Written by Phineas Upham
OkCupid really began with the creation of a website called “TheSpark,” which was a collection of humorous personality quizzes and tests. It also included a match test based off the Myers-Briggs ideology.
The inclusion of that tool sparked a new spinoff website called “SparkMatch.” Users were able to search for others based on the outcome of their match tests, and contact each other to meet up. SparkMatch became immediately popular and the founders created OkCupid to handle the demand. They sold off SparkNotes to Barnes and Noble and focused exclusively on the dating sector.
The test one takes upon becoming a member of OkCupid is almost exactly the same as the original match test on SparkMatch. The company takes great pride in its testing, and has even licensed the quiz program it uses out to other companies. It also developed the subsidiary Hello-Quizzy as a spinoff to its testing, but the site remains niche compared to OkCupid. OkCupid also looks at a member’s interactions on the site to determine which matches are best for them.
OkCupid has more than 3 million active users on its website, and the site had an extremely active community of bloggers until the journal service shut down. Anyone can join the website, with A-List accounts reaping the benefits of an ad free experience and increased options for filtering.
OkCupid is also both famous and infamous for its blog “OkTrends,” which analyzes the behavior of its users in an attempt to discuss trends in the dating world.
Phineas Upham is an investor from NYC and SF. You may contact Phineas on his Phineas Upham website
