Online Dating Reviews

Advice on the Appeal of Small, Specialized Online Dating Sites

Advice Seeker: Dear April,

What's with all these specialized dating sites coming out lately? I just heard about one especially for farmers! I don't understand why people wouldn't just want to use Match.com where the largest selection of people are. If you put in your interests, it should match you up with someone pretty perfect for you. Why are people using smaller sites? Do you have any advice on whether smaller online dating sites are better?

Sincerely,

Match Me Up

April Masini's advice:

Dear Match Me Up,

Lots of people like to stay away from the crowds. While Waikiki will always be popular and crowded, lesser known vacation spots will also have as much business as they can handle because different things appeal to different people, and when it comes to internet dating sites, the same is true. Match.com and other big date sites with large data banks of daters are not for everyone. Lots of people want to feel like they're a big fish in a small pond. Other people don't like to go along with the crowd, and the crowd, in this case, is Match.com. People who consider themselves individualists prefer to look for a dating site that matches the rest of their life -- eclectic, specific and unique. And then there are flat out contrarians who just don't want to do what everyone else is doing regardless of what that is. They'll shun big, popular dating sites and look for niche sites or offbeat, specialized sites.

There will ALWAYS be room for big, popular, one size fits all dating sites, but specialized "boutique" dating sites will definitely gain popularity, as a trend.