

Ask HN: how can the online dating industry be disrupted? - itmag

Disruptive online dating startups are on PG's list of things he would fund.<p>What are some general themes and idea for how to do this?<p>I'll post my own ideas as a comment in a sec.
======
itmag
Here are my ideas:

[http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-smartphone-video-
speed-...](http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-smartphone-video-speed-dating)

[http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-dating-site-staff-of-
fe...](http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-dating-site-staff-of-female-
helpers)

[http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-dating-with-with-
testim...](http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-dating-with-with-testimonials-
from-frien)

[http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-dating-site-with-
voice-...](http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-dating-site-with-voice-mail-
instead-of-m)

<http://ideashower.posterous.com/ide-date-blocket> (translation: inbox-less
insta-signup dating site)

[http://ideashower.posterous.com/ide-kontaktannonser-med-
ultr...](http://ideashower.posterous.com/ide-kontaktannonser-med-ultrakort-
tid) (translation: short dating site profiles with short duration - maybe a
bit like Twitter)

<http://ideashower.posterous.com/ide-barcode-dating-73473> (translation:
dating via stickers with those QR codes - or the user could just scribble a
unique ID with a crayon on the toilet stall walls)

[http://ideashower.posterous.com/ide-create-your-own-
dating-s...](http://ideashower.posterous.com/ide-create-your-own-dating-site)

[http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-dating-site-with-
gamifi...](http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-dating-site-with-gamification)

[http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-walk-in-my-shoes-
dating...](http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-walk-in-my-shoes-dating-site)

<http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-lunch-meetups> (not dating, but similar)

[http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-dating-site-that-
gets-r...](http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-dating-site-that-gets-
reluctant-female-s)

<http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-misc-dating-site-ideas>

[http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-systemic-general-
proble...](http://ideashower.posterous.com/idea-systemic-general-problems-
with-dating-si)

------
anujkk
Here is my blog post on same topic -

[http://blog.anujkumar.com/post/10513302814/online-dating-
pas...](http://blog.anujkumar.com/post/10513302814/online-dating-past-present-
and-future)

My idea is to not make a "dating site" but make a "hangout" site that focus on
real world hangouts with real friends and fof. Recreate the atmosphere of
college online.

~~~
itmag
Interesting.

Here's a random thought: a lot of people meet through World of Warcraft. Can
that kind of experience be replicated and tailored towards dating?

~~~
anujkk
I'm not much into role playing games so I don't have any idea about WOW.

I think the best approach is to focus online dating around these concepts :

1\. Location based - same city. I personally feel long distance relationships
suck.

2\. In known social network - friends, friends of friends, colleagues, etc.
much like google+, facebook. Friends of friends are good prospects to find
potential dates you can trust(your friends know them). This will solve "trust"
issue. Also, there will be some kind of social pressure to behave in a good
way.

3\. Things to do together(online or offline). Just match making isn't enough.
Give them ideas and things to do together:

a) Online ideas - play games, chat, watch movie together(+video chat), etc.

b) offline ideas - Visit places (restaurants, amusement park, sea beach etc),
attend events, do activities(cycling, walking, swimming, dancing etc). How
about group outings (his friends and her friends) to get things started?

