It's no secret that the use of dating apps has skyrocketed across America. For many, this is the only way they meet potential partners.
But they are not alone people are more active on dating sites and appsThey're also becoming more skilled at finding love, according to new research.
Recent data shows that the number of people using dating apps or websites will reach 30 percent by 2022, up from just 11 percent in 2013.
And additional data shows that matches on popular apps like Tinder and Hinge are becoming increasingly meaningful. In 2013, only three percent of people using dating apps entered into a long-term relationship or marriage with someone they met through the app or a dating site.
In 2022, the number of online daters who met their serious partner online increased to 20 percent.
Overall, 10 percent of Americans have met their partner online, which stands at 24 percent for LGBTQ adults.
Jillian Romero Chaves, founder and CEO of dating app Clara for Daters, told DailyMail.com that dating apps have dramatically changed the dating landscape, making dating easier in some cases but can also make things more complicated.
When it comes to dating apps and sites, there are a few that reign supreme. Some of the most popular are Tinder, Match, Bumble, OkCupid, eHarmony, Hinge and Grindr
In 2013, only three percent of people who used dating apps entered into a long-term relationship or marriage with someone they met through an app or a dating site. In 2022, that number rose to 20 percent
She said: 'Dating apps and sites have played a huge role in helping people find partners, but their effectiveness often depends on a person's ability to navigate them with purpose.
“It's not just about the presence on these platforms, but the ability to use them with intent.”
Ms Chaves said profiles should be attractive, with appropriate photos and compelling details. They then require users to craft smart messages for 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 funny messages and portray charisma with engaging conversations via an app.
People looking for help navigating this new dating landscape can turn to professional dating coaches.
Gabriela Reyes, a certified marriage and family therapist and dating coach, told DailyMail.com that the way she now coaches her clients focuses on aligning their online and in-person personas: “I now have to work with clients on how they perceive themselves.” present in their lives. profile and in real life.
“We try to make sure that their online presence and in-person presence are not two different people. Working to create a dating app profile that doesn't focus on what everyone is most attracted to, but instead focuses on showing the individual's personality and likes to find truly compatible people.'
The rise of online dating has disrupted more traditional ways of meeting romantic partners, such as bumping into someone at a bar, the popular meet-cute in most romantic comedy films.
Dating with the help of technology comes at a time when norms and behavior around dating, cohabitation and marriage are changing.
More and more people are delaying marriage or choosing to remain single to pursue their interests or build their careers.
For the first time, the average age of American women giving birth reached 27 in the US, the highest ever recorded and up from 21 in 1970 – when the government first started tracking the ages of new mothers.
That age is even higher among college-educated women, whose average age at first birth is around 30.
Amie Leadingham, a relationship and dating coach, told DailyMail.com that the majority of her clients now meet people online: 'The taboo on meetings with online dating has disappeared.'
Overall, among people 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 most used among young people: 53 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 29 say they use their phones or computers to find love.
People between the ages of 30 and 49 are the second most likely group to use the technology, with 37 percent reporting using apps or sites.
When it comes to dating apps, there are a few that reign supreme. Some of the most popular are 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 various photos, answer questions and complete fill-in-the-blank questions.
It shows you the profiles of people within a certain predetermined distance. Then swipe left for 'no' and right for 'yes'. When 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 up a date.
Another popular site among young professionals is Hinge. It follows a similar format to Tinder and has become increasingly popular.
Marie, a 33-year-old from New York City, told DailyMail.com that she had “almost given up on finding 'the one.'”
She said a series of unimpressive encounters with men in Manhattan and a terrible speed dating event had left her frustrated.
But just two weeks after going through several awkward rounds of five-minute dates in January 2020, Marie swiped at Evan. It turns out the 36-year-old who lived 30 blocks south of her also swept.
It was a competition 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 pairs clicked from date one. After almost two years of dating, Evan got down on one knee in November 2021 and asked Marie to marry him.
The couple will celebrate their one-year wedding anniversary on February 25, 2024.
Stories like Marie and Evan's are becoming increasingly common.
Nearly half of online daters say the purpose of using websites or apps was to meet a long-term partner.
Forty-two percent also say that online dating and dating apps have made finding a partner easier.
A similar percentage added that they feel dating sites and apps have the 'right amount' of options for dating.
But Ms Chaves told DailyMail.com that while apps have expanded the dating pool and increased a person's options for a partner, it can sometimes complicate your love life.
She said: 'Dating apps have undeniably made it easier to find people, widening the pool of potential connections. However, this greater accessibility also brings challenges.
“The abundance of choices can make it more difficult 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 provide countless options, which often leads 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 who are serious about settling down may choose to pay for enhanced app features, and be willing to spend money to find their forever partner. Thirty-five percent of online daters report paying to use a dating platform.
While apps may have made finding a partner easier, people report mixed experiences with the technology.
Fifty-three percent of online daters say they have had a “somewhat” or “very” positive experience using matchmaking technology.
That's a similar number to the 46 percent of users who reported having a “somewhat” or “very” negative experience.
Ms Leadingham also told DailyMail.com that she has worked with clients of all ages who have had very positive results when using dating apps. She said the key was to be very clear in profiles with what they wanted, such as the desire to start a family or including the right details to attract only one's ideal partner.
Optimizing her clients' profiles has meant that a woman who wants children meets someone who matches her 'non-negotiables'. The two became engaged within a year, married and now have a daughter.
When a woman in her 60s, who had not dated in more than 20 years, consulted Ms Leadingham for help with online dating, the coach helped her client create a profile to attract her ideal partner who shared her values.
The client met her ideal match within five months and the couple married last year.
Ms Leadingham added: 'Your online dating profile is like a marketing advertisement. If you can write it in a way that filters out the wrong people and filters the right people in, it makes it a much faster process to attract the right partner.”