June 1, 2017

The online dating industry is stuck in a rut, facing forecasts of dwindling revenue growth and flat penetration rates. The largest company has missed its most recent revenue target as it struggles against self-cannibalization by its very popular free option. The second-place company is looking to diversify into the job recruitment arena, and lesser competitors are facing obstacles. A forecast of flat-to-low growth may reflect the pessimistic opinion that current industry leaders are poorly positioned to take advantage of coming opportunities. However, research suggests untapped demographics and pathways to overcome these hurdles. This column looks at new research conducted in April 2017 to find the best ways to compete for subscribers.