Thirtyplussingles is a dating site focusing on, you guessed it, over-30 singles. I received a good-looking promotion from one of their affiliates. Interesting that the “offer” is not for twenty-somethings. I have not signed up for the service, but I cannot imagine that they have a process in places to weed out people which fall outside of their stated demographic via an “Extensive search and screening process.”
In the coming weeks I’ll be taking a look at ways niche sites attract their target markets. Can a smaller site with 10’s, instead of thousands of people in a particular area actually benefit members? What is the psychological effects of a closer knit community based on shared interests and expectations? Mass appeal marketing differs greatly from niche marketing. In some ways, niche marketing is easier due to the fact that focused demographic groups tend to share similar values, language, sense of humor, and shared interests. As software prices fall and marketing costs equalize, niche sites are giving major dating sites a run for their money, including dating site networks with 12+ sites where only one or two of the sites account for the majority of the profit center. Why throw off all that cash supporting loss-leaders when a handful of niche sites will do? Throw in a nimble engineering team, guerilla marketing and a passionate membership, and niche sites start to look more attractive to both first time and veteran online daters.
[tags: thirtyplussingles]
