Should I Try Mobile Dating?

Online dating has become a standard way for singles to meet. But what about mobile dating? It seems to be gaining a lot of ground in the past couple of years, since most people are attached to their smart phones. In fact, according to recent statistics mobile dating makes up 15.8% of the online dating market. It only makes sense that singles want to check out other singles while meeting their friends for dinner or drinks after work. So why not incorporate online dating with the accessibility of your phone?

While the idea sounds appealing, there are reasons people are more hesitant to try mobile dating and aren't convinced it's a true way to find love. Mobile apps have made hooking up via phones the norm, so there's not an incentive to look for lasting love this way. Successful mobile apps like OkCupid's Locals and Grindr designed their mobile apps as more of a vehicle for people close by to "hang out," rather than offering true matchmaking capability. There's a safety element that is not being addressed as well, which doesn't really work for women.

But what if the capabilities of mobile dating were joined with your social media networks? So you could more easily meet friends of friends on Facebook or followers of followers on Twitter? This seems to be an appealing idea to a lot of people, and one that Snap.com seems to be promoting through its various apps, including AreYouInterested.com (an app that integrates online dating, Facebook, and mobile dating).

The power of mobile apps is that many are location-based, which means more spontaneity for the users. You can check your phone at the mall or the bar and see if there are any available singles nearby, making face-to-face meetings more immediate without going through the emailing and questionnaire process of many online dating sites.

In fact, most of the major online dating sites including Match.com, OkCupid, and eHarmony have launched their own mobile apps to make it easier for their members to meet. eHarmony claims 30% of its members join through their mobile dating app now. However, eHarmony doesn't utilize the GPS capabilities; it's more of a mobile version of the regular site.

So what is the future of mobile dating? And what about its success if you're looking for lasting love? It's a great option for you to meet more people, especially if it's linked with social networks or with an online dating site you're already signed up with. It can expand your network and options. Just remember to exercise caution when meeting people face-to-face, and don't expect that everyone using a mobile app has intentions of dating. It's best to be upfront about what you want, just like with online dating. And make sure you only meet your dates in public places.

For more information on some services which offer Mobile Dating you can check out our review of Match.com, our review of OkCupid, and our review of eHarmony