Dating Services

It seems Australians have gotten over the stigma that used to come with online dating. The majority of singles (51%) said they have either tried online dating or are willing to give it a shot. It seems more and more are looking outside their own networks of friends, colleagues and family to pursue a romantic relationship.

So if you're a resident, you might be wondering: who would I be meeting through an online dating site?

Two of the country's most popular online dating sites, eHarmony and RSVP, have pulled research from their membership to reveal the typical Australian online dater. So in case you were wondering, now's your chance to find out before you sign up.

According to eHarmony, which has a user base of about two million in the country, the average Australian online dater has never been married, is in her (or his) early to mid-thirties and works as a teacher. The next most popular professions for females are nursing and retail, and for men - truck driving. It makes sense that singles in such isolated professions, some with shifting schedules, would look for love online.

"Plenty of research exists showing that many people meet their partner at work," eHarmony spokeswoman Sarah Mason told the Sydney Morning Herald. "However, a large number work in an environment which is not conducive to developing meaningful romantic relationships. Others may be too time-poor, or just shirk at the thought of making small talk in a noisy bar after a long day at work."

The research from dating site RSVP differed a bit from eHarmony, however. According to them, the most popular age group is between 25-34, followed by 35-44 year-olds. For these members, the most popular occupation is in healthcare, followed by education and science.

Not surprisingly, most of the women on RSVP want men who are a few inches taller. Both sexes prefer people with green eyes. Also, vegetarians have a 37% higher success rate with other vegetarians on the site.

RSVP has about two million members as well.

While this research paints a picture of the typical online dater in Australia, especially in terms of professions they hold, it doesn't reference all of the diversity found online. Let's face it: people have all different backgrounds, preferences, and reasons for joining a dating site. Variety of choice is more important to online dating than knowing the "types" of people you might see online when you join. People connect based on chemistry, not on profession, height preference, or even the type of food you enjoy. So date with an open mind.

Why is everyone suddenly upset about OkCupid's A-List membership? Anyone with the ability to read - which I assume is the vast majority of the OkCupid userbase - should have known long ago about the little quirk that's been getting everyone's goat this week.

Let me back up a little bit. OkCupid's best functionality, like pretty much every other dating site, is saved for its paying members. Members of OkCupid's A-List receive perks like the ability to browse profiles invisibly, proof that their messages have been opened, and special match search options. It's that last one that's got everybody up in arms all of a sudden.

James Cook of KernelMag.com recently wrote that, by paying the $4.95 monthly fee for A-List membership, you can "make all those fat, ugly people on the internet go away" and called OkCupid's premium search options "eyebrow-raising in an era of tolerance and political correctness."

Whew. Those are some seriously inflammatory, designed-to-cause-outrage-and-garner-clicks statements! But are they true?

Well, yeah, technically they are. A-List members can filter their search results based on body type, so yes - a user could filter out anyone who describes themselves as "overweight," "a little extra," "curvy," "full figured," or "used up." They can also filter their search results based on members' crowdsourced ratings so they are only shown profiles that receive 5/5 stars.

But I think it's shortsighted to focus only on that. Every other body type is also represented, so an A-List member could filter out anyone who describes themselves as "thin" or "skinny" just as easily (not everyone is into that, remember?). Or maybe you're not a fan of the bodybuilder, hyper-muscled physique. No problem - just filter out anyone who calls themselves "jacked."

The thing is, every single one of us is doing this in real life anyway, aren't we? Of course it's shallow - no one is denying that - but it's reality. We make snap judgments about potential dates based on what we are and aren't attracted to all the time. Would life be better if we didn't? Absolutely! But it's not happening any time soon, and I think it's unfair to fault people for having preferences as long as they aren't being narrow-minded jerks about it.

And if they are being narrow-minded jerks about it...well...there's another way to look at this A-List search "scandal." If you hate the idea of people being able to filter you out by your body type, think of it this way: they're simultaneously filtering themselves out of your life. They get what they want and you get fewer shallow jerks in your life...it's a win for everyone.

Every day online dating sites get just a little bit smarter. With every piece of info typed into a profile or search bar, dating platforms collect a new piece of data about how singles look for a partner and what they want in their relationships.

