Many (most?) of you who are reading this have probably had some experience with internet dating. There is no denying the surge of singles using the internet to meet – and hopefully fall in love with - compatible singles. However, like everything worth getting in life, it takes work and perseverance to be successful.
When I encounter people who are frustrated with the quality and/or quantity of hits they receive on their profile or who have had a series of bad dates as a result of cyber connecting, I frequently hear the same concerns from them. They worry that internet dating may be greatly overrated as a useful way to meet people and/or that there must be something WRONG with them if they are not experiencing the results they had expected. So I decided this would be a good time to address the issue of the overall success rate of internet dating.
Most of us know at least one person who has found love on the internet. Dating sites are also showcasing their successful matches and sharing their positive statistics. Clearly, many people have met their significant other this way, but how many and what overall % do they represent? In addition, did they do something special with their profile or is there something that stands out about them that contributed to their success?
An online study was conducted by the University of Bath in England that was released in February 2005. 229 people who had used UK dating sites were interviewed. The research showed that 94 per cent of those surveyed saw their cyber friend again after first meeting them, and the relationships lasted for an average of at least seven months, with 18 per cent of them lasting over a year and eight per cent for at least two years. In fact, these relationships have a similar level of success as ones formed in more conventional ways. 94%!!! is very good. Now we know that this was only one study and that it took place only in the UK. However, the findings should help any doubters out there by answering at least one of their questions. Yes, the internet does appear to be a good way to meet potential partners.
The question of how important the profile is should also be addressed- in another blog… Knowing the things to avoid, what to include, potential red flags, etc., can make a difference in both the quantity and quality of the hits you receive. So, stay tuned as we take a look at this in the near future.
Want to take a look at that survey? Go to:

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 23rd, 2005 at 10:50 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.