eHarmony launched in the United States in 2000 and is now the number-one trusted relationship services provider in the United States. Millions of people have used eHarmony’s Compatibility Matching System to find compatible long-term relationships; an average of 542 eHarmony members marry every day in the United States, as a result of being matched on the site.

The Challenge
Online dating has continued to increase in popularity, and with the adoption of social media the social media team at eHarmony saw an even greater opportunity to connect with both current and future members. The team at eHarmony saw social media as a chance to dispel any myths and preconceived notions about online dating and, more importantly, have some fun with their social media presence. “For us it’s about being human, and sharing great content that will help our members and our social media followers,” says Grant Langston, director of social media at eHarmony. “We believe that if there are conversations happening around our brand, we need to be there and be a part of that dialogue.”
The Approach
eHarmony started using Salesforce Marketing Cloud to listen to conversations around the brand and around keywords like “bad date” or “first date.” They also took to Facebook and Twitter to connect with members, share success stories—including engagement and wedding videos—and answer questions from those looking for dating advice. “We wanted to ensure our team felt comfortable using social media to connect with our community so we set up guidelines for how to respond and proceed,” explains Grant Langston. “We try to use humor and have some fun when we reach out to people through Twitter or Facebook. We think it makes a huge difference and helps make people feel more comfortable.”
The Results
By using social media to help educate and create awareness around the benefits of online dating, eHarmony has built a strong and loyal community. The social media team now has eight staff members working to respond to social interactions and posts, helping them reach out to clients and respond to hundreds of posts a week. They plan to start creating Facebook apps that celebrate their members’ success, and they are looking to create some new videos around some common dating mistakes. The social team at eHarmony is making all the right moves and their hard work is paying off for their millions of happy members.

Questions for Discussion
1. How did eHarmony use social media to enhance online dating?
2. What were the challenges, the proposed solution, and the obtained results?