It gets more sophisticated all the time (facial recognition software, anyone?), which has to make you at least wonder if one day the Internet will be better at finding love for us than we are at finding it for ourselves. There's the plot to a Hollywood thriller in there somewhere...

But I digress. To discover how some of the biggest dating sites in the world are matching members, Mashable spoke with the talented men and women behind some of the most high-tech algorithms out there. If you've ever wondered how your personal data is used to find the love of your life, wonder no more.

MATCH

As the largest dating site in the world, Match.com has unprecedented access to dating data. Members fill out anywhere from 15 to 100 questions, as well as free-response essays, and are assigned points based on each parameter in the system. Those with similar point scores have a higher chance of being compatible.

Match also looks into what members say they want in a partner vs. who they actually pursue on the site. By carefully observing members' behavior, Match gets a more accurate picture of what they're really looking for. Match constantly updates and refines its algorithm to make it as effective as possible.

HowAboutWe

HowAboutWe takes a different approach to online dating by encouraging members to get offline and on actual dates.

"Our deepest insight is that it's difficult to predict chemistry online," said Aaron Schildkrout, HowAboutWe co-founder and co-CEO. "That's why our ultimate focus is on actual dates. Get offline - that's where the chemistry happens."

Like Match, HowAboutWe relies on analyzing user behavior to make recommendations. Self-reported data, like political affiliation, is much less important on the site.

COFFEE MEETS BAGEL

Coffee Meets Bagel is at the forefront of the social dating revolution. CMB matches users through a mix of behavior on the site and personal info culled from Facebook.

"People talk a lot about big data these days, but the biggest area of opportunity is incorporating social elements into that through user inputs such as friend recommendations," said Coffee Meets Bagel CEO Arum Kang.

"Ultimately," she added, "we believe, like Facebook does, that our members do a better job than algorithms at regulating human interactions."

Perhaps the rise of free Internet porn has come at a cost to some large companies. FriendFinder Networks Inc. (FFNTQ), publisher of Penthouse Magazine and a number of adult entertainment websites, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

FriendFinder said that it has struck a deal with debt holders to reduce its debt by $300 million if accepted by the U.S. Bankruptcy court in Delaware. One note holder will get ownership of the sex entertainment business if the plan goes through.

The company built its network by buying and starting up social media, dating, and sex sites such as adultfriendfinder.com (for casual relationships), Amigos.com for Latin dating, and BigChurch.com (aimed at those more spiritual). Together the FriendFinder network includes 8,000 websites with 220 million members and 750,000 subscribers. But they haven't turned a profit since 2008.

FriendFinder Networks was originally formed in 2003 when founders Marc Bell and Daniel Staton purchased the publisher of Penthouse from bankruptcy. A year later they'd planned to launch an initial public offering with $460 million, but when the IPO was completed in 2011, they'd only managed to raise $46 million.

The company had also tried to purchase Playboy Enterprises in 2010, but the deal fell through.

The founders primarily blame the financial problems on the $400 million acquisition of Various, a network of dating sites that didn't generate the revenue expected, and the fact that credit card companies wouldn't process payments from sex website members. Others are looking at the bigger picture of the industry itself.

The question that perhaps the company's founders hadn't planned on was: who needs to pay a monthly fee to look for sex and porn when the Internet (and mobile apps) are rife with free options?

The question of the growing popularity of the mobile platform is one to consider as well. Dating app Tinder has exploded, and FriendFinder was rapidly trying to move its business into the mobile space since roughly 80% of its traffic was migrating from the desktop.

And what about Penthouse? Its flagship business has expanded into European broadcasting, a video business and does licensing deals as well, but surprisingly, the print edition of the magazine is still available even though it's struggling.

FriendFinder isn't the only casualty in the wake of free Internet porn. Earlier this year, LodgeNet Interactive, which provided adult films and video games to hotel guests, filed for bankruptcy, partly due to Internet competition.

