Performance marketing finds ‘love at first sight’ in the online dating industry
Online dating has become a worldwide mainstream activity throughout the past decade. In 2011, the online dating industry was worth $4 billion in annual revenue globally, with $1.049 billion being attributed to the US. This is coupled with an estimated 1,500 different dating sites available within the US market.
Global performance marketing network, Affiliate Window works with several brands within the online dating arena in both the US and UK markets, who have leveraged the significant opportunities available via the performance channel to increase brand awareness, acquire and retain new users, and to drive relevant traffic to their sites.
eHarmony.com, the internet’s number one trusted relationship service provider with more than 40 million global members, has partnered with Affiliate Window since August 2008. The program has seen a steady increase in the number of publishers joining the program with 150 new partners since the start of the year, and an average conversion rate of nearly 2%. This is a testament to the continued success of the performance channel and exceptional growth of online dating.
Bryn Snelson - Marketing Director for eHarmony UK says: “We’ve been committed to building a great affiliate program over the last three years. It’s always proven a great way for us to acquire customers and generate revenue and we plan for it to be an even bigger part of our success in the future.”
Another successful UK program is match.com, the UK's most well-known dating site responsible for more marriages in the UK than any other online dating site.* match.com launched its UK affiliate program with Affiliate Window in 2010 and currently has 132 active publishers promoting the program on a subscription based model.
According to a survey in the NY Times, 55% percent of respondents who use online dating said religion was ‘very important’ when choosing a life partner. BigChurch.com is a niche dating site tailored specifically to the Christian singles community. The site operates an exclusive affiliate program with Affiliate Window in the US. Unlike traditional dating sites, traffic to BigChurch is highly targeted due to its specific demographic. This form of pre-qualification leads to a high sign-up rate and higher site loyalty once visitors have joined.
Seniors, or adults over 55 years of age represent the fastest growing demographic of the online dating population. With people living longer and more productive lives, dating and meaningful relationships are a cornerstone for those over 50. As a result, seniors are increasingly turning to online dating sites to find love and companionship. SeniorFriendFinder.com works with Affiliate Window in the US and the program operates with three different commission options for publishers providing the best fit for each individual partner.
The performance channel clearly provides a cost-effective and results-driven means of digital marketing for online dating advertisers with new, relevant publishers joining the space each day.
For more information, visit affiliatewindow.com.