Unless you’ve been marooned on a desert island for the past few years, you’ll undoubtedly be aware of the modern American phenomenon of online dating.
Even if you haven’t dabbled in this activity yourself, you’ll likely have seen dating sites being featured in rom-coms.
Perhaps members of your friendship circle are active.
Whether you’re a technophobe, or you might be tempted to explore the possibilities, or you’re an active participant, there will be many aspects of this phenomenon you’d find extremely interesting.
So make yourself a coffee, relax, and enjoy five facts about online dating that you may find surprising.
1. The trend for local hookups
One of the reasons going online is proving to be an increasingly popular activity is that it presents a platform where singles can interact with like-minded individuals from disparate cultural backgrounds.
There’s a growing trend for people to seek foreign partners.
But the COVID pandemic of the past two years in the USA has prompted an equally potent scenario – people looking for local hook ups and other romantic connections.
There’s so much hassle involved with traveling – social distancing measures, vaccine passports, the inoculation status of certain locations – more and more people are taking advantage of digital dating outlets to source prospective partners closer to home.
The virtual environment has become so much more practical – and reassuring.
As anyone reaches out to the other members, they can make discreet but necessary inquiries about how vulnerable they might have been to infection.
This atmosphere is always conducive to forthright discussions, but these will also help the bond between single Americans develop much quicker than previously.
2. The popularity of digital dating
Taking the previous point forward, you might be amazed to discover the true extent of the penetration of virtual matchmaking in the US singles market.
According to the US Census Bureau, more than 258 million adults are living in America. Over one-in-three of them have admitted to being active online daters.
Those are some eye-watering statistics, and the percentage split of male to female participants is pretty much a 50/50 split.
That 33.3% figure increases according to age demographic, too. For adults between 18 and 30, the total is nearer 50%.
For members of the LGBTQ community, going online to find friendship and romance is even greater – 55% compared to 28% straight individuals.
3. How compatibility brings Americans together
If you’ve never tried online dating before and are curious about how it works, the good news for newcomers is minimal effort is required for maximum impact.
Algorithms are becoming ever more sophisticated. Ideal matches are highlighted based on information supplied during the registration process that indicates common interests.
These computer programs can also analyze how Americans behave when they’re online and will become proactive.
Messages from a dating site’s admin team might offer to book an appropriate restaurant for your next date!
4. Females like to categorize
Here’s another fact that might be news to you.
Females who sign up for these services are more likely to fine-tune their profiles according to categories.
This opens the door to a whole new dimension of nuanced descriptions.
Girls are better at outlining the exact type of relationship they’re seeking, whereas a lot of their male counterparts would seemingly be content enough to explore any relationship.
Women in the USA will also introduce elements like religious persuasion, hobbies and interests, occupation, and even political affiliation.
Guys with reactionary opinions about anything should prepare to be grilled online and go through a careful vetting process to sift out those with contentious viewpoints.
This sense of being interested in the individual outlooks of prospective partners can be extrapolated into many even more interesting areas of diversity.
The welcoming and inclusive atmosphere of American dating services is perfect for the entire spectrum of relationships, from LGBTQ romance to interacting with those with special needs.
5. Technology has drawbacks
A fact that might be considered interesting but is more troubling is that up to 35% of female site users have had negative experiences.
While this is still a minority, actions like receiving explicit images or someone remaining in contact after being politely rebuffed need to be addressed.
Dating sites co-exist with robust customer services teams to whom any anti-social behavior should be reported immediately.
To conclude, one of the most attractive attributes of online dating to newbies is the ease of participating.
Whether they cater to mainstream tastes or are dedicated to more nuanced subjects, most outlets will offer free registration.
Since there’s such a diverse range of services available to Americans, you could spend some time checking out which of these sites or apps seems as if it would be the right fit.
So don’t waste any more time. Find out the truth behind our facts for yourself!