The yearly German festival of drinking and debauchery known as Oktoberfest arrived last month again. For most revelers, that means giant pretzels, women in dirndls, liter-sized mugs of beer, and nights they will never remember. For Zoosk, that means an opportunity for another study.

Zoosk surveyed more than 2,800 single beer drinkers in hopes of discovering what their beer choices say about their dating preferences and personalities. As it turns out, the types of beer you and your date prefer might actually offer clues about your compatibility:

• If you're looking to settle down soon, hope your date orders a domestic beer. Domestic beer drinkers are most likely to be looking for marriage (20%). They are also more likely to be traditional when it comes to dating, so expect them to go the dinner-and-a-movie route and don't overwhelm them with public displays of affection.
• If you're not ready to settle down, look for a date who is into microbrews. 31% of men who opt for microbrews say they're in the market for fun, but nothing long-term. Unsurprisingly, then, microbrew drinkers are the most likely to have had a one night stand (74%) and to want physical intimacy every day (54%). They're also the most likely to prefer an outdoor adventure for a first date.
• If stability is what you're looking for, find an ultra-light beer drinker. Singles who count their calories prefer romantic evenings spent sharing their hopes, dreams, and goals for the future. They have the highest percentage of long-term relationships on average, at 75%. They are also the most likely to refer to themselves as homebodies (37%).
• If you'd like an introvert in your life, choose an import drinker. They're the least likely to have a one night stand and the most likely, on average, to be a virgin (4%). Reserved import drinkers prefer dogs to cats where pets are concerned and say they often spend time daydreaming about their next vacation.
• If you need a family-friendly date, a light beer drinker is the one for you. 92% of light beer fans say they're open to dating someone with kids, and 64% say they like to spend their free time with family and friends. Light beer drinkers are second only to ultra-light drinkers when it comes to success in lasting relationships.

I guess your brew of choice says a whole lot more about you than just your taste in beer. No word on what happens if your date orders wine instead...

For a certain generation, MTV's Cribs - in which celebrities give on-camera tours of their over-the-top homes - will always be a legendary TV show.

TechCrunch's take on Cribs might not have the same legendary status as MTV's version of the show (and you'll probably never see Mariah Carey make an appearance on it), but it's still interesting to see the inner workings of some of the tech industry's hottest companies. The latest episode of the series took a peek inside the office of eHarmony, one of online dating's biggest pioneers.

TechCrunch's Colleen Taylor met with Arvind Mishra, VP of Product at eHarmony, for a tour of the site's offices in Santa Monica. The first thing you notice about the interior of eHarmony HQ is that love is in the air (and everywhere else). eHarmony definitely doesn't skimp on the romantic decorations - there are hearts everywhere, signs that say "LOVE" in curling script, and pictures of happy couples lining almost every wall.

Upon entering the lobby, visitors and employees are faced with larger-than-life letters that spell out the name of the company. Mishra calls the massive sign "an homage to our larger-than-life mission: we're trying to lower the divorce rate." Big letters = big mission, he explains, as Taylor looks hilariously incredulous.

In addition to the constant reminders of the company's mission, the eHarmony offices are also home to many trophies. The office likes to hold challenges - like a pinewood derby race and a contest to display photos sent in by happy couples - to encourage bonding amongst the staff.

As Taylor and Mishra continue their tour, they pass an extremely yellow kitchen, the pet (stuffed) giraffe that makes its home amongst the social team, and a collection of bikes that employees can check out in order to take their lunch break at the beach 20 miles away.

eHarmony does its best to encourage creativity, individuality, and a sense of fun amongst its employees. Various colorful pieces of flair can be found on all the staff's desks. A beanbag-filled room named Malibu - so called after the site's recent redesign - was built to be a creative space. A game room features pool, foosball, and guitars on the wall. And a Donkey Kong machine with 200 games can be found in the main lunch room.

The heart of eHarmony, other than all the actual hearts that fill the building, seems to be the kitchen. Once every week, the entire company gathers to have lunch together (Hey there, Neil Clark Warren, sneakily making an appearance in the video while having lunch with your employees!). That sense of community is what really makes eHarmony special. "When you're this small," Mishra explains, "you want to make sure that everybody knows and likes everybody else."