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By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Categories Relationships Dating Online Dating Online Dating Services How to Start an Internet Dating Site.

Download Article Explore this Article Steps. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Co-authored by Ryan Conway Last Updated: June 6, Approved. Study other popular online dating sites to see how to start an Internet dating site. See what appeals to you and research what type of competitor sites are successful, how they work, and what they look like. Decide on your dating "niche. is the key. Create a section for "profile info. Also contain likes and dislikes, hobbies, etc.

Think up a name for your business, check for domain name availability, and design a logo. Display your logo on your site and all of your business communications. Branding is key to making your site attractive and to have a real "presence" in the online world--which is where you will find most of your customers. Establish yourself as a new business with a business bank account.

It's probably not necessary to obtain a business license. Just having social security number tax documentation is usually sufficient. Use an online "site builder" to set up your online site. Many site builder sites are available and affordable and will walk you through the steps of how to start an Internet dating site.

Many sites use templates to make the process quick and easy, and some "builder" sites are even specifically geared towards creating a dating site. Start by figuring out what kind of pages and content you want to display on your site, and how you'll group them, and go from there. Sign up with a payment processing system.

It's not necessary to even set up a merchant account. Reliable third party sites like PayPal are easy to use for accepting payments via email. Market the site to get users to sign on. Search social media sites for singles to target. Advertise at singles' events and events that suite your site's niche. Do a major e-mail blast to singles, with special offers to provoke interest. Note that new dating sites are no longer allowed to advertise on Facebook. Don't forget to claim your Google My Business listing.

You can claim the social media profiles that match your business name and advertise on other social media sites, like Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Go over all the details to make sure your site is perfect. Applaud yourself for learning how to set up your own Internet dating site.

Go live and watch your online dating business take off. Who handles the technical administration of the site and what does it usually cost? Well that really depends on you. You could administer the site yourself if you have the technical knowledge. As to what it will cost, it generally depends on the person or company you hire to administer the site for you. Yes No. Not Helpful 7 Helpful 5. No, Facebook requires manual authorization for dating websites, and is not currently accepting applications for manual authorization.

Not Helpful 6 Helpful 5. Kashif Moazzam. That really depends on you. Though a domain name and hosting is the most vital part of a website, and generally you can purchase a domain for about £10 GBP and hosting packages you can shop around for to get them for as little as £5 GBP per month.

Though you can get a better price if you pay annually in advance. Not Helpful 4 Helpful 5. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Offer special features like "chatting," instant messaging and different levels of membership "Silver," "Gold," or "Platinum" that offer extra features depending on the membership and price level.

Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. Continue sending emails of potential "dates" to members whose memberships have lapsed, to show them what they are missing by not being out in the dating scene with their site. Whereas the old agencies often did a lot of the searching for their members, meeting new clients before hand-picking their potential matches, the modern site allows users to do all the work, searching a database of other members and arranging meetings themselves.

In addition to the established market leaders, match. com and US-based eHarmony, the online dating sector comprises a number of niche sites, including FitnessSingles for health and exercise fanatics, Lovestruck for busy city professionals, and Uniform Singles, which is tailored to people in the military and emergency services — and those with a uniform fetish.

Julian Keenaghan is the founder of one such niche site, Tastebuds , which matches up users according to their music tastes. He believes there is still plenty of potential in the market. It's a very exciting place to be, and we're still far from reaching saturation point. The cornerstone of an online dating site is the search facility, whereby users key in a range of search criteria — including age, income, physical characteristics and geographical location — and the site brings up a list of people based on those preferences.

Once the user has gone through the search results and identified potential love interests, most sites allow them to send an email to their prospective matches, or talk to them with instant messaging; they will almost certainly have to pay for this service. If you wish to set up a prototype dating site, you can probably get by without strong IT and web development skills — resources such as DIY Dating allow interested parties to set up a basic website quickly and cheaply, and you can also engage the services of a specialist web developer.

However, as time goes on, you're going to need to update the site on a regular basis, and potential investors aren't going to be impressed if you don't understand the software on which your product is built.

