COURTLAND BROOKS INTERNET DATING AGENCY-CONSULTANCY

Here's How Socializing Will Change Under Trump

MEDIUM - Every president brings societal change. Hot topics in 2025…

Radicalization Leading To Loneliness - Hate propaganda works, and it sells. Unfortunately, it's addictive and changes who the users are as people. It makes finding new friends harder than before. My remedy for this is simple: be aggressively friendly.

Rise of 'Lavender Marriages' - i.e. Heterosexual marriages between two homosexual people, often with the goal of hiding the spouses' sexuality. Traditional, romantic marriage has become a major risk, especially for women.

MINOs - Women increasingly don't want to bother with marriage. Divorce is more expensive and difficult to obtain. Women will want to have relationships with men, but not make it legal. They may do a Civil Union or become MINOs - Married in Name Only.

Invite-Only Social Media + Private Dating Apps - More people are questioning their social media use. Social media is pretty poisonous. There will be new social media sites that require an ID to join, and invite-only dating apps. e.g. Raya.

The 4B Movement - 4B is no marriage, no children, no dating, no sex. Dating has become risky, especially for women who have a lot of good things in their lives. The rollback of women's rights will lead more women to eschew relationships with men altogether.

Private Social Clubs And Lounges - People are nervous about approaching people the old-fashioned way. I've seen private invite-only workspaces, private nightclubs, as well as private dinner clubs pop up. Privacy is a major selling point. People [need] a place where they can feel safe socializing.

Monetized Interactions - With dating becoming an increasingly risky endeavor, you're going to see a lot more people paying for human interaction. Both men and women will increasingly be willing to pay for AI chatbots. Chat services from adult entertainers and models. Parasocial relationships. Paid dates and escorts. Monetized scheduled outings where people dine together as a way to meet new people.

by Ossiana Tepfenhart
See full article at Medium

Mark Brooks: A dystopian viewpoint. Is this realistic? Some of my team members would agree, alas. There's an opportunity to meet people where they're evolving towards, with truly insightful and enabling product design.

Insights From an Online Dating Business Expert: Mark Brooks on Resilience and Industry Evolution

CUPID'S COACH PODCAST - In the world of online dating, few voices are as knowledgeable as Mark Brooks, an online dating business expert. In this blog, we explore his journey through personal challenges, industry insights, and the evolution of online dating, shedding light on what the future may hold for those seeking love in the digital age.

[**See the video here on Youtube**]

Introduction to Mark Brooks and His Journey
Mark Brooks, a prominent online dating business expert, has carved a niche for himself in the dating industry. His journey includes a strong educational background. He is post graduate alumni of both Harvard Business School and the London School of Economics (Behavioral Science). Initially, Mark explored engineering management, but his passion for connecting people led him to the online dating world.

His career took off in Silicon Valley, where he founded an adventure club that connected singles. This experience not only sparked his interest in the dating industry but also demonstrated the joy of fostering BLR relationships. Beautiful Loving Relationships. As the club grew to 3,600 members, Mark witnessed couples finding love and even receiving wedding invitations. This transformation from selling non-contact laser-based Metrology systems to facilitating human connections was a turning point for him.

Mark's 2024 Health Journey: A Story of Resilience
Mark's health journey is a testament to his resilience. He found himself facing a life-threatening condition known as necrotizing fasciitis, commonly referred to as flesh-eating disease. This diagnosis came as a shock, leading to 24 surgeries and 9 weeks in hospital in Dubai.

During this challenging time, Mark learned the importance of living in the moment. His mantra became firmly grounded in stoicism - taking each moment as it came, focusing on the seconds and minutes rather than the overall ordeal. His family and friends played a crucial role in his recovery, providing unwavering support that fueled his determination to overcome the odds.

The Evolution of Online Dating: From Past to Present
Over the past two decades, the online dating landscape has undergone significant transformation from web to mobile, and now to AI and eventually Augmented Reality.

Mark highlights that individuals in tertiary cities now have better access to dating options compared to the past. Major online dating players serve the small markets best, offering more choices for singles. The evolution of online dating and matchmaking has been beneficial for those seeking companionship, as the barriers to meeting new people have greatly diminished.

