Online Dating

If the lightening-fast speeds of email and text messaging aren't fast enough for you, there's a new way to meet your match: mobile dating. According to AreYouInterested.com and SNAP Interactive, 61% of Are You Interested members are now more likely to hook up on a mobile dating app than on an online dating site. Is it possible that online dating, once hailed as the way of the future, is already becoming a thing of the past?

4 out of 5 of the 50,000 singles surveyed said they now prefer mobile dating to online alternatives. While I don't think that online dating will be going anywhere anytime soon, it's impossible to ignore the meteoric rise of mobile dating. These days it seems like everyone is glued to their smartphones, so it's hard to beat the accessibility of dating apps and the promise of instant dates they offer.

AreYouInterested.com found that the top 10 cities for mobile dating in America are:

Earlier this month Zoosk released a iPad version of their dating application which quickly ranked in the top 20 list for Social Networking Apps in the United States. Like their dating apps for other platforms, this app is available in 25 languages and offers the user the ability to search, browse and communicate with other Zoosk members. It is also optimized for the iPad and takes into the account the larger screen real-estate available.

Zoosk also noted that their mobile apps have been downloaded over 2.5 million to date. Search algorithm changes over the last year have also increased communication on the dating service by increasing message replies 133 percent.

For further details about the service please check out our review of Zoosk.com.

Spark Networks reported their 3rd quarter financial results this month. On a year over year basis revenue grew 28 percent to $12.7 million this quarter. A net loss was recorded however at $238 thousand and was contributed to an increase in marketing expenses. Subscribers overall increased 30 percent to 206,099 when compared to the same quarter last year and increased 8 percent when compared to the prior quarter.

When looking at the different dating segments Spark Networks has, the Jewish Networks revenue was flat when compared to the last quarter at $6.7 million. Subscribers decreased by 1 percent to 88,976 when compared both to last quarter and the same quarter last year.

The Other Affinity Networks saw a huge increase of subscribers this quarter of 84 percent to 113,972. With the increase of subscribers it also increased revenue by 108 percent to $5.7 million when compared to quarter 3 of 2010.

General Market Networks continue to slide. Revenue was $264 thousand which is a decrease of 52 percent when compared to 2010. Subscribers fell about the same percentage (54) with only 2,702 recorded.

For the full 2011 Q3 release visit the Spark Networks News Room.

Related Story: Spark Networks Second Quarter 2011 Financials

Shaadi.com is one of the older dating services having launched in 1996. Shaadi is an Indian Matrimonial service and last month they celebrated their 15 year anniversary. They estimate that their service has helped match over 2 million people, whom have then married.

Over the 15 years Shaadi.com has expanded beyond the internet. They now offer extended services through mobile apps, TV and through live person on person meetings at over 100 Shaadi Centres found in 87 Indian cities.

For more on this story you can read the press release and for more information on the dating service please read our review of Shaadi.

If you think online dating is the domain of the young, think again.

IBISWorld and the U.S. Census Bureau estimate that approximately 37% of men and women over 50 are unmarried. With so many people entering their later years unattached, and more and more older Americans becoming comfortable using the Internet, turning to cyberspace has become an increasingly popular option for senior singles.

The percentage of over-55s logging on for love has increased 39% in the last 3 years according to Experian Hitwise, a leading Internet research firm. Singles in the 55+ age bracket are now visiting dating sites more than any other age group, with the #2 spot currently being occupied by singles aged 45-54.

Online dating has proved to be a major advantage for many older singles. Niche dating sites like SilverSingles and SeniorPeopleMeet go above and beyond the offerings of other dating sites by helping members navigate the brave new world of senior dating. Some stress the importance of safety when dating online, some offer tutorials on creating an online dating profile, and others post articles with tips for those who have taken an extended leave of absence from the dating game.

Their work has paid off - some experts even believe that online dating has more potential for older singles than younger singles, citing their superior knowledge of what they're looking for in a partner as the primary source of their success. Younger singles are often focused on marriage and children while older singles, many of whom have been married before and have learned from the mistakes of past relationships, take a more logical approach to dating that focuses on shared interests and long-term compatibility.

For silver surfers looking to get back into the dating game, love gurus offer the following advice:

• Take as much time as you need to recover from a previous relationship, but don't feel that there is a predetermined mourning period that must be observed following a divorce or breakup. Move on whenever you feel ready to explore something new.

• Reflect on what you've learned from your relationships so far. What went wrong? What went right? What do you want? What don't you want? What knowledge can you take into your next relationship that will make it the best one yet?

• Look to the future and think positively. Don't dwell on the past or get caught up in the quicksand of negativity.

• Make the first move. Finding a match online requires a proactive plan of attack, not a passive approach. Don't wait to get lucky - make love come to you.

An article from Canoe took a look at online dating statistics in Canada.

From a cross-Canada survey conducted by Leger Marketing, they concluded the following points:

• 25 percent of Canadians have tried online dating. The percentage rises to 36 percent if you look at people between the ages of 18 and 34 (much higher than in 2009)
• Still, the majority of people do not plan to try online dating as 69 percent of them said that it is not likely they could find love online
• 64 percent of singles using online dating say that common interests is the most important factor when looking for a match
• 49 percent of singles using online dating say that physical characteristics from photos and videos is the most important factor when choosing a match
• 39 percent of all the Canadians surveyed said that they actually read over all of the information provided in a dating profile

Online dating has seen a huge increase in popularity in the last few years in Canada and the rest of the world. According to the Canadian owned dating site Plenty Of Fish, they have seen a 40 percent increase in memberships over the last 2 years. Plenty Of Fish currently has 33 million registered users from around the world.