how do you setup your dating site?

Can anyone who has a dating site post some feedback please?

Would be interesting for an ideas base...

If you have built a dating site, how have you set it up?

Is it free membership, then pay for 'premium' content?

If so, what content do you include as free, and what as premium?

It seems the basic way to do it is to have free membership, allowing to view but not message members, 

or to have trial membership that expires maybe?

One thing I was thinking it would be very cool to have is a 'premium profile' where normal members get slimmed down profiles and no contact, premium members get extended profile content, and can contact etc...

I guess this could be done by page block settings, allowing viewing to premium members only?

would be an interesting module development there...

I may not be the right person to respond since I don't have dating sites nor have I ever used them...but

Most dating sites get their members by offering 'something' for free. This may include things such as:

- The initial sign up and profile creation

- Matching

- Browse profile capability only

Of course if you want to contact someone, view their photos/videos, etc. that's where you have to come out of pocket. Between using Page Access Control and permission levels, you should be able to set this up without using 3rd party modules. Now there are modules in the market that you can add that applies to dating/flirting sites and each should be controlled by permission levels.

Here is the kicker. Why would someone come to your site and possibly pay rather than go to one of the other well established mega dating sites? Creating a dating site is like creating a social networking site. The fact that other (more popular) sites already exist, it's extremely difficult to get people to join yours. Well actually, it's not that you can get some friends and family to join, it is most difficult to get them to come back and use the site after joining. For example: The chance for someone to start using your social networking site instead of something like Facebook, is pretty much slim and none.

Unless your site offers something no other does or you plan on spending loads on advertising (Radio, TC, Ads, etc), you have a difficult road ahead. I understand that you would like to hear other people's ideas here, but the key is to build your site around your own unique ideas in order to even be close to successful. Good luck!

Getting site traffic / members is not really my problem, niche and content takes care of that, also understanding the need for the site in the first place...

Im really more interested in different ways people have set up their dating sites, just out of interest! 

I've made some in the past for others and they've been fairly successful. I know how to use dolphin in order to get the functionality needed, just curious what approach others may have incase Im stuck on my own way of thinking!

One thing I  have noticed with some dating sites which is a real con...

There are some that are more 'niche' out there, that are built on a white label 'plug n play' type script, most focus on niche communities. When you go on the site, they promise x number of genuine members, however, look closer and you find the same members are on all the other sites that use the same script!

Either they are not real, or they do white label using a single database... either way, its a con as people pay to join these thinking they are getting into a community with the same niche interest as themselves...