Online Dating

The first date can be a tense moment no matter who you’re seeing, but when you’re meeting a stranger you’ve only communicated with through a dating platform, the stakes are even higher.

So you examine their photos for evidence of editing. You comb through their profile looking for signs they might not be who they say they are. And when that’s not enough, you take your detective powers elsewhere. Some call it stalking, others call it pre-date research - either way, a lot of us are doing it.

Risk mitigation specialists JPD surveyed 2,000 Americans to find out exactly how, and how often, singles investigate prospective mates. According to JPD’s findings, 77 percent of active daters research matches on a regular basis. Of those who do, most spend 15 to 30 minutes conducting their investigations. Some admit to spending 45 minutes or more on research before a date. Only 11 percent said they never research dates at all.

You’re itching to book your next trip, but none of your friends are available and you don’t have a significant other. What’s a solo traveler to do? Apps dedicated to connecting travelers are on the rise. Some are explicitly designed to be digital matchmakers for singles with wanderlust, while others are intended to connect explorers looking for travel buddies or local guides. Here are five to try on your next adventure.

TourBar

TourBar is a mobile-first social network made to help jetsetters find dates or travel companions. Members can register as a solo traveler headed to a destination or as a local guide ready to reveal the best restaurants, beaches, bars and other must-see spots in their city. All users on the site are verified for a safer, less stressful international travel experience. TourBar’s ambitious goal is to become a platform for solo travelers of all kinds, where members can share travel plans and recent experiences with others looking to visit a destination.

Down Detector for Tinder

Tinder users were frustrated earlier this month when they tried to message and browse matches on the app, but instead got recurring error messages. The app was down for several hours starting at around 5:00am PST on Tuesday January 8, according to reports.

Users across Europe, the U.K. and the U.S. experienced problems sending and receiving messages, as well as server connection errors according to news website CNET. Some users also reported that they were unable to login at all.

Bumble CEO and Serena Williams

Star athlete Serena Williams is making her next move as Bumble’s global advisor. The company announced that its new ad campaign featuring the award-winning tennis champion will debut during this year’s Super Bowl.

The theme of the campaign is in line with Bumble’s female-friendly focus, called “The Ball is in Her Court.” It will feature Williams making the first move in every aspect of life: dating, friendship, and business, according to the release, according to AdWeek.

Partnering with a high-profile, empowered female is a consistent reflection of the Bumble brand. In its press release, Bumble stated that Williams’ role will include enforcing Bumble’s “mission to end misogyny and empower women around the world.”

Sunday January 6^th is the busiest day of online dating’s high season, with many people downloading apps and swiping right, hoping to find love in the cold winter months, also known as “cuffing season.”

More people are also motivated to find love thanks to New Year’s resolutions (and the cold weather). With the holidays behind us, January is the perfect time to adopt new habits, including trying a new dating app or rejoining one you’ve used before.

Research has shown over the years that the first Sunday of January is generally the best time to download a dating app and start swiping. Most apps have reported a surge in activity on this particular day, as well as generally increased activity during the month of January through February 14^th.

With 2018 in the rearview mirror, dating experts are sharing their predictions for the year that lies ahead. What trends can singles look forward to? How will the online dating industry progress in 2019? Here’s what experts think the new year has in store.

Singles Will Embrace ‘Old-Fashioned’ Dating

Dating is headed back to basics says emotional wellness expert Dr. Natasha Sharma. “People are ready to start ditching the shallow, so-many-choices approach to dating, and move back to more ‘older-fashioned’ ways and alternative ways of meeting people,” she told Global News.

Data from Zoosk backs up Sharma’s prediction. A survey found that online daters were considered more old-fashioned in 2018, and that users who described themselves as old-fashioned in their profiles received 16 percent more messages than those who didn’t. The survey also found a majority of singles still consider holding a door open for someone and paying for the first date to be romantic gestures.