iDate 2014: Why Doesn’t Every Dating Site Use Performance Marketing?

iDate 2014 was fantastic! It was filled with idyllic California weather, professional networking and a glimpse into how exciting 2014-2015 is looking for the dating industry as a whole. There were talks encompassing everything from personality matching, to mobile trends, to engagement strategies given by the top leaders in the dating industry. Interestingly enough, throughout the different break-out sessions and debates a common theme developed: user acquisition.

How do you go about finding your clients a soul-mate, dinner companion or exotic mail-order bride? More importantly, how do you monetize this? In the modern world of Tinder flings, Match.com romances and Groupers, what is the key to making it all happen? I’ll give you a clue… it’s not swiping right.

Focus on users

“Why doesn’t every dating site run an affiliate program?” I suppose I am biased, but seriously, why don’t they? This question opened one of the many discussions on how to acquire users with experts Craig Nilsen of AdXpansion, and Axel Vezina of CrakMedia. According to the experts, performance marketing is an untapped resource by the majority of the dating industry.

• With over 90 million singles in America, 40 million have tried online dating. And, the numbers continue to increase!
• The dating industry is worth $2 billion with over 3,900 businesses; performance marketing programs can help dating sites ensure they’re making the most of this profitable industry!
• The mobile dating segment has grown from 43 million to 300 million since 2009, and is expected to double its revenues within the next five years. It’s crucial for dating site marketers to consider their mobile performance advertising options, and ensure the technology they utilize supports mobile
• The top 10 dating sites, according to DatingWebsites.org, utilize affiliate and performance marketing programs. Further proof that to win in the dating industry you need to utilize an affiliate network to connect with thousands of publishers in your niche.

Those in the business of helping others find love (or at least someone to go see a movie with), have the good fortune of being a part of an evergreen niche. Thanks to the likes of Shakespeare and Nicholas Sparks, the quest to find love will forever be a part of human nature. Performance marketing is not just for the big players like Match.com or POF; it has the potential to catapult a fledgling dating site into that arena. When you are looking for lead generation, investing in an affiliate program is a no-brainer. You want to pay out based on sign-ups? No problem. You want to target traffic based on location? You got it. You need a central location to manage and track your performance marketing program? We have the solution.

I’m not going to bore you with the HasOffers elevator pitch or sell you on how amazing our tracking technology is, mostly because I think that just goes without saying. BUT, I will tell you that performance marketing is good for business and key to attracting the all elusive user. Not just any user, but the user you want. If you are running a dating site, or any site for that matter, and you do not have an affiliate program now is not the time to settle. It’s time to see what else is out there.

For more information on the HasOffers platform, contact [email protected].