OkCupid

OkCupid was founded by Harvard University students Max Krohn, Sam Yagan, Chris Coyne and Christian Rudder. The site has received some recognition in its lifetime. The Boston Globe referred to OkCupid as the “Google of online dating” while About.com labeled it the “best free dating site.”  By 2010, OkCupid claimed a user community of 3.5 million men and women of both heterosexual and homosexual persuasions. The site also boasts an active blogging community that works through the OkCupid journal system. Users can update their journal (which is found on their profile). Other users can follow by listing the user as a favorite. OkCupid is free to use and requires no subscription fees or other charges to participate in any part of the site.

The Look of OkCupid

The OkCupid website uses a sleek blue and pink color scheme. Visitors are greeted by the smiling graphic of a woman, welcoming them to begin searching using the drop down boxes found on the homepage.  The boxes begin at a very basic level, allowing the user to select their gender, sexual orientation and status.  Each step adds a few more details such as location, date of birth and email address (for users who wish to create an account). The site is relatively simple, but offers a number of helpful features that allow users to get to know one another in a relaxed environment.

The OkCupid Community

OkCupid promotes a diverse community of users. The free access is appealing to almost anyone and the site does not set any demographic limitations (other than that the user be a legal adult to participate). The OkCupid blog, which is called OkTrends, covers community related information and shares it. Since July of 2009,  articles posted to the OkTrends blog have seen more than one million unique viewers.

OkCupid Features

OkCupid offers users a number of options to get to know those in the community. Along with the OkTrends blog and the ability to maintain a user created journal, OkCupid implements a math based system to determine a user’s compatibility. Tests and quizzes are also available, such as the dating test that provides insight into the user’s dating personality. OkCupid users can also perform a match search and view who is currently online.