The Top 3 Dating Sites
Nobody likes to be single. Every human being craves a certain amount of attention and affection and we all go through life believing that there is somebody “special” out there for us. Some of us find that special person rather easily, whilst many of us do not. For those who lead a very full life through work and other commitments, getting the time to venture out and actually meet people in person can be a challenging proposition. For those of us who are actively searching, we have come to your rescue and have analyzed the top dating sites on the web. For all you lonely young entrepreneurs out there, here are our top three picks:
1. Plenty Of Fish
Far from the most glamorous of websites, and way behind when it comes to mainstream marketing spend, Plenty Of Fish is nonetheless our top pick. The site attracts an enormous number of monthly visitors, yet is still ably managed by its founder, Markus Friend, to this day. The service is offered free to all visitors, who receive a feature-rich platform. There are numerous forums, comprehensive questionnaires and the site is much less formal than some of the other top competitors. Markus seems to have hit on the right mix of presentation and promotion. For example, a popular feature is the “who loves me” feature, where you can check out who has checked you out.
2. OK Cupid
This site is a great mix of social networking, online dating and compatibility testing. Once again, the site is not as pretty as some, but is presented as a free service. Part of the attraction of this site is that it allows you to create your own compatibility matching questions, which we believe to be a unique feature. This makes you feel as if you really are narrowing your choices down to somebody who truly matches you. You may make contact, however, with anyone on the site, not just your “matches”.
3. E Harmony
E Harmony is probably the most avidly promoted, with regular advertising slots on network and cable TV. As opposed to the above mentioned sites, E Harmony’s compatibility matching methods are somewhat rigid, although the results are generally good. They have 29 different, predetermined selection categories, but their compatibility process does take time. Some criticize this aspect of their mix, and as the site is fee-based, your investment can take a little time to pay off. In addition, they only allow you to get in contact with those whom you have “matched” through their process.
So what do you think about our Top 3 Dating Websites? Have you had any experience with these sites, or others? We want to hear your thoughts about our choices. Who would be on your Top 3 Dating Website lists and why?
Adam Toren
The Main Characteristics Of A Profitable Website
June 29, 2009 by Justin
When it comes to achieving success it seems that most people struggle and fail. This seems to be especially true when it comes to Internet business, but it does not not have to be this way. Successful Internet entrepreneurs understand what it takes to establish a profitable website and to achieve a considerable income from their online endeavors.
Whilst many people might say that in order to build a profitable website you must focus on design, must make your site search-engine friendly and must ensure that it is full of great content, there are other traits that you should also focus on when you are starting out.
Firstly, and this is where a large number of prospects fail, you must take action! Many, many people fall prey to “analysis paralysis” – quite simply, they just get stuck. There is an overwhelming amount of information out there and an unending line of “experts” who are ready to give you the latest and the best advice. Don’t be tempted to think that you must have all your “ducks in a row” before you get started. It is important to take action and establish your site. Publish, and you will have taken the first step towards greatness!
Secondly, be wary of those experts. You will hear a ton of conflicting information and you might be tempted to venture off into a variety of different niches. Remain focused at all times. Do one thing and do it well. If you try and diversify too much you will compromise your time and your efforts. There are a variety of ways to promote your website, but don’t think for a moment that you have to be a master of all these techniques. Just focus on one strategy and do it really well.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but do try and learn from those who have gone before you. Research the work and websites of others who have clearly been successful in your niche and learn from their mistakes. Take advantage of those who have “blazed a trail” before you.
In short, begin your journey today, learn from those who have become successful in your niche and don’t be sidetracked by others who promise riches through an alternative approach. Once you have begun your journey, understand that you must be flexible and willing to innovate. The Internet continues to evolve and if you make sure that you are ahead of the learning curve you will remain ahead of the competition. Be focused and you will establish a profitable website.
How did you make your website profitable?
Adam Toren
The Top 3 Education/Book Sites
As the popularity of social media expands in the online community, it is little wonder that a variety of second-generation social bookmarking sites have materialized, dealing with a wide variety of categories. In the category of education and books, there are dozens of social bookmarking sites and we have determined the top three within this hierarchy. These sites serve as the perfect gathering place for millions of avid readers, creating a potentially attractive advertising arena for publishers; however, commercialization appears to be in its infancy.
When we were creating this list, we took into account a lot of information, including current levels of membership, visitor traffic, user-friendly accessibility, member features and innovation. So, the Blogtrepreneur Top 3 favorites - drumroll please…
1. LibraryThing
According to our research, LibraryThing has the highest number of unique monthly users and site visitors, and has some 650,000 registered members (according to Zeitgeist overview, January, 2009). This places LibraryThing well ahead of its rivals. We particularly like its interface and usability, though. LT allows you to keep a convenient catalog of book collections and browse others. They give book recommendations and hook you up with other book lovers. For true accessibility they allow you to access your catalog from places like your mobile phone. Further, their format allows you to catalog and categorize your collection simply and very easily.
