One of the most common features on most online dating websites are promises of free personals. These offers usually entail spaces for members to post descriptions about themselves and post pictures. Though most sites advertise free personals as part of their services, the promise of free personals is often used to lure potential new members to the website. While visitors are able to create their own profile at no charge, in order to message or contact other members, or even view other ‘free personals’ all users may be required to register and pay.
With the influx of free personals into the online dating industry, the space for pay dating sites and pay personals is diminishing. As the industry gets more and more competitive, it’s almost a requirement for successful sites to offer their clients free services, or at the very least a free space to post personal information. Traditional classified ads are also moving online. Weekly newspapers and online classified services usually have a ‘personals’ section, though they are not always free to advertise in either.
Some online daters are using these free spaces as their own personal ads,...