Following a recent and very exhaustive study by Bone Fish Ltd at the end of last month, it became evident that although still very much predominant in the networking arena, the traditional markets of generic romance and adult dating are no longer the highest converting networks in the online dating industry, and have – in fact – been now surpassed by the lesbian network that currently boasts an outstanding 12.5% conversion rate.
Bone Fish Ltd is a white label dating provider that runs a highly acclaimed revenue share scheme with a 90% referral rate. Its reputable programme and service enables registered affiliates to set up, execute and monitor completely pre-populated and fully branded dating and adult sites, and provides those that wish to tap into the highly lucrative world of online dating with the necessary platform and virtual infrastructure to successfully do so.
Ever since it's inception in 1999, Bone Fish Ltd has gained vast experience in operating sites for the gay community. In total, it now boasts over 1,500 homosexual sites (out of a total of 14,000 dating/adult portals across all platforms), and 501 sites that are specifically aimed at the lesbian market.
Always at the vanguard of white label dating, in 2003 Bone Fish divided its homosexual niche into specific gay and lesbian networks, offering affiliates the opportunity to tap into this previously untargeted resource at an exciting and very early stage.
In its tri-annual report that was completed late last month, it became evident that the lesbian niche has since grown at an extremely alarming rate and Bone Fish affiliates – who, in the past were predominantly drawn to the Generic Romance and Adult Dating networks believing them to be more profitable than the other networks – had begun to seize the opportunity to increase subscriptions and therefore profits.
Without a doubt the past year has seen an influx of gay and lesbian sites on the Bone Fish Programme, resulting in homosexual portals making up some 10% of the affiliate base and homosexual members accounting for 1 million individuals (550,000 lesbians and 600,000 gay men). Overall, this reflects a 30% growth in the Bone Fish homosexual market in the past year alone.
Conversion rates are hitting an all time high too. Surpassing the adult network that has been converting at a staggering 9.8% and the romance network at 8.8%, the lesbian network has this month taken the industry by storm with a staggering 12.5% conversion rate – the highest rate ever on the Bone Fish programme.
Mike Fitzgerald, director of the white label provider, comments: “Over the past year we’ve seen the online dating industry grow in leaps and bounds with new sites coming on the scene that offer more and more specialised niche networking. However, the niche that has surprised us the most has been the lesbian network – a relatively untapped market that has knocked the likes of generic online dating, adult dating and even gay dating off the top spot. At this moment in time the lesbian market is the best converting network on the Bone Fish system and has proven to be more profitable than any other theme on our service.”
“This, of course, is great news for the owners of Bone Fish lesbian sites. Because whilst many of the big players in the online dating industry disregarded the lesbian niche and pleas from Gay Rights Groups to create virtual spaces where lesbians and gays could date and network online, Bone Fish went ahead and created specialised niches to cater to this sector.”
Bone Fish Ltd operates a total of 28 different networks and has 3.7 million members on its service across the board. By Christmas, this figure is expected to reach the 4 million-mark and the conversion rate of the lesbian network is predicted to rise to 14% by the end of the first quarter of 2009.
“Since the year 2003 we have offered our affiliates the chance to delve into this untapped market, and today - only 5 years later - they are enjoying the highest conversion rate of our whole spectrum. This is very surprising indeed and a business opportunity that should not go amiss.”
For more information on the world’s first-ever white label dating programme that now boasts the highest converting lesbian-ONLY niche network, please contact the Public Relations Department at: pr@bone-fish.com. Alternatively, for a comprehensive overview of the affiliate scheme with recurring income month-after-