2. Goodreads
Like LT, Goodreads allows you to catalog your entire collection within your profile. Their database is pretty comprehensive. The application is clean—but a little bare. Goodreads does offer you flexibility, though as you can arrange your books in a variety of ways – author, title, rating, etc. LibraryThing allows you to show which users are borrowing and who’s next in line to borrow each book. This feature is great for those who have large collections, and can allow you to keep track of your loaners; Goodreads should adopt something like this. This site does appear to focus more on ratings than actual formatting and cataloging. In their favor, however, they do have a nifty little widget, which allows you to incorporate your reading habits, according to your Goodreads profile, on a compatible social network or blog.
3. Shelfari
Shelfari’s design is very clean and appealing, They make it very easy to add books to your shelf, you can categorize and tag your books and friends and set up different groups. We think that the orientation of this site is maybe a little too laid-back for those who are seriously looking for a tool to organize their personal collection. Shelfari is arguably the more commercialized out of our top three, as it has enjoyed a considerable infusion from Amazon. They do have just a few too many “cutesy” effects and pop-ups for our liking, but this site is still one of the leaders in the growing field of more than 30 similar sites.
So do you agree? What would your top 3 education and book sites be? We want to hear your thoughts.
Matthew Toren
Save Your Marketing Pennies - Five FREE Online Promotional Resources
June 18, 2009 by Justin
The following five FREE online promotional resources fall under the category of public relations. Companies automatically assume they need to dole out thousands of dollars to promote products and services, but that’s not the case anymore when it comes to online marketing. In these tough economic times, you can save marketing pennies by tapping into these user-friendly, online promotional resources.
Press Release Distribution Services
Utilize FREE online public relations distribution services to blast out company press releases. Because you submit your company’s press release to these services, you aren’t necessarily guaranteed publicity. However, you have a good shot if you write newsworthy press releases that catch the media’s attention. The services listed below distribute press releases to both national and local media outlets.
http://www.free-press-release.com
http://www.24-7pressrelease.com
Online Event Listings
If your company or business is planning a promotional event (such as open houses, trade shows or golf tournaments), there are many online promotional resources that don’t require a cost. Research local newspapers and magazines for free online calendar listings. The following sites are effective online promotional resources.
Blog Platforms
One of the best FREE online promotional resources is a well-written blog. You don’t have to spend any money to create an effective blog. These are some popular blog platforms that are easy to navigate. There are also free blog templates available online if you want to add color and flair to your blogs.
Professional Social Networking Sites
Sign up for FREE professional social networking sites. Social networking sites allow you to interact, network and promote your business with many people at once. The following sites also allow you to create groups or write articles – effective tools to further promote your products and services.
Article Submission Websites
Write a professional article that makes you sound like an expert in your field. If allowed by the site, add your professional bio and contact information at the end of each article. By submitting free articles to the sites listed below, you expose your company to thousands of potential new contacts and customers.
This is a Guest Post by Zeke Camusio is a serial entrepreneur, Internet Marketing expert and founder of The Outsourcing Company, an Internet Marketing agency with offices in Aspen, CO and New York. Let’s Do It!, his blog, is read by thousands of people all over the world.
Do User Numbers Disguise Problems at Social Networking Sites
June 3, 2009 by Justin
Following on from the last post it got me thinking that these are interesting times for social networking sites to say the least. I for one am anxious to see how Facebook, MySpace and Twitter address the revenue-generating issue.
What’s interesting about the whole social networking topic is that all of the sites attract an incredibly large number of visitors. We’re talking consistent off the chart numbers. It’s an audience ripe for any form of revenue-generating scheme. But here’s their little secret. None of them are making any money directly from their service - it’s FREE. Yes, you read that right, despite the sheer volume of users to these sites, not one of them is profiting from this traffic. In fact, all of them are losing money. So it stands to reason that sooner or later, the issue of profitability has to be addressed.
Twitter alone has millions of people following tweets, but it doesn’t make a penny on any of them. Its predecessors, Facebook and MySpace, are stepping up to the plate to compete. Facebook is in the process of adding similar real time update features to its platforms and you can bet MySpace, under the direction of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., will begin actively looking for ways to generate revenue.
With ad revenues far below expectations, the social networking sites need to turn inward to see how they can make money from their own platforms. There’s no denying that Twitter, Facebook and MySpace provide value. The next step is to create a pricing structure based on this value.
In Twitter’s case, its creators have even greater options. They could either sell out to the big search engines or sell their infrastructure to other sites who want to build off their technology.
The popularity of these three social networking sites is testament to the creativity of their creators. They have taken the mainstream by storm. But one has to wonder how long it will be before others move into cyberspace with the next version of social networking. That’s why it’s critical for Twitter, Facebook and MySpace to start generating revenue. Any further delays could cause them to lose dedicated users and their niche in the social network arena.
With Twitter, Facebook and MySpace, their continued success comes down to two key questions: How much do you value social networks? And how much are you willing to pay for this value? Use the comment link to respond.
Matthew Toren
