Creating Buzz for Startup Dating Sites – Hangover Coffee Klatch
Welcome back to another hungover edition of the Coffee Klatch. I've been pondering a question recently. What do startup dating sites need to do to generate initial interest and traffic in their product or service? Recently, there have been no shortage of new service providers getting buzz.
Needless to say, it's an interesting question. I think the approach needs to be holistic, while building off of what makes the business model different than the next dating site.
For a new site, I think things are helped greatly with generating buzz worthy stories around a gimmick or that which makes the product or service unique. For instance there's three such entities in the dating space I can think of that provide a service. Each one unique and each one building off of that which sets them apart.
- Cloud Girlfriend – Premise – The best way to get a girlfriend is to already have one, aka the virtual girlfriend. They created a tremendous amount of buzz, getting featured on HuffPo, NPR did a piece on them and they've been hitting the social media circles as well. It doesn't hurt that they had bloggers conduct interviews with them as well.
- Cupidtino – Premise – Niche dating for Apple Product lovers. They promoted locally to start and began an outreach campaign. Again, reaching out to various online publications and bloggers to help spread the word.
- Whatsyourprice.com – Premise – Pay a pretty person to go on a date with you. They have the fortune (or potentially disastrous) of having something very buzz worthy going. You see their service just calls attention to itself. What do you call paying someone to go on a date with you? I can conjure up a couple of terms, which might be considered negative. That's not the point, however. The point is they have something that will get people talking, spark conversation and interest.If you can do this with your dating site then you're in a good place, traffic will come as a result of conversations your buzz will create. If your service is similar to the match.coms of the world then your challenge will be greater, but not impossible. Your approach should include a heavy dose of working social media, online media and blogger circles… That's just this blogger's opinion, though.
- The Dating Revolution – Premise – Enforce online dating, safety and authenticity through a community check and balance system of sorts. The concept is the brainchild of Ross Felix, based out of New York City and always a great source of information. However, there was no amount of flirting that I could employ to get him to spill the beans on his secrets for marketing his service. Le dammit!
What do you guys think?
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