Statistics

Once upon a time, singles met by grinding on dive bar dance floors, playing footsie under the conference table, or shyly making eye contact at the church picnic.

Then online dating hit the scene. Dating apps and websites completely changed the dynamics of finding love, turning footsie and furtive glances into a series of swipes and winking emojis.

Or did it?

According to a recent survey from ReportLinker, modern dating looks decidedly less modern than pop culture would have you believe. Only 19% of adult singles in the US say they are registered on a dating service -- a surprisingly small percentage considering the size of the buzz around online dating. That leaves a whopping 81% who prefer doing things the old fashioned way.

What’s a bigger turn off: a sloppy kiss or sloppy grammar? According to the second annual “Conversation Nation” study from Plenty of Fish, adult singles consider lackluster conversation a greater offense than lousy sex.

POF took a deep dive into the communication habits of daters across the U.S. for Conversation Nation 2018, surveying 2,000 men and women over 18 years of age to discover how singles connect in the digital era.

“Singles are prioritizing conversations over physical attraction,” dating expert Shannon Smith told Metro. “We’re seeing again and again from user testimonials and data that relationships start with a great conversation.”

It wasn’t long ago that dating services were seen as the last refuge of the lovelorn and desperate. Today online dating hasn’t merely shed its stigma, it’s a bona fide phenomenon and business appears to be booming.

According to a report from IBISWorld, annual revenue in the online dating industry has surpassed $3 billion. Dating services employed over 9,000 people worldwide in 2017 and have collectively seen an annual growth rate of +5.3% over the past five years.

Yet hardly a week goes by without someone publishing an article condemning digital dating for butchering our ability to have real relationships, and even major players like Match Group have fallen short of analysts’ expectations.

With the romance of Valentine’s Day no longer in the air, the Better Business Bureau is bringing singles back to cold, harsh reality. A recent investigation released by the organization reveals the staggering proliferation of online dating scams and the financial devastation left in their wake.

According to the BBB, romance scam victims in the United States and Canada have reported losing nearly $1 billion in the last three years alone. It’s a remarkable number by any standard, but researchers estimate it may represent only a fraction of the actual damage, as many victims are too embarrassed to report their experiences or file complaints with law enforcement.

Jim Hegarty, president of the BBB in Omaha, Nebraska, simply called the number “astronomical.”

Valentine’s Day is approaching, which means more news stories about the prospects of finding love online. Dating apps have changed the romantic landscape in recent years and offered more opportunities to meet new people, but have they really helped daters meet their ultimate goals?

On February 6^th Intelligence Squared U.S., a non-profit organization which encourages thoughtful discussion and debate, will be hosting a live debate from New York City: "Swipe Left: Dating Apps Have Killed Romance."

In a nod to the complicated state of dating today, the keynote will be delivered by Daniel Jones, longtime editor of the hugely popular New York Times’ essay column ‘Modern Love.’

Think you can meet someone special without downloading a dating app? New research from UK’s luxury lingerie and swimwear retailer Figleaves shows that online dating is important if you want to find love.

January has been cited as “peak season” for those willing to try online dating. Match Group who own popular dating app Tinder expects a 63% increase in messages exchanged among its users. And many more singles will be joining dating apps and swiping left and right throughout the month, including those who have never downloaded a dating app before.

There are many myths out there about online dating, so we’ve decided to look to some statistics to separate fact from fiction. Here’s what recent studies have proven: