Newsletter: November 21, 2008

Putting up a defence

Every single day there are many things that take place behind the scenes at Bone Fish that you are probably unaware of. Revamps to member sites, developments on the service and programme, the updating of software and vast security improvements. And it is the latter that we are proud to be highlighting today.

In an increasingly-frustrating attempt to combat the likes of hackers and scammers, Bone Fish has taken security measures one step further and has developed its very own bespoke "Anti-Scammer and Hacker Defence System (Version II)".

With nearly ten years experience in dealing with hacker and scammer systems, Bone Fish has designed this new model with more knowledge under its wing than ever before, and this time feels that it may have hit the proverbial nail right on the head.

Launched on November 3rd 2008, Bone Fish is already seeing absolutely fantastic results. In less than a month there has already been a dramatic 86% drop in scammer activity on the service, and the new system is proving to be beneficial to Bone Fish, its affiliates and members alike.

What`s more, this system has helped to eliminate the problem that some affiliates - particularly those from Eastern Europe and North America - were experiencing upon trying to access the admin centre. There is now no problem at all and those mentioned above should be pleasantly surprised when they attempt to access their accounts without a hitch.

We won`t say that "time will tell" because this new Anti-Scammer and Hacker Defence System has already been tried and tested for about a month and so far, it has most definitely been living up to all expectations. However, if you would like to find out more or if you have any other questions regarding this matter then please feel free to email us at: mailto:affiliates@bone-fish.com.


Until next week,


The Bone Fish Affiliate Department


Spruce up your site

Over the past few months we`ve been showcasing a number of new sites that - even if we do say so ourselves - really do look top-notch. This has prompted many of you to write in and request assistance with sprucing up your tired and weary websites so that you can stand out against the rest - and time and time again Bone Fish has, of course, obliged.

So to be fair to the rest of you, Bone Fish is now opening its doors and is welcoming all other affiliates to write in if they feel that their site is not up to scratch and therefore not making what it should.

However, we would like to point out that most sites have been designed by the affiliates themselves and not Bone Fish, and that there is a growing waiting list for the re-designing of headers, etc.

But if you do feel like giving your site a mini makeover for the new year and sprucing up its style - oh, and you have an ounce of creativity and handful of patience - then simply click the button below and wait approximately 2 working days for the Design Department to get in touch with you.

Click here to spruce up your site

The Bone Fish Guide to Online Marketing

SEO for Firefox

This week we`ve found two videos on SEO for Firefox - a free Firefox extension that adds many search engine optimization data points into Google and Yahoo`s SERPs. Ultimately, it helps you get a grip on your marketing and shows important competitive research and search engine marketing data directly inside Google and Yahoo`s search results.

Already over 130,000 webmasters use SEO for Firefox, so we do highly suggest that you try it out and see what you think. In our opinion it does pull together many useful marketing data points and as such, makes it relatively easy to obtain a holistic view of the competitive landscape in the search results.

Let us know what you think!

How to use SEO for Firefox:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Kc4NiQDkjQ&feature=related

Google Rank Checker Tool:
http://blog.jumpfly.com/public/item/google-advertising-google-adwords-launches-improvements-to-ads-quality-0211

Newsletter: November 14th 2008

88 reasons why Bone Fish is the best

This week we would like congratulate a very special Bone Fish affiliate. However, unlike other weeks when we`ve merely praised an affiliate for his/her enthusiasm and creativity, this week our reason is very different. We would like to bring Colin (from the UK) into the limelight for being the first affiliate to set-up an astounding 88 sites in just over a month. Yes, that`s right - 88 SITES.

According to our files and considering that all 88 sites have been completed from start to finish FROM SCRATCH, this is most certainly a record and feat that Colin should indeed be very proud of.

Upon purchasing a number of varying domain names, this affiliate proceeded to work with Bone Fish Ltd to produce a comprehensive portfolio of sites that would pretty much cover each and every niche market out there. And he has certainly achieved it.