The Role of Matchmakers in the Online Dating Landscape
Despite the rise of online dating, the role of matchmakers has not diminished; rather, it has grown and evolved. Mark emphasizes that there has never been a time when more individuals are willing to invest in their dating lives. Online dating has been a wallet opener for real-world matchmaking services. Matchmakers have adapted to this changing landscape, providing personalized services that online platforms often lack.

The key benefits of working with matchmakers is the pre-date preparation and post-date feedback they offer. This service helps clients gain insights into their dating experiences, allowing them to improve their approach and understand what they truly desire in a partner. The connection between online dating and matchmaking has become more intertwined, with both sectors complementing each other.

Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions
In the realm of online dating, effective communication is paramount. Many individuals approach dates with preconceived notions or negative attitudes, which can lead to misunderstanding and negativity. Mark emphasizes the importance of feedback in the dating process. When people receive constructive feedback after dates from matchmakers and coaches, they can adjust their approach and improve their chances of success in future encounters. For instance, if a client is unaware of their conversational style, they may dominate discussions without realizing it. This can lead to a lack of connection and bad dates.

By providing honest, actionable feedback, matchmaking clients can learn how to engage more effectively. This approach not only enhances their dating experiences but also encourages personal growth. The goal is to help daters foster genuine connections.

The Challenges of Finding Quality Matches
Despite the abundance of dating platforms, many individuals struggle to find quality matches. Mark points out that the most significant challenge is not the availability of potential partners but rather getting a "yes" from them.

Mark notes that it's not uncommon for men to overlook fantastic candidates simply because they don't fit a narrow set of criteria. Visual biases can hinder their chances of finding meaningful relationships.

Women frequently express frustration about the quality of men available on dating platforms. They often feel overwhelmed by options that don't meet their expectations. Mark clarifies that the matchmaking process requires a balance between desire and practicality. Effective matchmaking hinges on understanding both partners' needs and preferences while also encouraging flexibility.

Future Trends in Online Dating and Matchmaking
The online dating landscape is constantly evolving, and Mark is optimistic about the future. He envisions a merging of online dating and matchmaking that leverages technology while maintaining a personal touch.

One trend he anticipates is the integration of coaching services within dating apps. As users encounter challenges, having access to expert guidance could transform their experiences. This could involve real-time feedback during interactions or tailored advice before and after dates.

Mark also believes that data analytics will play a crucial role in improving matchmaking outcomes. By partnering with academic institutions, the industry can gain insights into user behavior and preferences. This collaboration could lead to more effective algorithms that match individuals based on compatibility rather than superficial traits. He is leading a program called ‘Academic Connect’ for the Internet Dating Excellence Association, pairing up top flight academics for studies on dating apps.

As the industry evolves, Mark hopes to see a greater emphasis on personal development. Clients who are growth-oriented and willing to engage in self-reflection will likely find more success in their dating journeys. The focus will shift from merely finding a partner to building lasting, meaningful relationships.

In conclusion, the online dating landscape is ripe for innovation.

See this page to learn how to work with Mark and his team.

7 Reasons You Can't Rely on 3rd Party Cookies

SEARCH ENGINE LAND - Third-party cookies are helpful but not good enough to stand alone as a measurement approach [for dating apps and websites]. Here are 7 reasons you need to diversify your approach.

