Experts Predict What Dating Will Look Like In 2019

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.

Meaningful Connections Will Take Center Stage

Online dating is often criticized for encouraging casual hookups over serious dating, but Sharma believes that’s set to change in 2019. “Apps that remain popular will be those that focus on meaningful connections, or that facilitate the process of building relationships,” she said.

Hesam Hosseini, CEO of Match, agrees that meaningful connections will take precedence this year. "Love is making a comeback in 2019," he told POPSUGAR. "Singles are growing tired of swiping culture and have become more intentional about dating, seeking meaningful, long-term connections on dating apps."

Dating Will Get More Creative

While dinner-and-a-movie will likely remain a staple of the dating repertoire, singles are seeking more creative ways to connect. “First dates may be more creative,” explained Sharma. “I work with lots of people who talk about first dates being things like ‘wallpapering someone’s new condo together’ or ‘going hiking.’ We’ll see more and more of that.”

Tinder's Year in Swipe data revealed that singles are seeking new experiences and more adventure in their romantic lives. The company’s dating and relationships trend expert Dr. Darcy Sterling told POPSUGAR, “If you love trying new activities, 2019 is your year. Whether it's a pottery class, ice skating lesson, or going to a salsa club, date nights are getting much more interesting."

Dating Services Will Prioritize IRL Encounters

Could the era of over-swiping be over? Cyber-dating expert Julie Spira predicts dating apps will make it easier for people to go on real-life dates in 2019. Companies like Hinge and Bumble have shown an interest in helping singles get off their apps and connect IRL, a trend that seems set to continue in the year to come. "2019 will be the year hookup culture dies,” Hinge CEO Justin McLeod told POPSUGAR. “Singles are sick of mindless connections and racking up matches. They want actual dates.”

AI And Video Content Will Be Bigger

Dating industry experts have long debated the merits of video and AI, but 2019 may finally settle the issue once and for all. “Video profiles will be the next big thing,” predicts Once CEO Jean Meyer. Pickable CEO Tamara Goldstein expects an increasing number of apps will adopt audio content in addition to video. “Technology that humanises the dating experience will become more prevalent,” she said. “It will do so by making browsing more effective and purposeful.”

Meyer also anticipates interesting developments will be made in the artificial intelligence arena. “Everybody in the dating industry is waiting for the brand that will crack ‘matching’. All digital dating companies want to use A.I. to create the ultimate matching algorithm,” he explained. A more effective matching algorithm would clearly be a boon to whichever company finally designs it, but fluid use of A.I. technology isn’t likely to be perfected before the end of 2019. “I’m not yet convinced anyone will manage to create such a powerful product in the next year,” Meyer admitted. “This will be the biggest challenge for the next five years to come and I will be watching!”