Do MAFS Couples Still Together Make More $ On Social Media?

Married At First Sight 2024 is over for another year which means we’ve got one thing to look forward to: the day Channel Nine gives their social media accounts back. Let the gooch period be over already!

Who’s going to post about still being together? Who’s going to announce their breakup? Who’s going to go fucking rogue on Instagram Stories and blame the edit for anything shit they said?

Somewhere along the way, social media became a huge element of the overall MAFS journey rollercoaster. We care about what happens once the camera stops rolling. We follow, we like and we even request to be part of their Instagram Lives.

And after speaking to a PR & Talent expert about who’s gunna bring home the paid partnership bacon, as well as whether MAFS villains like Jack Dunkley are fucked on that front, another interesting conversation arose.

Are the MAFS couples who stay together more likely to make bank on social media?

It’s not so black and white.

Jai Evans of Evans Media told PEDESTRIAN.TV that “MAFS stars who remain in a couple post-show often find themselves at an advantage.”

It’s really not hard to see why. When we’ve been there since the beginning — like we literally witnessed them meeting for the first time — we’re absolutely going to be hungry to see how their relationship develops and progresses in the big, bad world.

As an audience, we feel as though we have a right to relationship details from these couples, especially when we’re not getting that four nights a week anymore. Why wait for New Idea to post some batshit headline about babies when we can just follow them for ourselves?

In a lot of ways, we’re hungrier than ever for their personal details, and the day the MAFS cast get their social media accounts back is the day we’re finally fed.

This personal investment is why I smiled at my phone screen when I saw Layton Mills and Melinda Willis on their holiday to Bali — and it’s why I broke the damn thing when they announced their split.

Don’t even get me started on Tahnee Cook and Ollie Skelton — I’ve cried less tears when I was the one being dumped.

This unique emotional investment is a jackpot for brands, with the added bonus of two separate audiences coming together for one product or message. If I had to guess, I’d say reality TV relationships and proposal posts in general were what birthed the collaborative post on Instagram.

“There is more power in a couple driving the same message,” Jai explained, noting that it can allow for more diverse content that a brand couldn’t otherwise tap into.

Think of it like a two for one deal — sure, the company is likely paying extra for a collaboration with a couple, but it would still be less than going about it individually while also being more effective. Double the eyeballs. Double the reach. Double the impact.

“This can translate into a wider range of partnership opportunities,” Jai continued. “From couple-based endorsements to appearances and even reality spin-offs, provided the relationship is perceived as genuine and relatable.”

Taking all of this into account, there is little interest in a couple that we view as, well, full of shit.

This is why February reports about one of our four MAFS 2024 success stories — Eden Harper and Jayden Eynaud — making a “secret pact” to stay together is so interesting.

“Jayden and Eden are only keeping their relationship public to build publicity around his kickboxing matches,” a source told Yahoo Lifestyle.

“They’ve already broken up four times since the show finished filming and while Eden still has feelings for Jayden, he isn’t into her.”

This approach could backfire spectacularly for the couple, which is why I don’t truly believe that anyone stays together for the sake of social media success. Including Jayden and Eden.

If Lauren and Jono McCollough decided to stay together at Final Vows even though he very clearly disliked her, for example, it’s safe to say that a paid partnership with them would reek of bullshit.

In this case, Lauren going it alone as the take-no-shit firecracker she is would be way more authentic to not only herself but her new audience. We wouldn’t want a (in her words) robot censoring all those potential captions now, would we? It’s not why we followed her.

It will, however, be interesting to see how Jono and Ellie Dix manage opportunities once they get their social media accounts back. The pair are slated to hard-launch their relationship at the MAFS Reunion.

Considering there is an element of deceit in their coupling after he texted her behind Lauren’s back, it may take a hot minute for them to gain our trust as an authentic couple that can influence us.

On the flip side, Evelyn Ellis and Duncan Simpson appeared to have walked right into a collaborative heaven for brand deals when it could’ve very easily gone the other way.

The pair announced their relationship after the show had well and truly finished airing and, from where I was standing, did not appear to be malicious to their previous partners in getting together.

They were very respectful in interviews and have always come across as genuinely happy to have found each other.

They were also big, well-liked players throughout their season, meaning we were already invested in their individual stories before they announced their relationship. Like, truly rooting for them, whichever direction that took them in.

Evelyn was pure fire, calling out the men for their sit, and Duncan was patient, husband material. Naturally, their pairing has been pure celebrated for the Season 10 audience and brands alike. It also helps that they’re really fucking hot.

“While being in a couple can open doors to more opportunities, the sustainability of these opportunities hinges on the couple’s authenticity and the public’s continued investment in their story.”

Interestingly, Season 10’s Melinda told me that she didn’t actually do many brand deals with Layton while they were dating.

“Most brands have a target audience that are either male or female. Not all of them really crossover,” Melinda told PEDESTRIAN.TV.

She did, however, note that they did contra deals as a couple in the travel and lifestyle space. That Bali trip that I was adoringly following along? The accommodation was #gifted.

Melinda admitted that while MAFS stars might get more opportunities if they’re in a couple, there’s also the tricky territory of navigating when your partner’s not super into it. It could also be a detriment to the social media success, especially considering MAFS stars have such a small window to play with.

“Layton was always worried about what people were thinking, so didn’t want to be too seen in the influencer space. I think because of this, most deals were offered to me separately and not to us as a couple,’’ Melinda said.

Couples like Season Eight’s Michael Brunelli and Martha Kalifatidis have also done exceptionally well in the space and post partnerships that involve them as a young family.

This success is not simply because they’re in a relationship but because they’re relatable, authentic and inspiring to other couples. Because they’re actually in love.

But sadly, love does not conquer all.

“Audiences are quick to disengage from content that feels contrived or overly commercialised,” Jai explained.

And look, we’ve all seen it. Every second post from Jimmy Nicholson and Holly Kingston felt like it was a brand deal at one point. I can’t say I was ever invested in that love story (the only season of OG Bachelor that I didn’t watch), but if I was, I imagine I would’ve tapped out.

All of this can be applied to everyday influencers too. Remember TikTokers Charli D’Amelio and Lil Huddy? Romantic cross promotion’s a tale as old as time, or, at least, the invention of social media.

Season 10’s Melinda told me that her photos with Layton used to do exceptionally well.

“All the couple photos do really well,” Season 10’s Melinda told PEDESTRIAN.TV. “You’d get 60,000-80,000 likes on a couple photo and then you’d get like five to 20,000-40,000 on your own.”

And you know what? This type of result isn’t anything new or specific to MAFS stars. Our hard launches rake in record likes within minutes. Engagement posts make us feel like a goddamn influencer.

People love love. These MAFS couples are just doing what all of us already do, just with hundreds of thousands of followers and paid partnerships in tow.

Power to ’em.

Chantelle Schmidt is a freelance writer.