It was only a matter of time. It seems that the only browsing model social networking and now social media companies have come up with are variants on HotorNot. Sigh.

The new TwitOrFit shows a random user’s image, along with their most recent Tweet, and gives you the option to either follow their account, or give them a numerical rating, from a 1 (Twit) to a 10 (Fit). As with the “Hot or Not” model, you can select a pull-down menu that says “Show Guys Only”, “Show Girls Only” or “Show Both”.

Full details via uber-blogger Louis Gray.

No related posts.

This reminded me of the recent decision for Avid Life Media to turn HotorNot into a market research tool.

SF-based Peanut Labs, a provider of digital market research into the “Gen-Y”€Â? demographic, has raised a $3.2 million first round from Leapfrog Ventures and BV Capital. The company has developed a system, dubbed Sample3.0, that plugs into more than 70 social networking services, including MySpace and Facebook.

Via Paidcontent.

No related posts.

National Post has more on the Avid Life Media acquisition of HotorNot.

When I talked to the reporter, one of the first things I said was the it looks like Avid Life Media is angling for the Barry Diller/IAC keiretsu. (IAC, is actually breaking it’s business units apart.)

In the dating world, the closest analog would be Spark Networks (going, going, sol….!) or Think Partnerships, which bought and attempted to flip several dating properties. Previously, I noted that nothing says “we care deeply about creating long-lasting relationships? than being bought by a mining company involved in coal bed methane in the South Central Colorado region.”

According to Avid, “A site like HotOrNot’s audience is phenomenal. We’re going to turn it into a focus group.”

Sampling HotorNot members will be like going to a double-header featuring Brittney Spears and Marilyn Manson. Interesting concept, but is this the kind of demographic you want to be going after, or that corporations will pay to have access to?

Leave it along and keep making money, or monkey with the business model and see what happens. That book has two endings, and one of them isn’t pretty, for members or investors.

Conversely, HotorNot could be a tremendous asset for online focus groups, although I’m just not seeing it. Hopefully we’ll hear from Avid in coming months regarding their plans for HoN.

No related posts.

I just heard from an intrepid reporter asking about Avid Life Media. Who is Avid Life Media? They own the Ashley Madison dating site, and now they own HotorNot. The reporter was wondering about why Avid would acquire HotorNot. Yesterday I wrote HotOrNot Sold To Canadian Investors. I’ll post more after the article comes out tomorrow.

No related posts.

Looks like HotorNot has sold for a reported $20 million to Avid Life Media. That seems a bit high but it’s going to take some more sleuthing to find out what the actual number is.

I met James Hong a few years ago at a conference and we briefly talked about different revenue model options. At that time he was pondering the idea of changing over from paid to free.

I’m working with a virtual gifting company and have learned a lot about how HotorNot has made millions each year by allowing members to send each other virtual roses, some of which cost up to $10.

Who knew that clicking random pictures when you’re bored would be so entertaining, at least for two minutes. Ok, I’m bitter, I’ve had a photo on HotorNot for years and my average score never broke 6.2.

Love the quote from James:

We’ve been working on HotOrNot for seven years now, It’s time to break up with this girlfriend.

All hail HotOrNot Media. PaidContent has more, as does TechCrunch.

No related posts.

IceBreaker which I wrote about back in November, has landed $7.2 million in new financing, money that the Bellevue startup will use to continue marketing its mobile dating service Crush or Flush.  Crush or Flush is similar to a mobile version of HotorNot.

IceBreaker plans to use funds to bolster a research and development center in Beijing, where the company now employs more than 20 people and is looking to add more.

With no revenue at the moment, the founders are kicking around various business models, which is what the mobile dating space has been doing for the past several years, as nobody really knows how mobile dating is going to work when it finally gets here in the US.

Seven million dollars is a lot of money, but in no way guarantees  IceBreaker will get crushed instead of flushed.

No related posts.

HOTorNOT, the site where I never get rated higher than 5.8, is now free.

Just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that we’ve made HOTorNOT free! You no longer need to buy a star membership in order to write your double matches ;)

We’ve made a lot of changes to the site recently and much more is in the works. So if you haven’t been on in a while, log back in and check it out!

Previously articles about HOTorNot.

No related posts.

I had a chuckle this morning when I saw that Markus says that HotorNot competed with OkCupid. He thinks HotOrNot will move to a hybrid YouTube/dating model. Bizarre that they are shutting down HotOrNot, $5 million revenue for 5 people, but then again, they have to do something, their traffic appears to be tanking.

No related posts.