According to the recent survey 31% of American millennials were using online dating apps or services much more than prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Also 26% reported to be using online dating apps somewhat more than before pandemic. Which gives us a total of 57%. Only 13% of responders stated that they are now using dating apps somewhat less and 12% — significantly less.
Let’s check this on the diagram.
Source: Statista site
No wonder, people are social creatures. Obviously, when you are locked in your apartment you are looking for alternative ways to communicate with other people: friends, relatives and your possible soulmates.
But still the number is quite impressive. Just take a look at the global revenue chart from dating apps.
Source: Statista site
The revenue is growing and in 2020 there was a major jump till $3.08bn. That’s insane considering how popular messengers and social media are now.
And it grows not only in the sum of money people are paying, but also by new registered premium users.
Source: Statista site
Speaking about the USA the top apps by number of users are: Tinder, Bumble and POF.
Source: Statista site
Is it good or bad? It’s hard to answer. Probably it just depends on the person and the situation that occurred. But the frightening part is that it may become a primary way to meet each other.
Alternatives
There are definitely plenty of advantages to using dating services.
- It is fast.
- It is easy.
- Relatively cheap.
- It is accessible.
- Flexible.
- etc.
But we decided to put together some things that we are missing while overusing dating sites.
Offline dates
When you meet someone online (like on a dating site or social media) you get to know the person even before you chat with him/her. You simply check the person’s profile and you learn his/her hobbies, thoughts, preferences, etc. On the one hand you don’t waste your time on people that have no future with you, but on the other hand you lose the most interesting part of discovery.
Also pictures cannot pass the person’s charisma and how charming the person is. By the way, here is a nice tutorial on how to charm a girl.
Your first date, first kiss… You should know how long you should wait between the first and the second date. It really depends. you don’t want to be too pushy, but also you don’t want to cool the relationship.
You can combine
We are in the 21st century, right? We can simply combine online and offline dating. Moreover, since NSA relationships are more popular nowadays, both “communication channels” are super useful. Check this post if you are not familiar with what the NSA dating means.
In fact most of the tips are for men. They are the ones to take initiative and move relationships.
Also, these tips are not only for guys that look for a girlfriend. They are also for those that already have them. Most men forget that when they have a stable relationship they should keep developing them.
Arrange offline dates outside: in the park, square, Disneyland, hotel room. By the way, here is how to make a hotel room romantic. Girls like flowers, Jacuzzi, and champagne. Don’t take away such a pleasure.
Something unusual
What online dating certainly gives is some unusual things you cannot find outside your house.
For instance, quite popular in 2021 is Slavic dating. Even though there are plenty of bad stories, there are still some positive reviews from American guys. And here is how it works.
First, guys register at one of the Ukrainian or Russian dating sites. They search through thousands of profiles and talk to different women.
You may have heard that Russian and Ukrainian girls look like top models. They are super focused on their appearance and they put on makeup even when they simply go out to the grocery store. If you ever have a chance to visit these countries you will certainly notice that.
Next men schedule offline appointments with several girls, contact dating agencies to arrange their trips and fly there.
Each man has to be realistic. You will not get a girl if you are not charming or too old or spit during the dinner. But if you are a normal looking guy that can financially secure his future family you have a chance.
At least you will be able to visit new countries, meet their culture and try their amazing cuisine.
Wrap Up
Indeed, using online apps in 2020–2021 increased significantly. The global pandemic has greatly affected our lives.
But we hope that this changes over time and we will return to normal life with the usual things we are missing so much.