Online Dating. User Type Analysis - Relationships, Society

Online dating is one of the great opportunities to find a partner today. In the pre-Internet era, search was limited to the social circle: friends, family, study, work. And nowadays, more than a third of dating takes place through Internet platforms

In 1995, the first dating site Match.com was launched and became popular around the world in the early 2000s. 2012 is the time of Tinder, and for smartphones, convenient applications were created that took dating to a new level. As of 2018, there are more than 5,000 such applications and tens of millions of users.

User goals:

• 40% are looking for a spouse,
• 20% are looking for a sexual partner,
• 20% are looking for a companion for joint sports and fitness,
• 10% - looking for friends and useful acquaintances,
• 10% prefer online communication.

Interestingly, about 35% of users never meet in real life.

15% remain virtual friends for more than a year, even living in the same city.

Interesting research

In Russia, about 10 million people a month use online dating sites (some of them duplicate their profiles on two or three different resources).

Scientists at the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Chicago and Harvard University have found out how the rise of online dating has impacted marriage and demographics.

After analyzing the results of a survey of 19 thousand respondents who were married between 2005 and 2012, scientists have found that more than a third of marriage relationships in America begins thanks to online dating. These marriages have the lowest risk of breakdown (compared to conventional offline marriages).

11 types of users:

1. I want a relationship

This type of user is usually very active on their page. The profile contains a lot of information about yourself and the desired partner. Quite active in correspondence, but only for the first three to four months. After unsuccessful acquaintances, enthusiasm disappears, and such users often delete profiles. Not finding a pair offline, they register again after a couple of months.

2. Looking for sex

Every year there are 3-5% more such users. Through the online system, you can quickly select potential candidates by analyzing the questionnaires. The main types of behavior during correspondence: direct intentions, when sex is offered immediately, the second - obsessive compliments and calls to meet. Also in this category are married couples looking for a person for a variety of intimate life.

3. Singles or after breaking up

After a divorce or breakup in a relationship, people lose confidence, especially when they have been loners for a long time. They are afraid to make direct contact in real life and often sign up on online platforms to distract themselves. Usually such candidates like to correspond for a long time, often share stories from their lives, looking for "free ears", and only in exceptional cases are they ready to meet after a long correspondence.

4. Thieves of time

The type of people with whom a correspondence can last several months. They are interested in the very format of communication, because it does not commit to anything. They often offer meetings and phone calls themselves, agree to your suggestions, but give reasons for refusal, or may even disappear altogether. The main goal is easy and interesting correspondence, which can be a waste of time for you, if only you are not the same opponent of meetings in real life.

5. Fakes

There are two types of fakes: the first publish photos of celebrities instead of themselves, the second - upload their photos from the "better life" or many years ago, inventing the image of a macho or a successful girl. Be careful, there is a risk that these are scammers, they can offer you a business or extort money by manipulating the fact that they have no one but you.

6. Business class

Men and women from the business sphere practically do not have enough time for acquaintances. They register on sites, post one or two modest photos and a short but succinct description of themselves. This type appears on sites rarely, it can disappear for several days due to busyness. Dating is not a priority. Therefore, it is better to invite this type to coffee right away, having clearly agreed on the time.

7. Priestesses of love

Today, online dating sites cannot filter and avoid promoting prostitution. As soon as you invite your interlocutor to a meeting, you will be offered payment options (or a gift) for a pleasant pastime. This type immediately asks for your personal phone number.

8. Foreigners

Such communication is often fascinating, especially if you speak the same language with the other person. The main recommendation is to study the culture and national characteristics of the candidate in order to avoid misunderstandings.

9. Party people

They post a large number of photos from events and travels, information about themselves is often in the format of a quote, aphorism, a wise thought. Party-goers are looking for a companion for communication and going to events.

10. Doubters

A type who easily makes contact, because he doubts his attractiveness, and any message to him is a great compliment. At the same time, they may postpone meetings due to insecurity, so proactivity is important with this type.

11. Dreamers and romantics

They are easy to recognize just by looking at the photo. They respond to messages openly and fully, more often they themselves initiate contact. From the very first words, they can represent your wedding. Actually, there is nothing critical here.

Analysis of dating site users

The photo

The first thing that is important to pay attention to is the photo: what emotions the photo evokes, what mood the person is in, what he wanted to convey by posting this photo on the site. If there is no photo or an abstract picture is uploaded, then the person is hiding his identity. There is a risk that the candidate is not ready to openly announce the search for a partner.

If you upload a photo to your page, think about what impression you want to create for those who will view it. Submit two to five high-quality images that reflect your personality and interests. Avoid staged photos, show naturalness. Remember that candid photos provoke sexual intercourse. Online dating is judged by the cover.

Profile information

Carefully study the description of the future interlocutor. How does he characterize himself, what words he uses. As a rule, on dating sites there is no way to write a lot about yourself, so candidates subconsciously highlight the most important.

When filling out the profile itself, write what can describe you in one or two phrases. Do not write long texts, give the opportunity to get to know you through communication.

Pay attention to being literate and polite.

Getting Started: Expected Questions and Answers

Questions "How are you?", "How are you?", "What are you doing?" and answers “Everything is fine”, “Normal” negatively affect the beginning of the conversation. We hear this so often in everyday life that such messages cause irritation rather than interest and desire to continue the dialogue. Get creative, use information from your profile "about yourself" and images in the user's photo.

Communication and correspondence

The main task of online dating is to go offline. If during the week you understand that you are interested in a person, take the initiative and meet. This increases your chance of finding your soul mate.

Be friendly and at the same time restrained in correspondence, do not describe your life in detail, it is only important to attract the attention of the interlocutor, and leave all the most interesting for personal communication.

Who is first?

All boundaries have been erased, women can safely begin a conversation and acquaintance with a man they like. Modern men will appreciate such courage on your part, but all the activity of the conversation remains with him.

Related book:

Ellen Fein, Sherri Schneider. “Rules of online dating. How to find true love on the Internet"