Dating Websites Are Now Courting Couples

Dating websites don't want to pressure their users, but it's time to discuss where this is all going. Don't get them wrong, it's been fun arranging algorithmic matches and occasionally getting lucky. But the average user spends about seven to nine months with a dating website before disappearing, and brands like Match.com and HowAboutWe are looking for more of a commitment.

It's the paradox of the online-dating industry: success and customer retention are pretty much incompatible. The antidote sounds kind of like, well, dating. Use the singles side of the business to attract people, and then pitch the happily paired-off users on a long-term relationship with the website by offering services for couples. Read more...