So, in the long term, an online dating business definitely favours people who are experienced in IT and web building. You'll also need to be the kind of person who understands what members will want.

You need to be able to put yourself in the user's shoes; what will they be looking for from your dating site? What sort of search options will they require?

And, if they're slightly self-conscious, what sort of functions will ensure they feel comfortable chatting to complete strangers online? As the owner of the site, it's unlikely you'll be talking to members directly; however you still need to be able to empathise with them, and maintain a subtle, tactful tone. Some members may have been hurt in the past; others may lack confidence.

You must be capable of creating a welcoming environment, which doesn't pre-judge and allows users to express themselves.

We have to be conscious of the people who are going to be using it from the other end, the sort of concerns they have, that they want to portray themselves in a good way.

You're not totally removed from the end user. There are few physical requirements for setting up a dating website — all you really need is a computer. However, as mentioned, construction of the website will probably require support from an experienced web builder, and you may also need to outsource core functions such as e-commerce, instant messaging, moderation and spam detection.

Then, when the site goes live, you'll need a web hosting company to manage it for you. You'll also need to do a lot of market research before you launch the site. You might think you've found the perfect niche, but a Google search might find that someone else has got there before you. It's also worth going out and speaking to people to ask if your site would interest them — singles nights, and even word-on-the-street vox pops could provide great forums.

To promote the venture, you may wish to put adverts on Yell. com, or specialist internet sites relevant to your target audience — if, like Julian Keenaghan, you want to set up a music-based site, you may wish to place an advert on a music fan site.

If you'd prefer print-based advertising, local papers could be a great place to start — especially if your site is based around a particular geographical area. If budgets are tight and you want some cost-effective publicity, try hosting a launch night for single people — or sending out a press release.

Simply issuing a release on Response Source or PR Wire could bring coverage in lots of different places, free of charge. Contact the local papers if you're focused on the local area. Additionally, social media is also a free and easy way to promote awareness. It's a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation, because no-one will want to use the site if there aren't people on there. It's worth offering a free trial over quite a long period, perhaps six months, for the first few users.

Anyone can run a dating site — it would be quite possible to start one up tomorrow. You don't need a licence, you aren't obliged to meet or vet your clients, and once you have set up your agency there are no statutory checks on how it is run — although many of the biggest names in the dating sphere, such as match.

com, are starting to run background checks on new members as a goodwill gesture for existing users. There is a trade association, the Association of British Introduction Agencies ABIA , which you could join but it isn't compulsory.

Having said that, you can get support and advice from the association and membership will give your clients confidence. To be a member of the ABIA you need to adhere to a strict code of practice, which you can then show to any prospective clients before entering into an arrangement. The code details what is expected of both client and agency in terms of data handling, advertising and complaints so everyone is fully informed at the start. A hosted website will probably have a one-off set up cost, as well as credit card processing fees on each transaction, and a monthly rental fee.

Check the details of your web hosting site carefully; many will charge more for the monthly rental fee the more members you have. In addition to the hosting cost, you've also got to think about design fees. However we've been lucky, in that we've had a lot of friends who've helped us out.

Last Updated: There is more to starting a business than just registering it with the state. We have put together this simple guide to starting your dating service. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant. A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns.

A few important topics to consider are:. The startup costs for a dating business can vary, and the differences hinge on what kind of website you want to have. If you want a more complex site to help compete with services like eHarmony or Match.

This cost is all-inclusive and factors in logo, software, databases, search engine optimization, and a number of professionally-written pages for your site. Advertising via Facebook, Twitter, and Google AdWords can help increase brand awareness, and creating your own social media pages can help you form positive interactions and relationships with customers.

The ongoing expenses for your business may vary. It is worth noting, though, that you can run a smaller site without a team, and the more technical knowledge you have about website design and studying analytics, the more of this job you can do on your own. Your best customers will tend to be those between the ages of 25 and This age group is less likely to have settled down in a relationship. A dating service makes money by charging clients for the use of its services.

