Stick around for a while
One frequently touted mantra of conversational marketing is that marketers need to be prepared to engage in a long-term conversation that may last beyond the run of the campaign. But in the dating space, that conversation can be halted when one member finds another member and both form a relationship outside the confines of the community.
At Sparks, Laguna says they see member churn as a marketing-driver for their brand.
"The loss of a member because they've found a successful match only helps to increase our reputation and drives new users through word of mouth, which is the most valuable marketing there is," Laguna explains.
But while a success story on a Sparks site may lead to an influx of similar users for marketers, eHarmony takes a slightly different approach.
According to Ward, successful relationships come with territory, but that doesn't mean the relationship stops.
While Ward says the constantly refreshing pool of members helps marketers target new people at a particular life stage, the enduring connection many married members feel toward the brand can be a real boon. That overall positive experience is something Ward sees as a win-win for eHarmony and its advertisers.
"We get letters everyday, wedding photos and baby pictures," Ward says. "People have a deep affiliation for our brand."
Will subscription die?
It may sound counterintuitive, but digital marketers get more out of a subscription model than a totally ad-supported site when it comes to that dating space.
Although both Sparks and eHarmony offer different approaches to the space, they agree that subscription sites, while not as ad-heavy, offer a better audience for marketers.
"Subscription models help to maintain the quality of the site's users," Laguna says.
For Ward, it's all about engagement, with free sites ranking very low on that front.
"The free sites appear to have many of the same issues people associate with community sites generally: low user engagement, partial profiles, Wild West content and non-paying audiences," Ward explains. "Our users are committed enough to not only pay us, but more importantly, they invest their time with us."
Conclusion
While it may not seem natural to try and market to people otherwise engaged in the act of courtship, a solid plan that takes into account the uniquely human concerns of the space could do more for your brand than you think.
If you're a marketer who has had some experience in the dating space, we want to hear from you. Please continue the conversation in the comments section below.
Michael Estrin is associate editor at iMediaConnection. Read full bio.