Online Dating: Love at the Reach of a Click

Melissa Correa

The target Market.
Online dating was once considered as strictly for people with very low social skills. Many persons would feel ashamed if someone discovered that they were dating online because they would be frequently seen as desperate. But this idea has totally changed with the popularity of the internet and the social media networks nowadays. In 2006, a study made by the Pew Internet and American Life Project (PIALP) found that 74% out of 10 million internet users in the United States have used the internet in one way or another to seek a romantic partner (p. 3). Also, one in ten internet users say they have personally gone to dating websites (p.8). Another PIALP survey showed that in 2005 over 10 million single people were using the internet to flirt with someone (40%) and to ask someone out on a date (28%) (as cited in PIALP 2006, p. 8). This obviously shows that online dating services have not only had a great impact in their users, but also have assigned a new meaning to the cultural notions of love and attraction.
Internet users who are actively looking for dates have found a variety of ways to pursue their interests online. There are over 500 dating sites in the U.S., hence the users can really have the opportunity to pick the site with which they feel more comfortable and explore the services offered. According to Quantcast (2009), people who date online are mostly middle aged (between 35 to 49 years old) or between the ages of 18 and 34. More than 50% of them are females, caucasian, and they generally hold a college degree. But why don’t they use the traditional method of dating to find their loved one? Amelia McDonell-Parry (2009), noted that there three main reasons why people prefer online dating. First, because there’s more fish in the pond. She says that the chances of meeting someone amazing online are greater simply because you are casting a wide net, so a whole world of romantic possibilities is just a click away. Second, because online dating allows your to size up your prospective mates before the date, so that you don’t get disappointed with wrong first impressions that make you feel like you are wasting your time. And finally, the benefit of online dating is that you can look for someone who fits your financial lifestyle, so that a great date doesn’t cost you and arm and leg.
Other people say that online dating is more appealing because it stimulates the imagination and is a form of escape from a routine, “online dating gives some people the sense of being accepted or loved even if they don't really see or touch the person they are talking to. Most of the time, kind and loving words is what most people are longing for in a relationship and that is exactly what they get when they go online” (Style 2008 paras. 3,4). For some persons dating online is a form of an escape from a stressful day at work. People can get to know themselves by exploring their inner thoughts and feelings. Additionally, some persons assure that they recur to online dating due to their extremely busy lives; for example, a woman who studies and manages her own business is not likely to have the time to go out frequently to meet new men. But with online dating she can find her match from home or even while she is working.

The Top Websites
In the U.S. the most visited dating services are Match.com and eHarmony. As Alexa (The Web Information Company) emphasizes (2009), Match.com gets roughly 0.2% of global internet users, while eHarmony gets 0.063%. Also, the statistics show that users spend about 707.3 minutes a day on eHarmony, and 796.7 minutes on Match.com. On the other hand, Quantcast estimates that eHarmony receives around 57,000 visitors a month, while 113 million visit Match.com.
As we see, Match.com has far a greater audience than eHarmony, and personally, I think it is due to the differences in their strategic target market, pricing, and the complexity of their websites. In both sites, it is free to post a profile, browse and search for matches, but on eHarmony you have to subscribe to be able to see your matches’ photos, and on Match.com you have to upload a photo so that other people can see your full profile, but still you cannot directly communicate with anyone. Basically, in order to communicate with your matches you need to become a paying subscriber of each site. Once this happens, you can freely email other members, and enjoy of other services the websites offer such as a Premium Personality Profile, which provides a detailed analysis with 15 pages about the member’s personality based on a questionary. The subscription rates in Match.com range from $34.99 for a one month subscription, $19.99 per month for three months, or $16.99 per month for six months. eHarmony is a bit more expensive, offering rates of $59.95 for a month, $119.85 for three months and $179.70 for a six month subscription. This is one of the reasons Match.com gets more subscribers than eHarmony, since it is more affordable.
Another reason for Match.com to be more appealing than eHarmony is the design of their website. I found it very easy to navigate throughout Match.com, it’s design is very modern yet simple, and it was much easier to find helpful, clear, and brief information than it was in eHarmony. For example, Match.com has several links to relationship tips and dating articles, and a section named “Careers,” in which you can look for an open position like PR Coordinator to work at Match. This last website sometimes takes way too many words to describe something, which doesn’t help the site to succeed because nowadays people are always looking for quick-straight-to-the-point information (specially younger people). Both sites require the users to fill out a questionary before becoming a member. The questionary asks you about your lifestyle, appearance, interest, and what you are looking for in a partner. Match.com’s questionary is much simpler and faster, and it frequently lets you describe things in your own words; eHarmony’s one, is more complex, extensive, and asks for more personal details.
Overall, I think eHarmony is designed for people who are looking for a more serious long-term relationship, that means, for people who are ready to settle down. And to me Match.com seems more appropriate for younger people who want to experiment, and who might find their true soul mate, but people that are not exactly looking for a spouse at the moment they subscribe. In a few words, I think Match.com is more effective within the younger target market (18-34 years old), and eHarmony works better among the middle aged group (35-49 years old).


References
Alexa, The Web Information Company. (December 2009) Traffic Stats. Retrieved from http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/match.com and http://www.alexa.com/ siteinfo/eHarmony.com.
eHarmony.com. (2009) Retrieved from http://www.eharmony.com/home
MacDonell-Parry, A. (February 25, 2009). “Four Reasons Why Online Dating is Recession Proof.” For CNN.com/living.
Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/personal/02/25/ tf.online.dating.recession/index.html
Match.com. (2009) Retrieved from http://www.match.com/index.aspx?lid=2&ird=1
Pew Internet and American Life Project. (March 5, 2006). “Online Dating.” p. 3-8 Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2006/Online-Dating.aspx
Quantcast. (2009) Retrieved from http://www.quantcast.com/match.com and
http://www.quantcast.com/e-harmony.com#summary
Style, O. (2008). “Why do people date online? Psychology of online dating.” GoArticles.com. paras. 3,4. Retrieved from http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/
showa.cgi?C=848220