A news article published online recently reported on the fact that social networking is starting to take the place of online dating. Many people don't want to pay for online dating sites when they can use free social networking sites to meet people.



However, the argument of the article isn't that online dating is dead. It's just that online dating sites need to step up to the times to offer a user experience that people are more interested in now that we're immersed in the web 2.0 culture.



In reality, as the article notes, there aren't a lot of major differences between online social networking sites and online dating sites. The main difference seems to be the blunt obviousness that people who are on online dating sites want to date. This may not be the case on a social networking site.



The main difference is that the user's experience on a social networking site is much more personal and customized. Those online dating sites that manage to create a more personal user experience will likely continue to succeed in the changing online market.



Question of the Day: Do you prefer meeting people through online dating sites or through social networking sites?