Internetnews.com has an interesting article asking, “Are social networks hurting pay dating sites like Match.com?”
I think the answer is yes. Social networks like MySpace and Facebook offer the same functionality as Match.com plus they're free, have ton more members and are far trendier.
Detractors point out that people go to dating sites to get a date and there’s only a chance of meeting someone on social sites. This quote is great:
That's how it worked for Gary Brown, a 41-year-old technical manager for a Chicago ad agency who met his girlfriend on Nerve.com, a site known for attracting artistic, creative professionals. "If you're looking to meet someone, you're going to go to a dating site, not a social site where there's simply a chance of meeting someone," he told internetnews.com.
I would encourage Gary’s girlfriend to lock him down right now because he’s never stuck out on Match.com. Never. Every woman he’s emailed there has paid for the opportunity to email him back and then subsequently met him at a safe, neutral location like Starbucks.
Personally, I think you have a better chance of meeting someone on a social site than a dating site where meeting someone “is expected”. Think of real life. Isn’t easier to meet a friend of a friend at a party than on a blind date?
This traffic report compares Match.com, MySpace and Facebook. It certainly looks like people are ditching Match in favor of their favorite social network.
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