OkCupid is the epitome of a data-driven brand. Founded in 2004 by four math majors, the company used data to differentiate itself in a crowded market. Most company blogs are dreary affairs, but OKCupid’s became a must-read for fun, titillating factoids like how race affects the types of messages one gets on the dating site.
Sam Yagan, an OKCupid founder, spoke at Digiday’s Data Marketing Summit about why OkCupid is so focussed on data and how it was able to monetize itself because of this wealth of data.
“People think that people turn online for dating because they need someone to find their soul mate for them, but we think it’s because you want a bigger pool of people to choose from,” he said . “Data is key to sorting through all of these people.”
Below is Yagan’s presentation and video of his talk at DMS.
More in Marketing
As feeds become entertainment hubs, marketers rethink social’s role
June 1, 2026
As social platforms become entertainment hubs, brands are acting more like media companies to capture attention and drive sales.
How Olly is updating its product detail pages for the AI era
June 1, 2026
As more shoppers use AI chatbots for recommendations, supplement brand Olly is updating its product pages with clearer descriptions and FAQs to boost AI-driven sales.
In Graphic Detail: Why the best brands are relearning how to entertain first, advertise second
June 1, 2026
Read on to learn more about the factors driving that shift, in graphic detail.