1. The Chrome opt-out feature - At some point, Google will give users a front-and-center option to decline cookie tracking. (Users can already opt out on Chrome). After the iOS 14 update, 80% to 96% of users opted out of tracking.
2. Attribution limitations - Third-party cookies are inaccurate and oversimplified leaning on models like last-click opening the door for ad platforms to over-credit themselves.
3. Current and future privacy regulation - GDPR, CCPA. ...The FTC's recent stance on hashings. User privacy is in the crosshairs. If you don't own your data, be ready for regulations.
4. Non-Chrome browser cookie blocking - Chrome has 50% of the U.S. browser market. Safari and Firefox account for a third have already removed cookie tracking, along with Brave and others.
5. Cookie deletion timeframes - See cookiestatus.com. 3rd party cookies expire before 1st party cookies. Apple's Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) limits 1st party cookies to a 7-day expiration in Safari. If a click-through is from a tracker, the cookie expires after 24 hours. Chrome limits cookies to 400 days. Other browsers cap first-party cookies at 7 days.
6. Vulnerability to browser shifts - You can still access 3rd party cookie data from Chrome for now, but in 2025? If you don't own your data, you remain vulnerable to the actions of those who do. Research your options for moving to server-side tracking. You'd need a tagging proxy and some martech resources like Stape.
7. t keeps the attribution focus too narrow - Cookies can be effective for measuring single-channel activity. A better approach is to focus on the user, not the channel. Which engagements (whether on SEO, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, etc.) actually influenced the purchase decision? That answer depends on much more than cookie tracking. The Attribution App is a tool that uses server-side data models for a more comprehensive view of user activity.

by Ben Vingeron
See full article at Search Engine Land

Who's Speaking Where?

COURTLAND BROOKS - I thought I'd take a look over some of the top large digital conferences to see what dating heavy-hitter C levels and leaders are speaking where.

FUTURE

Web Summit usually has a smattering of top-flight dating C levels. The next Web Summit is on Nov 11-14th in Lisbon and, so far, lists the CEO of Grindr, George Arison. See link.

The Sifted Summit is run by Sifted.eu, a media brand backed by the Financial Times that focuses on the European startup community and is on Oct 2-4 in London. The COO/Co-Founder of Hily & Taimi, Jake Vygnan is listed as a speaker. See link.

PAST

NOAH connects Europe's digital market leaders and listed Marc Schachtel, the CEO of ParshipMeet Group as a speaker for the London event in June. See link.

Veecon is Gary Vaynerchuck's conference, which looks like California's answer to SXSW, and happened Aug 9-11th, in L.A. Tinder's SVP Global Marketing, Stephanie Danzi was on a panel talking about how brands can work with creators/influencers. See link.
__

No one from the Internet dating industry was a speaker at Affiliate Summit East in June, and no one is listed for Affiliate Summit West next February. See link.

Also, no one from the online dating industry is speaking at the next Affiliate World, which is in Hungary in September. See link.
__

Please let me know if you see any other major C levels and leaders from the dating industry speaking at major conferences at [email protected]

The Top Internet Dating Reporters in 2023, According to Online Personals Watch

COURTLAND BROOKS - Each year we take a look at which reporters have received the most coverage on Online Personals Watch. Here's our rankings for 2023.

1. Anna Iovine, Mashable
Anna Iovine, a long-term member of this top ten list, takes first place this time, with 12 of her articles used on OPW last year. She is an associate editor at Mashable, mostly covering big companies like Bumble, Tinder, and eHarmony.

2-3. Jessica Bursztynsky, Fast Company
Jessica, another well-known name to us, takes the shared 2nd place with 11 of her articles used for our posts. She is a staff writer for Fast Company, also mostly covering big company news.

2-3. Sarah Perez, Tech Crunch
Jessica shares 2nd place with Sarah Perez, the consumer news & apps reporter for Tech Crunch. Sarah regularly appears on our top 10 list and was at the top last year. She mostly covered Match Group and its brands.

4. Lauren Forristal, Tech Crunch 
With 9 articles used on OPW, another Tech Crunch reporter takes 4th place. Lauren stands out by often introducing new brands to the market and new features of well-established and lesser-known apps.

5. Aisha Malik, Tech Crunch 
5th place goes to Aisha Malik, a senior writer for Tech Crunch. We used 3 of her articles, which focused on Match Group and Tinder.

Shared 6.- 10. place
We used 2 articles written by each of these reporters:
Emma Hinchliffe, senior writer for Fortune, 
Amanda Silberling, senior writer for Tech Crunch
Dana Leigh, editor at Techround
Audrey Kemp, reporter for The Drum
Harri Weber, former senior reporter for Tech Crunch, now freelancer
Aditi Shrikant, senior reporter at CNBC
Denny Jacob, reporter at Wall Street Journal
Ivan Mehta, reporter for Tech Crunch

Which Dating Apps Got the Most Press Coverage in 2023?