To give you a rough idea of what Colin is capable of, take a look at one of the following sites: www.idesirepassion.com, www.pixel-partners.com, www.blackloving.co.uk www.adulterate.co.uk and www.someone4everyone.net, or any of his other 83 Bone Fish portals.
Colin tells us: "I was looking at creating a number of affiliation sites across a broad spectrum and seeing how they performed. I could see that online dating was likely to be a growth area because it is an industry whose main aim is to make people happy. I searched online and found that Bone Fish Ltd offered a white label option that I liked the sound of because I could add my own branding. Also, the site looked good and some of its portfolio and user sites looked very impressive.

"I myself have a large portfolio of domain names and wanted to create a network of dating sites. Then, when I was online looking at the affiliate control panel with a view to cracking on, I got a call from Mike and we had a long chat about my plans. I have found Mike to be extremely helpful, communicative and good humoured, and have found over the last couple of months that the affiliate support that is given is second to none."

One site in the portfolio that particularly stands out is Colin`s www.findalesbiandate.com. Aimed at the exceptionally-converting niche network, "Lesbians" (12.5%), this elegantly designed portal is set to be one of the most popular lesbian services on the Bone Fish programme. Take a look and see for yourself.

In the meantime, Bone Fish would like to give Colin a big "thumbs up" - he`s done a truly fantastic job with getting EIGHTY EIGHT SITES off the ground in such a short space of time, and we really do very much appreciate his ability to look outside of the box and see the larger picture. These qualities are bound to help him succeed.

Until next time....



The Bone Fish Affiliate Department



Employee Spotlight: Suzi Langley

Who are you and where do you come from?
My name`s Suzi. I was born in Essex, raised between Gibraltar and Spain, and am now living in Sotogrande on the Costa del Sol. As you`ve probably guessed, I cross the border every day to come to work, and (depending on how lazy I`m feeling), walk to Gibraltar`s town centre where I reunite with the rest of the Bone Fish team. I can be contacted during normal working hours at: suzi.langley@bone-fish.com.

What is it that you do at Bone Fish?
Here at Bone Fish I look after any marketing, PR and content issues. My job is to spread the good word about Bone Fish and it`s services, ensure that it receives good press coverage, market the company and its products to the rest of the world, and create any and all content for both the corporate and the member sides of the business.

If you weren`t working in this industry what would you be doing instead?
Due to my love of writing and the fact that my career has always been heavily-based on the written word (editing, subbing, copy writing and magazine editorial), if I wasn`t working in the online dating industry I would be a full-time novelist, trying to complete my first bestseller so that I could become a lady of extreme luxury and leisure.

What`s the best thing about working at Bone Fish?
Working at Bone Fish Ltd has allowed me to immerse myself in an industry that is not only extremely lucrative, but also a lot of good fun too. At this moment in time it`s extremely big business and as such, it`s great to be part of such a buzzing market that just keeps sprouting out in all directions.

Aside from this, I would like to point out that Bone Fish is a hip, young company with a strong vision and great determination to succeed. The team behind it is made up of very different individuals who have completely different personalities, turning Bone Fish into a mini microcosm of the world.

What are boss Mike`s good and bad points?
Given their young age (10 brownie points achieved with just four words), I have to say that I admire both Mike and his partner Graham for what they have achieved over the last few years - and all from scratch.

In my opinion, their success should be put down to their personalities. Both have a fantastic sense of humour and know exactly what they want and just how to get it. They are determined to succeed and never let anyone or anything get in their way. This, I find impressive.
In terms of qualms, the only real derogatory issue I have to say about Mike is that standing beside him makes me feel rather insignificant. With his 10-foot presence, my 3-foot excuse-for-human-height, my seemingly lack of vision and my refusal to wear specs, only a step ladder would ever place me on his level.


Explain to the world why Bone Fish is the greatest white label dating provider ever!
Think about it - 15,000 affiliates can`t all be wrong!!!
And with a 90% referral rate, 28 niche networks, 4 million members and tax-free commissions, why would any of our affiliates ever want to work with anyone else?