The exact fee structure can vary, but it is typically in the form of a monthly fee as well as additional charges for entry to special events. How much you can charge clients varies. You may consider offering discounts for clients who sign up for multiple months at a time, or even offering different tiers of membership in which the lower tiers are more accessible but the higher tiers offer enhanced services.

The exact profit your dating service makes is completely contingent on how many members your site has and how much they are paying in monthly fees.

However, it may take a lot of initial investment in advertising and marketing to build your site's reputation so you can attract as many clients as possible. As your site grows, you may consider creating a sister website using the same basic site architecture to cater to different groups or niches.

Consider developing a separate app which will allow you to compete with app-based services. Finally, be sure to put your face into some of the marketing and website pages. This helps clients feel like your site is someone they can trust rather than a faceless website. Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you operate a sole proprietorship , you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name.

Visit our DBA guide to learn more. When registering a business name , we recommend researching your business name by checking:. The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship , partnership , limited liability company LLC , and corporation.

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your dating service is sued. Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC. Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You.

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee. Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services.

You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own. You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business. You can acquire your EIN for free through the IRS website, via fax, or by mail. If you would like to learn more about EINs and how they can benefit your LLC, read our article, What is an EIN?.

Learn how to get an EIN in our What is an EIN guide or find your existing EIN using our EIN lookup guide. Depending on which business structure you choose, you might have different options for how your business will be taxed. For example, some LLCs could benefit from being taxed as an S corporation S corp. There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides. When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets your home, car, and other valuables are at risk in the event your business is sued.

In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil. Additionally, learning how to build business credit can help you get credit cards and other financing in your business's name instead of yours , better interest rates, higher lines of credit, and more. Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Net 30 accounts are used to establish and build business credit as well as increase business cash flow. With a net 30 account, businesses buy goods and repay the full balance within a day term. This is how businesses build business credit so they can qualify for credit cards and other lines of credit.

Recommended : Read our best net 30 vendors , guide and start building business credit. Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from Divvy and build your business credit quickly. Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet. Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down. Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a Eco tour business. In addition, certain local licensing or regulatory requirements may apply. For more information about local licenses and permits:. Get assistance from one of the local associations listed in US Small Business Associations directory of local business resources.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

It is advisable to provide clients with informed consent agreements to decrease legal liability and encourage transparency. A dating service can be run out of a storefront or office space.

Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy CO. A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met. Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. Recommended: Learn what business insurance for your Dating Service will cost. Business Insurance for Dating Service. Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors. Recommended : Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker.

Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website. As mentioned earlier, some of the best promotion will come from your website, your online advertising, and your social media presence. Finally, consider speaking in places like libraries and college campuses to create brand awareness and interest.

The best way to attract and retain customers is to predict what they fear about online dating and try to make it better. Some sites do special screening of clients before admitting them, reducing the chances of online harassment. Others focus on making it easy to send pictures and video so that clients aren't surprised by the other person when they finally meet.

Despite being online, these people are like anyone else trying to get a first date: nervous and self-conscious. If you help them feel confident about themselves and the date, they will keep coming back and refer their friends. Still unsure about what kind of business you want to start? Check out the latest Small Business Trends to help inspire you.

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in , web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Recommended : Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders. Other popular website builders are: WordPress , WIX , Weebly , Squarespace , and Shopify.

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system.

Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems to find the best phone service for your small business. com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.

Welcome to the Startup Savants podcast , where we interview real startup founders at every stage of the entrepreneurial journey, from launch to scale. This business is good for those who like to play matchmaker with friends and those who like to socialize.

A background in website or app development can help you set up the technical side of your operation. Entrepreneurship Quiz. On any given day, you may compose emails or make phone calls to current or prospective clients. Downtime is typically spent working on advertising as well as researching emerging trends that will help your dating business.

It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. Load more articles. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy CO. Home » Business ideas » Internet Based Industry » Are you interested in starting a dating site from scratch? If you operate a sole proprietorship , you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name.

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