OkCupid, a free dating service with more than 500,000 active users, recently dumped its in-house instant messaging system and fell for Userplane Webmessenger™, an IM and chat tool featuring both live text and streaming audio/video.

The site, launched in 2004, initially featured an internally developed IM system. OkCupid’s homegrown application provided enough real-time communication capability to get matches quickly past the getting-to-know-you stage… but as a text-only IM platform, it just wasn’t alluring enough.

In fall 2006, OkCupid decided to hook up with Userplane and provide a richer, more three-dimensional experience to its users. With Userplane Webmessenger, OkCupid users now enjoy live chat, as well as audio/video messaging.

“Among big community sites, Userplane has become the industry standard,” said Sam Yagan, OkCupid co-founder and chief executive officer. “They’ve polished IM features to such an extent that they were the only clear alternative to our in-house IM.”

To drive IM use, OKCupid embedded IM functionality throughout the site and got creative with custom integration.

“We’re really trying to encourage people to engage in IM as much as possible. Whenever a user looks at someone’s profile or views everyone who’s online, they see a ‘click to IM’ button. Then, for someone receiving an incoming IM, we embedded the player right under our logo where they can’t miss it. They immediately see the picture of the person trying to IM them, so they can decide right then and there whether to engage.”

“Among big community sites, Userplane has become the industry standard.They’ve polished IM features to such an extent that they were the clear alternative to our in-house IM.”

– Sam Yagan, OkCupid.com