The Bone Fish Guide to Online Marketing

How to go about adding a sub domain to your site

Regardless of whether you`re a newbie on the Bone Fish programme or an affiliate that`s been around for quite some time, why not take a look at the two videos that we`ve found on You Tube regarding setting up sub domains.

Hopefully these videos should be good guides on how to go about setting up sub domains for Bone Fish brand sites, and should help to get affiliates moving all on their own.

However, if you do need a helping hand or would rather be assisted by an actual member of the affiliate team, then simply let us know by emailing affiliates@bone-fish.com.

Sub Domains with Go Daddy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw5mi8ihA5A

Creating a Sub Domain:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJBwD-K64sI

Press: Lesbian sites lead the way in the online dating industry

PRESS RELEASE

Lesbian sites lead the way in the online dating industry

This month, Bone Fish Ltd – the world’s first ever FREE white label dating provider with an affiliate portfolio of over 14,000 sites and a membership base of 3.7 million – reveals a significant rise in lesbian online dating and hails it as the network with the highest conversation rate to date.


November, 2008

Bone Fish Ltd, the white label dating provider that is approaching its tenth year in the industry, today revealed that gay networking and lesbian dating is on the rise and at present, is the strongest converting niche network in the online dating sector.

Following a recent and very exhaustive study by Bone Fish Ltd at the end of last month, it became evident that although still very much predominant in the networking arena, the traditional markets of generic romance and adult dating are no longer the highest converting networks in the online dating industry, and have – in fact – been now surpassed by the lesbian network that currently boasts an outstanding 12.5% conversion rate.

Bone Fish Ltd is a white label dating provider that runs a highly acclaimed revenue share scheme with a 90% referral rate. Its reputable programme and service enables registered affiliates to set up, execute and monitor completely pre-populated and fully branded dating and adult sites, and provides those that wish to tap into the highly lucrative world of online dating with the necessary platform and virtual infrastructure to successfully do so.

Ever since it's inception in 1999, Bone Fish Ltd has gained vast experience in operating sites for the gay community. In total, it now boasts over 1,500 homosexual sites (out of a total of 14,000 dating/adult portals across all platforms), and 501 sites that are specifically aimed at the lesbian market.

Always at the vanguard of white label dating, in 2003 Bone Fish divided its homosexual niche into specific gay and lesbian networks, offering affiliates the opportunity to tap into this previously untargeted resource at an exciting and very early stage.

In its tri-annual report that was completed late last month, it became evident that the lesbian niche has since grown at an extremely alarming rate and Bone Fish affiliates – who, in the past were predominantly drawn to the Generic Romance and Adult Dating networks believing them to be more profitable than the other networks – had begun to seize the opportunity to increase subscriptions and therefore profits.

Without a doubt the past year has seen an influx of gay and lesbian sites on the Bone Fish Programme, resulting in homosexual portals making up some 10% of the affiliate base and homosexual members accounting for 1 million individuals (550,000 lesbians and 600,000 gay men). Overall, this reflects a 30% growth in the Bone Fish homosexual market in the past year alone.

Conversion rates are hitting an all time high too. Surpassing the adult network that has been converting at a staggering 9.8% and the romance network at 8.8%, the lesbian network has this month taken the industry by storm with a staggering 12.5% conversion rate – the highest rate ever on the Bone Fish programme.

Mike Fitzgerald, director of the white label provider, comments: “Over the past year we’ve seen the online dating industry grow in leaps and bounds with new sites coming on the scene that offer more and more specialised niche networking. However, the niche that has surprised us the most has been the lesbian network – a relatively untapped market that has knocked the likes of generic online dating, adult dating and even gay dating off the top spot. At this moment in time the lesbian market is the best converting network on the Bone Fish system and has proven to be more profitable than any other theme on our service.”

“This, of course, is great news for the owners of Bone Fish lesbian sites. Because whilst many of the big players in the online dating industry disregarded the lesbian niche and pleas from Gay Rights Groups to create virtual spaces where lesbians and gays could date and network online, Bone Fish went ahead and created specialised niches to cater to this sector.”

