
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 Pinterest improves ad platform, advertisers continue to increase spend
May 16, 2025
While ad spend on Pinterest might be low, momentum among buyers is building.

After a year of Google’s AI Overviews, marketers consider tweaking their paid search strategies
May 16, 2025
Faced with shifting user habits, some agencies and clients are adapting their approaches to paid search a year after Google launched AI Overviews.

AI is scaling in advertising – outcome-based pay isn’t
May 16, 2025
AI may be racing ahead in advertising but it hasn’t yet rewritten the invoice.