Tech News
Jampersonals.com – The largest Jamaican online dating site
Dwayne Black is the Jamaican entrepreneur who owns Jampersonals.com, Jamaica’s largest online dating website with over 34,000 active members. We spoke to him about his role as an online cupid and the business that has grown out of that.
SC: As the founder of this online dating site, give us your Age, Sex, Location as they do online.
DB: Age: 29yrs, Male and located between Miami and Kingston
SC: What led you into the online dating business?
DB:I just saw the need to bring Jamaicans together, before Jampersonals.com, if you live in Kingston you would have to date someone in Kingston or if you live in Mandeville you have to date someone in Mandeville and the same holds true for Jamaicans overseas, so I figured — I should create a site where Jamaicans both home and abroad can keep in touch and date where ever they are. Now Jampersonals.com has achieved just that.
SC: How long has the site been online and how many active members does it currently have?
DB: The site came out from the days when the Internet wasn’t so popular in 2004 in Jamaica. I remembered how excited I was when the first couple of members signed up. It is amazing how it has grown, approximately 35,000 at the moment.
SC: In terms of a male:female ratio who dominates?
DB: It’s pretty much even as the women are just as interesting as the men are in the new wave of meeting people across the island.
SC: Explain your business model, how are you making money?
DB: Basically from the advertisers that sponsor our site.
SC: How do you market the site?
DB: Wow, that’s complicated. But in summary I do my marketing mostly with Google’s Adwords program and of course word-of-mouth, since this is new to Jamaicans they spread the word.
SC: What are the challenges and downside of an online dating business?
DB: The only challenge I feel is in trying to please my members. You know, trying to keep them all happy and comfortable on the site and have them know that it is all private and secure. Unlike those friends network where everybody know who you are talking to.
SC: Which sites do you consider to be your true competitors?
DB: Because Jampersonals.com is the only TRUE Jamaican dating site with its main focus on Jamaicans both home and overseas and it also caters to people in other countries who are looking to hook up with Jamaicans, then I would honestly say none.
SC: Care to disclose your monthly revenue? Or can you that your site is profitable or not?
DB: The site is viable. I don’t focus on revenue, when I started this site it was out of two of my passions: computer programming and bringing Jamaicans together. That still remains the site’s focus today.
SC: What was the online dating scene like in Jamaica and the Caribbean at the time you started your site?
DB: When I started, the Internet was fairly new in Jamaica and the Caribbean, not many persons had access to it or could afford it. So there was no online dating site in Jamaica or the Caribbean at that time that I’m aware of. I think I broke grounds with Jampersonals.com and paved the way for the many Caribbean dating sites now exist but Jampersonals.com still remain the only TRUE Jamaican dating site.
SC: What do you think are the top 3 things that have made your online dating site successful?
DB: The members, the members and the members, lol!
SC: What’s the ultimate goal for you and Jampersonals?
DB: The ultimate goal for Jampersonals is to have all Jamaicans both home and abroad becoming members and for Jampersonals to realize it true potential. We want to revolutionize the whole online dating scene in Jamaica and to be the epitome of dating service for Jamaicans.
SC: Any other online businesses you’re gunning to start? If yes tell us some more if you can
DB: PalsFinder.com is the international version to Jampersonals.com, however, there are a few more being brewed, but until I’ve tasted the pot, I cannot say at this time LOL! But as soon as they are ready to be launch you’ll be the first to know.