5 Things We Learned About Online Dating In 2012

2013 is almost upon us, and what better way to close out the current year than by taking a look at some of the most important lessons 2012 has taught us?

2012 has been a year full of new research and advice on dating in the digital age. Finding love online has never been more interesting, more popular, or more effective.

The first thing we learned about online dating in 2012, according to YourTango, is that it's gone from something we only speak about in embarrassed whispers to something we proudly proclaim. Yep, online dating is now trendy.

According to Google, dating services were one of the most searched lifestyle categories this year. And who were the most popular? These guys:

1. PlentyofFish
2. Match
3. OkCupid
4. eHarmony
5. DateHookup
6. Zoosk
7. Christian Mingle
8. AdultFriendFinder
9. JDate
10. SinglesNet

The next thing 2012 taught us about online dating isn't really news, but 2012 confirmed it more than ever: we lie on our profiles. Not a shock, is it? MBAPrograms says 81% of us are stretching the truth on things like our age, weight, and height. For example, on average, women claim to be 8.5 pounds lighter and men claim to weigh 2 pounds less than they really do.

Up next: size. Size matters, but not the kind you're thinking of. Both men and women take into account the length of paragraphs on prospective dates' online profiles. Men tend to be turned off by long profiles, says a Chemistry.com survey. If you're looking for a male date, keep it brief - your About Me should no longer than a paragraph.

Women, on the other hand, consider it a turn off if there isn't enough information. If you're looking for a female date, your About Me should be two or three paragraphs long.

File this next one under "Not A Surprise": your photos should be updated regularly. I know it's tempting to use an old picture - we all want to look our youngest, most attractive best - but you're setting yourself up for disappointment when you meet in person. Starting a relationship off with a lie is never a good idea.

Chemsitry.com also says that the best photos are candids. Both men and women prefer casual shots, though they differ on what the content of the shots should be. Men are more into full-body pics than women.

And finally, 2012 showed that online dating has exploded (in the good way, that is). It's now the second most popular way for couples to meet, surpassing all other forms of matchmaking. So when your meddling relatives try to set you up this holiday season, tell them no thanks - you and the Web have got it covered.