COURTLAND BROOKS - Last year, we mentioned 185 internet dating industry brands in 677 posts. Match Group and its brands are still dominating this list and Tinder took over the first place from Bumble this time. Here is the full list of companies with the most press coverage for last year.

1. Tinder (85 posts)
Tinder returns to the first place with mentions in 85 posts published on OPW during 2023. The app published another issue of its annual Year in Swipe report in December. It added some new features, for example Prompts, Info Tags, and Quiz and "Are You Sure" in November, Tinder Matchmaker in October, Match Expiration in July, or Incognito Mode in February. In September, Tinder launched a $500-a-month subscription plan called Tinder Select. In September, Taru Kapoor, the head of Tinder India, left after 8 years with the company. In June, the company announced its departure from Russia.

2. Bumble (79 posts)
Bumble takes 2nd place with mentions in 79 posts. Founder and longtime CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd stepped down in November, with Lidiane Jones, former CEO of Slack, announced as her successor. Despite solid Q3 financial results, these news negatively affected the company's share price. Bumble for Friends became a separate app in July, launched in Germany, and won the Google Play Best of 2023 User's Choice award in November. Bumble added features like Review before you send, Recommend to a friend, and speed dating. In August, Bumble crossed the $2B mark in global user spending. Bumble acquired Official, an app designed to strengthen relationships for couples in May.

3. Match Group (65 posts)
Match Group ended up 3rd with mentions in 65 posts, often related to its brands. Despite reporting the highest ever quarterly total revenue in its Q3 report in November, its shares went significantly down. In August, Garbo, the background check provider, ended its relationship with Match Group. In July, Linda Kim was promoted to CEO of Hyperconnect, and Sam Ahn moved to Asia's Chief Innovation Officer for Match Group). Malgosia Green was named CEO of Match Group Asia in April. In June, Match Group dropped its patent infringement lawsuit against Muzz. The company introduced the gay dating app Archer in June and Even, a dating app for single parents, in May. Hawaya, the dating app for Muslims, was shut down in January. Match Group laid off 8% of its workforce in February.

4. Grindr (39 posts)
Grindr scored mentions in 39 posts last year. The company lost half of its staff after trying to force a return to office and is still working on rebuilding the team. They added several key execs: Zac Katz as Head of Global Affairs, Tristan Pineiro as VP of Brand and Communications, Solmaz Shariat Torbaghan as Director of AI and Machine Learning, and Tolu Adeofe as Director of Investor Relations. Grindr reported solid Q3 results with revenue growth of 39%. AI chatbots were added to the app in December.

5. Hinge (31 posts)
Hinge was mentioned in 31 posts. Hinge hired Tamika Young as VP of Global Communications and launched a $1M social impact fund in December. In February, the new $49.99/month subscription plan called HingeX was launched.

6. Muzz (14 posts)
Muzz was mentioned in 14 posts, partly covering the legal battle with Match Group. Muzz hosted matchmaking events globally and raised $400k to support Syrian refugees.

7. PlentyofFish (13 posts)
PlentyofFish was mentioned in 13 posts. POF underwent a significant rebrand last year. The brand launched the Share My Date feature in April. A class action claiming age and gender discrimination was filed against PlentyofFish in March.

8. eHarmony (12 posts)
eHarmony scored 12 mentions in 2023. It introduced a new look in November. A lawsuit for alleged misleading membership claims was filed against eHarmony in Australia in September. eHarmony launched new features for LGBTQ users in August.

9. OkCupid (10 posts)
OkCupid got 10 mentions on OPW last year, including experimenting with ChatGPT-generated questions in February.

10. Spark Networks, CoffeeMeetsBagel, Match.com, and FITFCK
Each of these 4 companies got 8 mentions in 2023, with FITFCK being the only relatively new brand on this list.

