It might seem as if launching any sort of business venture could be fraught with potential issues. Statistics reveal a high percentage of new startups are destined to fail within the first three months. However, if you have are considering setting up an online business, digital dating does offer immense possibilities.
With upwards of one in three of today’s relationships being instigated via these outlets, and the industry currently turning over billions per annum, this is certainly a lucrative business sector! Here we’ll look into methods of guaranteeing success if you are eager to launch a virtual dating platform.
Choosing an ideal niche
The first thing you’ll have to consider is which particular slice of an already crowded marketplace to make your own. There is already any number of generic websites catering to a large audience, so the best option would be thinking of a subject that is less popular but applying creativity to produce a site that will instantly attract attention. Think outside the box. How about a website aimed at Star Wars fans among LGBT community, or singles who are crazy about gaming? In current digital dating landscape women looking for women will gravitate to site for gay girls that catch their eye and seem to provide opportunities to mix with a cross-section of kindred spirits.
Developing a business plan
You might have a ‘lightbulb moment’ where you think you’ve thought of a fabulous topic for your website. But the best advice? Walk before you run! Before looking into design or promotion, you still have to follow basic business agendas. Write a plan that will cover every aspect of your proposed venture. How will you cost this? Where can you seek advice? Will you design the pages yourself or seek input from experts? You will need to take market fluctuations into account, as well as assess potential risks.
Creating the basic design
The good news is that starting a digital dating business does not necessarily require you to have in-depth knowledge of Java coding or complicated financial transacting software. There are web resources where you can download basic page templates, and then customize these according to the subject you have decided to specialize in. At this stage, you will also need to consider your branding. How will your platform appeal to your potential customer base? Dating sites do traditionally offer brighter colours and are image-heavy. But as well as eye-catching, your color palette should avoid being overly garish.
Consider add-ons and plug-ins
You will have to work out which aspects of your service will be offered for free – say registration and profile creation – and which features will require payment from your customers. After all, this is a business you are creating so it is going to have to make some sort of income.
As well as offering bespoke page designs, many Internet sources will also provide software solutions that can be seamlessly integrated. These include downloadable shopping carts – again, these can be tailored to fit into the rest of your website. Whatever route you go down, this will require thorough testing. If customers face any issues when inputting card details, not only will they stop visiting, they are likely to spread this news amongst friends.
Promoting your business
Publishing your website should not be seen as a finishing line. This will be the moment when the hard graft will have to begin. How will you encourage your potential clientele to alight on your pages, and then keep coming back? Tap into social media platforms by adding ‘share’ or ‘like’ buttons and suggesting customers write positive reviews for dissemination across their own social networks.
