSITE-DATING SVCS NOCHEATERSDATE.COM 0.000 822.042
6 BLACKSINGLES.COM WEBSITE-DATING SVCS 272.964 510.251
7 ADULTFRIENDFINDER.COM WEBSITE-DATING SVC 0.000 243.553
8 ASHLEY MADISON AGCY WEBSITE-DATING SVC ASHLEYMADISON.COM 59.977 243.420
9 CIAOROSSANO.COM WEBSITE-DATING SVCS 0.000 212.750
10 CHRISTIANMINGLE.COM WEBSITE-DATING SVCS 0.000 201.213
Source: The Nielsen Company (2009)
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  • Donna

    If the companies would lower the prices and make it more affordable they would not have to advertise. Honesty and intergrity needs to be included with these companies. They also need to keep people safe.

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  • http://www.africadarlings.com/ african lady

    Yeah, it’s popularity is increasing every now and then. Maybe next time they won’t spend too much money for ads…

  • eHARMONYSLOWDEMISE

    Yes, I agree, with the surge in Popularity of Social Networking sites, it’s only a matter of time for the gradual decline of Sites like E-Harmony, etc.

    E-Harmony has “tried” to offer “Protection” (ie RealID).

    However, asking an Internet Site to “Protect you” or “Safety” is just as LUDICROUS as saying the Home Owners Association in your Neighborhood is “Supposed” to protect you from Home Burglaries.

    JUST PLAIN NUTS! (What about a little bit of Individual Responsibility?!?!?). God forbid you get raped by a Guy you meet off E-Harmony, how is that E-Harmony’s fault?!?!?!

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    I GUARANTEE YOU your Local Bar, there are more Rapes, D.U.I’s, etc. attributed to it, than ANY Online Website. (especially comparing %’s).

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  • http://www.loveservices.co.uk Ben

    Seven months on has the situation changed? In the UK it’s still increasing but I hear that in the USA it’s levelled out.

  • http://www.bluecollardates.com James B.

    I think that niche market is the way to go but I don’t think offline media advertising is profitable for such sites.

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