Why Nobody Likes Dating Now

AMERICAN SURVEY CENTER - Bumble's Whitney Wolfe Herd explained "There is a world where your dating concierge could go and date for you with other dating concierge[s] . . . and then you don't have to talk to 600 people," she said. It sounds utterly dystopian. AI chatbots chatting up other bots to forge connections for their human counterparts. Singles are pessimistic about dating life. Dating apps are accused of being part of the problem. There's a rising distrust between men and women: less patience and more risk aversion. Young women today expect young men to contribute in ways their fathers never did. Marriage is less of an immediate goal for many young people, and parenthood is more of an open question. A recent Pew poll found that young men are more interested in becoming parents than young women. A growing share of single young singles are deciding that romantic relationships or marriage might simply not be worth it.

by Daniel A. Cox
See full article at American Survey Center

Mark Brooks: The only way AI concierges would really work is if they were given inordinate access to users' other apps, comms, and behavioral data, to properly assess their character. Then, it could get quite interesting. Bumble, as a trusted brand, could be one of the few dating companies that could be granted enough access to be able to make this kind of feature fly. I don't buy that people really don't want romantic relationships. Homo

Why Did Garbo Fail? Unraveling Its Unmet Potential With Match Group & Tinder

REALME - Dating apps are facing trust issues due to many fake profiles and a 800% increase in scams. Match Group incorporated Garbo in an attempt to enhance user safety, but despite its substantial user base and noble goals, it failed to deliver. Here's why Garbo failed and how RealMe could potentially fill the gaps left by Garbo.

User Experience Dilemma: Despite having 2.5M users, Garbo provided a fractured experience, forcing users to leave the primary dating platform, impacting user retention and Match's credibility.
Information Dependency: Garbo didn't work well because it needed users to know a lot about their potential matches early on, which is hard during the beginning of online interactions.
Absence of User Verification: Garbo didn't check if users were real, which is important for correct background checks.

The RealMe Solution
Integrated User Experience: By partnering with apps like Say Allo, The RealMe offers an uninterrupted, in-app experience, maintaining user engagement.
Simplified Search Process: A simple click on any profile initiates the search, with no need for users to know extensive info about their matches.
Comprehensive Background Checks: RealMe's extensive scan across 389 data sources offers a complete background check.
User Verification: The distinctive badge on profiles verified by The RealMe ensures genuine interactions and significantly reduces the risk of encountering fake users.
Ease of Integration: The service can be easily integrated into existing platforms.

Garbo's endeavor with Match Group showed there is a substantial demand for trust-building tools in online dating. However, the lack of a seamless user experience and comprehensive services hindered its success. The Real Me addresses these limitations, offering a more inclusive and robust solution. 

See full article at RealMe

Dating Apps Put a Hefty Price Tag on Finding Love

Appeared in the Aug 28, 2023, print edition as 'Apps Put a Higher Price on Love'

WALL STREET JOURNAL - Match Group recently added a plan to Hinge at $50/mo, up from $35, and is examining interest in a plan for Tinder at ~$500/mo. Bumble is considering a tier above its $60/mo plan. Grindr plans to add more premium offerings. Companies are betting on premium tiers to boost growth, even if adoption is limited to a fraction of users who are more intentional daters.

Match has made up ground, with revenue per payer rising in the past two quarters. Bumble reported paying users rose 20% to 3.6 million in its most recent quarter from a year earlier.

Match which will roll out a superpremium tier on Tinder in the fall. "If you actually take a small fraction of our payers at higher price points, you actually get a number that's in the tens of millions of dollars on an annual basis," CEO Bernard Kim said.

Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd sees premium services delivering new opportunities. "We see that there's a lot of runway to expand there."

Even if uptake is slow, there is precedent behind the move to raise prices. Mark Brooks, CEO of Courtland Brooks, which helps online dating companies grow, said that other brands, such as eHarmony and Tawkify, have for years priced their premium services above what Tinder, Hinge and Bumble charged. The stakes are high in showing users that paying is worth it, Brooks said. Otherwise, they could defect to competing platforms. "They've got to actually really deliver on it, because they'll get crucified if they don't," said Brooks.

The League, another app in Match's suite of offerings, has a $1,000 weekly subscription.

by Denny Jacob
See full article at Wall Street Journal

The Essence of Teamwork

MARK BROOKS - I watched this video today and found it very inspirational on the topic of teamwork.