4 ms·

Ask HN: Is dating/relationship advice a big niche?

10 points by frankphilips 12y ago

omnivore 12y ago
How so?
angersock 12y ago
Judging by the advertisements on porn websites and lifestyle magazines online, as well as Cosmo and whatnot offline, yes. It's one of the most reliable sources of trouble for people, one that transcends language, culture, and time. As long as you have somebody who is lonely or getting less action/attention then they think they should, you have a potential customer.
- adamchavez73 12y ago
  I'm curious what kind of ads you're see? Which companies are advertising services in this niche? I know marriage counsellors charge crazy fees, and there are a bunch of "relationship therapists" out there...but not sure how technology can disrupt this niche.
RealGeek 12y ago
I know people who make $1 million+ yearly in affiliate commissions in this niche. There are many info products, membership clubs and networks with 7 figure revenue and few with 8 figure revenue. Example: http://www.pauljanka.com http://www.pauljanka.com makes 7 figures. Source: http://mixergy.com/dan-caron-member-mouse-interview/ http://mixergy.com/dan-caron-member-mouse-interview/
- frankphilips 12y ago
  I'm guessing it's all in the marketing?
AnimalMuppet 12y ago
As others have said, yes, it's big. But it's also crowded. And it's hard to be clearly better than the existing players. (Or at least, hard to be clearly better in the eyes of those looking for advice.)
- frankphilips 12y ago
  But as with all existing players, there's always room for competition. Just look at Tinder disrupting the dating scene when there were already big names like POF, OkCupid, etc.
User9821 12y ago
What type of advice? User submitted content and advice (http://www.reddit.com/r/relationships http://www.reddit.com/r/relationships), or a site where you write articles about 'the top 10 secrets to dating every guy should know'? It is a big niche, but it's also highly competitive, and you would be competing against people that are already well connected and established in the industry. I would say the chances of success are extremely slim.
DanBC 12y ago
Reddit and StackOverflow exist. What would you do differently?
- nickthemagicman 12y ago
  Stack Overflow has relationship advice? I can figure out my code and my gf in one stop?
  - DanBC 12y ago
    I meant to say "Stack Exchange". And it was an Area51 proposed site but it failed for not enough activity. http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/44577/relationships-and-dating http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/44577/relationship...
mattmanser 12y ago
Simple pickup are examples of guys who did it recently. The darker, and more dollars, can be found at /r/seduction and darker still is /r/TheRedPill/ Every few years there seem to be a fad about these things, HN used to have these pick up artist posts pop up regularly until about 2 years ago. I got the impression that there was a large SV contingent involved in the pickup artist scene which eventually spawned the brogrammer movement, though no-one openly discusses it. Wild speculation ofc...
thejteam 12y ago
I think it's so big a niche that it doesn't qualify for the term niche. It's one of the biggest industries around. Large mainstream magazines are centered around it. TV shows are centered around it. Not that there aren't ways for individuals to make a lot of money of differentiating themselves.

10 points by frankphilips 12y ago

How so?

Judging by the advertisements on porn websites and lifestyle magazines online, as well as Cosmo and whatnot offline, yes. It's one of the most reliable sources of trouble for people, one that transcends language, culture, and time. As long as you have somebody who is lonely or getting less action/attention then they think they should, you have a potential customer.

adamchavez73 12y ago
I'm curious what kind of ads you're see? Which companies are advertising services in this niche? I know marriage counsellors charge crazy fees, and there are a bunch of "relationship therapists" out there...but not sure how technology can disrupt this niche.

RealGeek 12y ago

I know people who make $1 million+ yearly in affiliate commissions in this niche. There are many info products, membership clubs and networks with 7 figure revenue and few with 8 figure revenue. Example: http://www.pauljanka.com http://www.pauljanka.com makes 7 figures. Source: http://mixergy.com/dan-caron-member-mouse-interview/ http://mixergy.com/dan-caron-member-mouse-interview/

frankphilips 12y ago
I'm guessing it's all in the marketing?

AnimalMuppet 12y ago

As others have said, yes, it's big. But it's also crowded. And it's hard to be clearly better than the existing players. (Or at least, hard to be clearly better in the eyes of those looking for advice.)

frankphilips 12y ago
But as with all existing players, there's always room for competition. Just look at Tinder disrupting the dating scene when there were already big names like POF, OkCupid, etc.

User9821 12y ago

What type of advice? User submitted content and advice (http://www.reddit.com/r/relationships http://www.reddit.com/r/relationships), or a site where you write articles about 'the top 10 secrets to dating every guy should know'? It is a big niche, but it's also highly competitive, and you would be competing against people that are already well connected and established in the industry. I would say the chances of success are extremely slim.

DanBC 12y ago

Reddit and StackOverflow exist. What would you do differently?

nickthemagicman 12y ago
Stack Overflow has relationship advice? I can figure out my code and my gf in one stop?
- DanBC 12y ago
  I meant to say "Stack Exchange". And it was an Area51 proposed site but it failed for not enough activity. http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/44577/relationships-and-dating http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/44577/relationship...

mattmanser 12y ago

Simple pickup are examples of guys who did it recently. The darker, and more dollars, can be found at /r/seduction and darker still is /r/TheRedPill/ Every few years there seem to be a fad about these things, HN used to have these pick up artist posts pop up regularly until about 2 years ago. I got the impression that there was a large SV contingent involved in the pickup artist scene which eventually spawned the brogrammer movement, though no-one openly discusses it. Wild speculation ofc...

thejteam 12y ago

I think it's so big a niche that it doesn't qualify for the term niche. It's one of the biggest industries around. Large mainstream magazines are centered around it. TV shows are centered around it. Not that there aren't ways for individuals to make a lot of money of differentiating themselves.