Finding Love in All the Right Niches

    Do you speak Klingon? HIja' (yes). Then, you probably avoid romantic partners whose mothers have smooth foreheads. Try checking out www.trekpassions.com, a Sci-Fi personals and social networking community site for science fiction lovers, including, but not limited to, lovers of Star Trek and Star Wars. You might even find a date for the upcoming trekkie convention. Grok!?  

On the other hand, if you’re into darkness, the occult, and clubbing, www.gothpassions.com will give you an entrée into chat rooms full of ancient souls and restless wanders along with ads for all things Goth, including vampire fangs and bark clothes.            

As online dating has become more popular, the 20 million people who visit at least one online dating service per month are increasingly turning to niche dating sites to find their soulmate. “It’s easier to break the ice when you have something in common. That’s our underlying theme as opposed to the large sites where you’re in with the masses,” said Michael Carter, president of Passions Network.  

Carter started Passions Network in 2004. Today, with 106 individual niche sites and more than 600,000 subscribers, it’s the largest online social networking service. When members log in, they can create their own passion network. Like yoga? Then, place your profile on the yoga passions site. Into politics? Sign up for Republican Passions or Democratic Passions, or, if your political platform is about saving the planet, try Green Passions.  

Continue picking and choosing from a myriad of other special interests ranging from trucking to big, beautiful women to shy people to music to pretty much whatever your heart desires. “You don’t have to define yourself as solely this or that. People end up with their own personal network,” said Carter. Once, you’ve selected your passions, link in your Facebook and MySpace profiles and create your own social network gateway.  

If you’re looking for someone to date, fine. On the other hand, if you’re just interested in meeting people with similar interests to hang with, that’s fine, too. And, this is where social networking sites take connecting to a new level. They’re about meeting great people and making friends, first. If romance happens, hey, you’ll have that when interesting people get together. “The biggest reason people get off the site is they’ve met someone,” Carter said.

In addition to Carter’s megasite, there are hundreds of other niche dating sites catering to your every interest. Looking for someone with whom to swirl, smell, and sip the finest reds and whites? Then, check out Wine Lovers Meet.com where classy oenophiles connect.

Are you a “Must Love Dogs” type? Then, sniff around the message boards of AnimalAttraction.com where you’ll find something to bark about. AnimalAttraction.com is the only community that has members post profiles not only about themselves, but also about their pets. There’s even a $250 monthly cutest pet photo contest.

Do you want to marry a millionaire? Dr. Phil has hosted several programs featuring couples who met through Sugardaddie.com. Whatever your interests, there’s likely to be social networking/dating site catering to them.


11 GREAT NICHE SOCIAL NETWORKING DATING SITES.  

ChristianMingle http://www.christianmingle.com 
Free to surf and send cards. Must pay to send e-mails. This is an ideal destination for Christian men and women to find friends, dates, and even soul mates, all within the faith. In just minutes, you can create a profile and be ready to mingle with other members in your area. Enjoy chat rooms, instant messenger, message boards, Bible verse of the day, searchable Bible, and many other great features.  

JDate.com http://www.jdate.com  
One month $39.99 As the modern alternative to traditional Jewish matchmaking, JDate is the premier Jewish singles community on the Net. JDate has more than half-a-million members worldwide and is one of the few personals sites around that boasts a nearly perfect 50:50 male-to-female ratio. They have public lecture series, travel and event links and even sponsor various get-togethers such as the Mile-High Valentine in Breckenridge coming up February 10-14.  

Farmers Only http://www.farmersonly.com/ 
Free trial. For farmers, ranchers, ag students, horse and livestock owners and all animal lovers as well as cowboys, cowgirls, rodeo fans and country wannabes. "You don't have to be a farmer, but you do have to have good old-fashioned down to earth values," said Farmers Only Founder Jerry Miller. Miller believes there are basically two groups in America. Group one: their lives revolve around four dollar cups of coffee, taxi cabs, blue suits, high heels, conference rooms and getting ahead at all costs in the corporate world. If you fall into this group this is probably the wrong online dating site for you. Group two: they enjoy blue skies, wide open spaces, raising animals, appreciating nature and truly understand the meaning of Southern hospitality, even if they don't live in the South. This is not a geographic area, this is a slice of America with good old-fashioned traditional values, values that were never lost by the farmer. Apparently 87,829 people are looking for just such a match.