Contributed by: ElyseRomano on Tuesday, July 28 2015 @ 07:36 am
Last modified on
Spark Networks operates two of the best-known niche dating sites in the biz – JDate and ChristianMingle – but lately both brands have taken a hit. JDate's userbase has slowly been declining, while ChristianMingle saw an abrupt drop following a cut in advertising spending.
Now Spark Networks is making plans to implement a broad turnaround strategy. The strategy is divided into two action items: upgrade technology for both websites and redeploy advertising funds for ChristianMingle in a more intelligent manner.
To fully understand the need for a technological upgrade, you first have to appreciate how far Spark Networks has come. Its sites have used the same basic technology and design for the last seven years, a feat practically unheard of in the Internet Age. An update is long overdue.
Mobile versions of the sites are either already available or will be launched soon, and a revamping of site architecture is in progress. The latter project means making future adjustments to keep up with the changing times will be a much simpler matter.
Where marketing is concerned, JDate has little to worry about. The site is so well known that it spreads primarily by word of mouth, and about 90% of its revenue remains after accounting for direct expenses. ChristianMingle, on the other hand, has struggled to achieve the same notoriety despite having more overall users.
The new marketing strategy for ChristianMingle has multiple components. First, the site will focus on select urban centers rather than large nationwide campaigns. The company plans to partner with mega churches and Christian organizations to deepen their ties within communities.
Second, Spark will make changes to its internal emailing efforts. Email blasts sent to all users will be nixed in favor of highly targeted messages sent to the right consumer, at the right time.
Finally, Spark is looking to attract new users who don't consider faith the most important thing in their lives. The company plans to bring more humor into its advertising in hopes of appealing to an audience who doesn't consider Christianity to be as central to who they are. Unlocking this larger portion of the market should give Spark a dramatically larger pool of potential subscribers to draw from.
Plans farther down the line involve expanding revenue opportunities by providing products throughout the life-cycle of a relationship and beginning a fremium website aimed at younger users. Both could be serious boons to ChristianMingle's turnaround strategy, but for now they're on hold until Spark Networks executes its current goals.