Bone Fish Ltd operates a total of 28 different networks and has 3.7 million members on its service across the board. By Christmas, this figure is expected to reach the 4 million-mark and the conversion rate of the lesbian network is predicted to rise to 14% by the end of the first quarter of 2009.

“Since the year 2003 we have offered our affiliates the chance to delve into this untapped market, and today - only 5 years later - they are enjoying the highest conversion rate of our whole spectrum. This is very surprising indeed and a business opportunity that should not go amiss.”

Newsletter: November 11th 2008

Members Area Scheduled for Testing

Doesn`t time fly? Friday`s here again and in no time at all it`ll be Christmas and expenses will be flowing faster than a running tap. Thankfully though, pay day is just around the corner - so you`re probably still in time to save a few pennies and closet some commissions before the Christmas season really kicks in.

This month, those that are normally paid by a BACS bank transfer will receive their monies after the weekend (on Monday 10th), and those that receive their monies through PayPal should get hold of their funds on Wednesday 13th. However, those that receive their commissions and bonuses by cheque are unfortunately in the hands of Postman Pat and the local postal service. (Remember, if you want to change this option and speed up the way in which you receive your commissions each month, email us at: affiliates@bone-fish.com).

This week we have another piece of good news for you. After months and months of waiting with anticipation, Bone Fish`s new members` area is now scheduled for live beta pre-launch testing (phase II).

Fresh, funky, functional and fabulously fantastic, the new members` area will be open for testing between Friday and Sunday of next week. Essentially, that`s a whole weekend for you, our affiliates, to pull it to pieces or praise us for all our hard work over the past year.

Those that have volunteered to give us a hand with the testing of the new system will be contacted shortly, and those that would like to join in the fun can request the necessary testing documentation as from today.

And that`s about it. All that`s left to say is keep watching this space because next week we`ll be announcing how to access our fantastic new member`s area that will revolutionise the world of online dating. (Well, at least we hope it will).

Until next week....



The Bone Fish Affiliate Department



Employee Spotlight: Charlie Thompson

Who are you and where do you come from?
My name is Charlie and I come from sunny Scarborough.

What is it that you do at Bone Fish?
I am a web developer who is responsible for the maintenance and upgrading of the Bone Fish online dating service. So, any queries of this nature can be directed to me at: CharlieT@bone-fish.com.

If you weren`t working in this industry what would you be doing instead?
Fighting for Queen and Country in Her Majesty`s Finest.

What`s the best thing about working at Bone Fish?
Looking at babes at 8:30 on a Monday morning - it`s even better than coffee and wakes me up much faster!

What are boss Graham`s good and bad points?
Graham is essentially one of the lads - a real man`s man, he loves camping, hates drinking aromatic teas and never eats salad!

Explain to the world why Bone Fish is the greatest white label dating provider ever!
Slick code and tons of women. Plus, even if someone hits every branch of the ugly tree on the way down, Bone Fish can still find them someone to give them a taste of their dream!



The Bone Fish Guide to Online Marketing

Google Tools

For the past month we`ve been providing you with top quality videos to help you with your SEO and online marketing techniques. However, some of you out there are still very much geared towards reading the written-word to help you get that much further. As such, this week we`ve found three very interesting articles that are all related to Google.

The first article discusses some surprising new features on Google Analytics (for example, advanced segmentation and custom reports); the second link takes you to an article on how Google has changed the way that it calculates quality score and ranks ads; and the third discusses search result lockdowns.

All three are well-worth a read and may just help you with the way you approach your marketing strategies.

Google Analytics Update:
http://analytics.blogspot.com/2008/10/more-enterprise-class-features-added-to.html

Google Changes its PPC Algorythm:
http://blog.jumpfly.com/public/item/google-advertising-google-adwords-launches-improvements-to-ads-quality-0211

Google Search Result Lockdown:
http://www.blogstorm.co.uk/google-search-result-lockdown/1486/