How to Set Up a Free Dating Website
In this era of information technology and on-the-go lifestyles, the popularity of online dating sites is soaring. You can enter into this fast-growing, in-demand market by offering a quality alternative to the paid membership sites. Whether you simply like playing matchmaker or hope to eventually turn your free dating website into a profitable project, follow this simple guide to accomplish your goal.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Computer Internet connection Domain name Web host Website design software Testers (friends or family members)
Instructions
-
-
1
Research the competition. Investigate the features of the most popular online dating sites. Ask yourself what features are successful, what design elements are attractive and what population segments seem to be underrepresented. Use this information to gauge the direction in which you want to take your free dating website.
-
2
Brainstorm. Draw on the information you gathered during the research phase to decide on the logistics of your free dating website. Choose your dating site's name, which should be descriptive yet easy to remember.
-
-
3
Register your domain name and choose a web host. Your domain name is essentially your dating website's Internet address, and your web host is a service that stores your site's pages on its server. Sites like GoDaddy.com and Yahoo.com offer inexpensive registration fees and web hosting, and often provide a multitude of add-on services.
-
4
Design your free dating website. You can use some of the free software available online, such as PersonalWebKit, Web Studio 4.0 or Homestead, or invest in a product like Dreamweaver. When designing your site, consider the color scheme, the layout, the copy, navigation and site mapping. Keep your site user-friendly and easy to navigate.
-
5
Test your online dating website. Ensure that your site is easy to use, navigable and in good working order. Enlist the help of friends or family members and have them perform a task. For example, ask your roommate to upload his photo and ask your sister to create her dating profile. This step will allow you to see what areas of your site need improvement.
-
6
Advertise. No one will come to your site without knowing about it. One way to ensure you reach your target audience is to submit your free dating website to search engines, including Google.com, Yahoo.com and Ask.com.
-
7
Go live. Upload your free dating website to your web host; this is often done using an FTP tool provided by your web host. Now sit back and watch as people discover your site and start connecting with each other.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If you are not computer or design savvy, enlist the help of a friend or professional to assist in the design of your free dating website. Catering to a specific market, such as single mothers, vegetarians or animal lovers, will increase your site's traffic.
Although you are offering a free dating website, you will have to pay to register your domain name and store your site on your web host's server.
