Which Dating Sites Affiliate Programs Convert the Best?

OPW -- May 28 -- These are the conversions for the affiliate programs that Online Personals Watch makes money from. The period is for March 21st 2006 through March 21st 2007. I only list the affiliate programs from which Online Personals Watch generated more than 1000 unique click throughs for. Here are the top converting programs ranked by the earnings per unique. Affiliate links for these sites appear in the left bar in the form of industry rankings, and from links from posts on OPW.

	Dating site	Affiliate System	Total Commission	Total Uniques	Income per Unique
#1	SexSearch	In House	$1,200	3018	40c
#2	TRUE	Primary Ads	$1,926	5368	36c
#3	Yahoo Personals	Commission Junction	$1,430	5303	27c
#4	PerfectMatch	Commission Junction	$267	1221	22c
#5	eHarmony	Commission Junction	$465	2678	17c
#6	AdultFriendFinder	In House	$1,017	10271	10c
#7	Match	Link Share	$464	6113	8c
#8	American Singles	Commission Junction	$200	2912	7c

Comments

[We can outsource your Profile Approval process]

Profitable conversion is based on a few factors. But if you compare two non sex-dating sites such as True and American Singles, you will find that not only does true.com pay much more, but also it is a niche market or at least creates product differentiation via screening and testing. Product differentiation I believe drives sales, and higher payout will of course give more to your pocket.

Now for click thoughs, I think the equation is connected to the type of ad displayed. Russian Dating sites know attractive sexy women on affiliate ads will result in a high number of click thoughs, more than simple photos or text links.

[Mark Brooks]

The links are all straight text links from OPW, btw.

[Josh Stevens]

Hello, I just wanted to let you know about Adult Date Link. We are a niche dating site with a fantastic affiliate program. We were the top converting dating site for the months of March and April, and are heading to be the top for May. I noticed the program comparison, and thought that you might be interested in giving us a try as well. To check out our program, please go to:

http://www.adultdatelink.com/affiliate/?affliateid=9285540EDBF

If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to contact me. Thanks!

Josh
Affiliate Manager
Adult Date Link

[Affiliate Dating Sites]

On the topic of niche markets - the only way of truly achieving results is finding a site in a niche which suits you, or creating your own site - doing this these days is very easy with companies such as World Dating Partners (worlddatingpartners.com)

It is common knowledge that niche sites convert and pay better. It would be interesting to see how these perform along side other mainstream sites in an untargeted environment.

To see how some white label sites compare against each other:
http://www.affiliatedatingsites.com/white-label.html

[Mike Serden]

Interesting that Match.com underperforms at #7, I've experienced low conversion rates as well despite having many "signups" in my account.

[PissedinPA]

A word to the wise:

If you are thinking about promoting Eharmony.com via Commission Junction, you might want to take heed from my experience.

I was an affiliate with Eharmony for the past 2 years. Google recently picked up my site in the top 10 and during the month of June, 2007 I made well over 50% of what I had made promoting Eharmony.com in the month(s) prior.

Eharmony subsequently terminated my participation in their affiliate program. I ran a completely "white hat" site with no spam or other trickery involved.

Eharmony would not return emails and subsequent communique.

I would advise you to pick another affiliate program to promote besides Eharmony because they terminate accounts at whim.

I have spoken with two unrelated publishers who also got their Eharmony affiliate accounts canceled.

[Gemma]

I was pretty impressed with 4flings.com, classy, not in your face adult material, and met couple of nice guys from there

[Robert Brereton]

Affiliate marketing can be the most profitable way to make money on the internet today.I know because i have been doing it for over 2 years now and i love every bit of how you can make money.
Have a look at my blog to see some of the ways i make lots of money with affiliate programs it`s simply amazing.
check it out for yourself ----------->
http://robbysmarketing.blogspot.com

[Love and Dating]

I just read on another site that True hasn't been paying their affiliates.

[Dating Sites]

I've made a lot of money with affiliate programs, but I am not impressed with them and never expect the income to continue to flow in.

I've had some in-house ones simply not pay me. They never respond to email or phone calls or the Better Business Bureau complaints I've lodged against them.

I've had some (both in-house and networks) just close my account and not pay me nor offer any reason why they closed my account.

I think affiliate programs are a great way to make money as long as you don't really need the money nor expect it at the end of the month.

[Aurelius Tjin]

This is obviously one great post. The information are very insightful and helpful. Thanks for sharing all of these.

[Jen Love]

I would have thought AFF was the top of the top. Great list to know.
Thanks

[Davion]

It is quite surprising that FriendFinder's conversion figures are so low.

[Aurelius Tjin]

Hey,

Nice stats!

This is an information that is obviously of great value. I totally agree with your statements.Thanks for sharing it!:)

[Ashley]

HI,
HERE IS A BEST AFFILIATE DATING PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN EARN LOTS OF CASH WHICH CAN BE PAID EVERY 2 WEEKS. THIS IS AMAZING PROGRAM WHERE I AM EARNING $214/DAY.

VISIT ONCE TO EARN $$$'S
http://www.mayaloka.in

[Day Jobs]

Wow, those are some amazing stats. Aren't those dating programs the hardest to promote though? Would anybody care to expand a little bit more?

Thanks,

Larry
Day Job Killer
http://hrdo.com/JobKiller

[Sinela]

Hi,
Thank You for sharing your statement!

I think that making money online is what majority of people love and Looking for.

My own experience has showed me that Google AdSense is easiest and quickest way to make money online.

Nothing can be done to help people, who are doing online business, better than improving the way they apply to maximize their Google AdSense revenue.

Success,

[Geoff Dodd]

Thanks for the Dating sites affiliate program data. Remember the monetization model of PlentyOfFish.com - Adsense, initially. GD.

[Regular marketing player]

I think I have to agree with Ashley and Day Jobs for instance when I say that at this point I wouldn't even talk about niches no more. Or, are you really convinced that even inside the dating market itself there's room for more?

[Uzzzer]

If you need to decide where to merge your traffic- stop at https://valary.com
They have Pay per click, pay per action, contexts. Check their home page for more information, but I have never been shaved by them for all the time I work!

[Craig]

We need a table or survey of affiliates who have been paid promptly or not.

[Alia]

Check out our affiliate program at www.ittakes2.com. We are of the opinion that creatives and functionality are what convert your page views into commission the best. Drop me a line to get a peak at our new campaign.

[Josh]

Hello,

the eHarmony affiliate program (led by "Jeff Gordon") is a complete mess and has been now for over 6 months. Jeff is the most unresponsive affiliate manager ever. He is consistently late in meeting deadlines and terminates affiliate accounts at the slightest provocation. The reporting for eHarmony is completely screwed up, with the CJ audit pixel catching more sales than eHarmony is reporting.

Run, don't walk away from the eHarmony affiliate program. It is nothing but trouble.

[Timothy Horrigan]

Do you have a sense if the Yahoo pay per clicks were all from Personals... or were other Yahoo! services mixed in (e.g., HotJobs, web hosting, etc.)?

[Tim Rees]

Have you got any updates on the latest stats on these and other sites.

Obviously the stats that you have access to are only your own personal findings, on a site which is not aimed at dating sites consumers.

Is there anyone out there who has an independent review of these sorts of stats for different dating sites, and hopefully has put figures together from a number of sources to get good averages across different advertising mediums?

These sorts of comparative stats would be highly insightful for anyone looking to promote dating sites. And for companies like us to know where we stand competitively against others….. we know we convert and pay highly, but its nice to see it in black and white from a 3rd party!