It’s no secret that the use of dating apps has surged across America. For many, it’s the only way they meet potential partners.
But not only are people more active on dating sites and apps, they are also becoming more proficient at finding love, according to new research.
Recent data shows the number of people using dating apps or websites hit 30 percent in 2022, an increase from just 11 percent in 2013.
And additional data shows matches on popular apps such as Tinder and Hinge are becoming more meaningful. In 2013, just three percent of people using dating apps entered into a long-term relationship or marriage with someone they had met on the app or a dating site.
In 2022, the number of online daters who met their serious partner online jumped to 20 percent.
In total, 10 percent of Americans have met their significant other online, reaching 24 percent for LGBTQ adults.
Jillian Romero Chaves, founder and CEO of dating app Clara for Daters, told DailyMail.com dating apps have immensely changed the dating landscape, in some cases making dating easier, but also having the potential to complicate things.
When it comes to dating apps and sites, a few reign supreme. Some of the most popular ones include Tinder, Match, Bumble, OkCupid, eHarmony, Hinge and Grindr
In 2013, just three percent of people using dating apps entered into a long-term relationship or marriage with someone they had met on an app or a dating site. In 2022, that number jumped to 20 percent
She said: ‘Dating apps and sites have been instrumental in helping people find partners, but the effectiveness often hinges on one’s skill in navigating them purposefully.
‘It’s not just about the presence on these platforms but the ability to utilize them with intention.’
Ms Chaves said profiles need to be engaging, with the right photos and compelling details. Then, they require users to craft clever messages to matches and hopefully translate an online connection into an in-person meeting.
All of this can be a struggle and people may find it difficult to come up with witty messages and portray charisma with engaging conversation via an app.
For people looking for help navigating this new dating landscape, they may turn to professional dating coaches.
Gabriela Reyes, a licensed marriage and family therapist and dating coach, told DailyMail.com the way she now coaches her clients focuses on making their online and in-person personalities align: ‘I must now work with clients on how they present themselves in their profile and in real life.
‘We work on making sure that their online presence and in person presence aren’t two different people. Working to create a dating app profile that doesn’t focus on what everyone will be most attracted to and instead focuses on showing the individual’s personality and likes to find actually compatible people.’
The rise in online dating has disrupted the more traditional ways of meeting romantic partners, like bumping into someone at a bar, the popular meet-cute in most romantic comedy movies.
Dating with assistance from technology comes at a time when norms and behaviors surrounding dating, cohabitation and marriage are changing.
More people are delaying marriage or choosing to remain single to pursue interests or build their career.
For the first time, the average age of American women giving birth reached 27 years in the US, the highest on record and up from 21 years old in 1970 – when the government first began tracking the ages of new moms.
That age is even higher among college-educated women, whose average age at first birth is around 30 years old.
Amie Leadingham, a relationship and dating coach, told DailyMail.com the majority of her clients are now meeting people online: ‘The taboo of meeting with online dating is gone.’
Overall, among those looking for love, using a dating app or website is more popular among men than women, with 34 percent reporting using the technology, compared to 27 percent of women.
The apps are used the most among younger people, with 53 percent of people 18 to 29 years old reporting turning to their phones or computers to find love.
People between 30 and 49 years old are the second most likely group to use the tech — with 37 percent reporting using apps or sites.
When it comes to dating apps, a few reign supreme. Some of the most popular ones include Tinder, Match, Bumble, OkCupid, eHarmony, Hinge and Grindr.
The most used is Tinder, with 46 percent of online daters reporting using the app. Tinder sees users create a profile with several photos, answer questions and finish fill-in-the-blank prompts.
It will show you the profiles of people within a certain predetermined distance. Then, swipe left for ‘no’ and right for ‘yes.’ If two people swipe right on each other, Tinder shows you as a match and users can message each other to start a conversation or set a date.
Another popular site among young professionals is Hinge. It follows a similar format to Tinder and has grown increasingly popular.
Marie, a 33-year-old from New York City, told DailyMail.com she ‘had all but given up on finding “the one.’”
She said a string of unimpressive meetings with men in Manhattan and a terrible speed dating event left her frustrated.
But just two weeks after going through several awkward rounds of five-minute dates in January 2020, Marie swiped right on Evan. It turns out, the 36-year-old who lived 30 blocks south of her also swiped.
It was a match and the two planned a date.
She told this website: ‘I thought an app was the last place I would meet my husband – then I met him on Hinge.’
Two pair hit it off from date one. After nearly two years of dating, in November 2021, Evan found himself down on one knee asking Marie to marry him.
On February 25, 2024, the couple will celebrate their one-year wedding anniversary.
Stories like Marie and Evan’s are becoming increasingly more common.
Nearly half of online daters say their goal of using websites or apps was to meet a long-term partner.
Forty-two percent also say online dating and dating apps have made finding a significant other easier.
A similar percentage added they feel dating sites and apps have the ‘right amount’ of options for dating.
But Ms Chaves told DailyMail.com that while apps have broadened the dating pool, increasing a person’s options for a mate, this can sometimes complicate your love life.
She said: ‘Dating apps have undeniably made it easier to find people, broadening the pool of potential connections. However, this increased accessibility comes with its challenges.
‘The abundance of choices can make it harder for individuals to discern the best connection to pursue or commit to, especially when faced with discomfort.
‘The paradox of dating apps lies in their ability to present numerous options, often leading to distraction and a lack of commitment to meaningful connections.’
Users have echoed this sentiment. Thirty-seven percent of online daters say there are too many choices, compared to just 13 percent who say there are not enough choices.
Those serious about settling down may opt to pay for enhanced features on apps, being willing to shell out cash to find their forever partner. Thirty-five percent of online daters report paying to use a dating platform.
While apps may have made searching for a partner more convenient, people report mixed experiences with the technology.
Fifty-three percent of online daters say they have had a ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ positive experience when using the matchmaking technology.
That is a similar number to the 46 percent of users who report having a ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ negative experience.
Ms Leadingham also told DailyMail.com she’s worked with clients of all ages who have had very positive outcomes when using dating apps. She said the key was being very clear in profiles with what they wanted, such as having a desire to start a family or including the right details to only attract a person’s ideal partner.
Optimizing her clients profiles have led to a woman looking to have children meeting someone who fit her ‘non-negotiables.’ The two became engaged in a year, got married and now have a daughter.
When a woman in her 60’s who hadn’t dated in more than two decades consulted Ms Leadingham for online dating help, the coach helped her client create a profile to attract her ideal partner who shared similar values.
The client met her ideal match in five months and the couple was married last year.
Ms Leadingham added: ‘Your online dating profile is like a marketing ad. If you are able to write it in a way that filters the wrong people out and the right people in, it becomes a much quicker process to attract the right partner.’
