Niche Dating Growing In Popularity
To say that online dating is popular is stating the obvious. But there appears to be shifting trends. It used to be that if one was internet dating, he/she would be on one of the popular mega dating sites such as Match.com or FriendFinder.com. These sites are still the leaders, with databases running to the millions. After all, they serve people from virtually all walks of life though they also have certain subtle differences. But there is a new trend immerging.
Niche dating is here. And it is popular. In fact, some niche sites have been on the receiving end of criticism, some of it scathing, for being too exclusive or serving superficial and vainglorious interests. Case in point is Beutifulpeople.com. As the name suggests, it is a site for… well, beautiful people. Not too long ago they were all over the news and even got mentioned on Jay Leno’s show. Reason? Around the holiday season, they had kicked out some of their (female) members for having gained weight. Apparently, they had ceased to be beautiful simply because they gained a few pounds. (See our post about Beutiful People).
Speaking of weight, did you know that there are specialty dating sites for big beautiful women dating? For the guys who love them curvaceous, big bum and all, this is the place to go. And if you are a big woman, what better place can you go than a place where you find men seeking out women with extra pounds? And no, these men are not necessarily big (in the fat sense of the word). Some are as athletic as a 100 meter dash Olympic champion. They just love big women.
I found a post about online niche dating that I think is very well-written. Here’s an excerpt:
For a long time, Kim sought a partner in vain in the country's rural areas.
"As a super-brainy girl in the Midwest, I was having trouble meeting a guy who wasn't intimidated," she says.
Being a geek has its problems, she notes. Fortunately, however, she found a dating site for people like her: Geek2Geek.
"I knew immediately my brains and my geeky side would be accepted, even celebrated, by anyone I met here," she says.
Geek2Geek.com is one of the countless US dating websites aimed at a niche.
There is also Ivydate.com, named after the academically elitist Ivy League. It offers to make "outstanding romantic connections a reality for highly driven men and women who value intellectual curiosity, love of learning, drive, and determination." They only welcome, however, those who have studied or worked at elite universities in the United States or Britain.
The site Horseloversconnection.com is not quite so demanding. Even owning a horse is no must, although profile photos often show one. The site's promoters make their intentions clear from the start.
"You are now at a place that brings serious country horse people together," the site says.
The dating industry in the land of opportunity appears to leave no one out, be they bearded men, bicycle-lovers, overweight people or pet fans.
And yet there is more to getting couples together than just special interests or hobbies. There are offers for specific ethnic groups or religious communities. Blacks can look for blacks, whites can seek out whites, Arabs can look for Arabs and Catholics can choose Catholics. See original article.
Right here on this site, we have posted articles about various niche dating services. There is a specialty dating site for virtually every interest or passion you can imagine, from the mild to the wild and anything in between. Is this the future? Time will tell.
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Filed under Dating Sites by Dawg
Comments on Niche Dating Growing In Popularity »
I have noticed this growth too, I think it makes sense and the main sites did get a little lazy and dont allow people to target people that accuracy, for example some of the larger sites, until recently only allowed people to search on the simple option of ff the user had a photo or not! A niche site makes sense as you know everyone on their, everyone who shows in your search has already stated that they have a common interest.
It makes a lot of sense that very specialized dating niches would start opening up. People always want to see out their own kind, particularly if they have what is viewed as a “disability” in the case of deaf single people.