The online dating market - United States

1.1 Definition and scope of the study

A dating site is an online site designed to allow individuals to meet new people, usually for the purpose of establishing a romantic or non-romantic relationship. Online dating usually takes place through online websites or applications.

Today, there are several versions of online dating sites, depending on the customs and traditions of the location in which they develop. Indeed, the function and purpose of dating sites vary considerably from one country to another. However, administrative procedures remain relatively homogenous, involving the creation of a profile, where personal and private information is added, often serving as the “personal pitch” on which discussions are started. Most services offer digital messaging, while others offer additional services such as webcasting, online chat, telephone chat (VOIP) and forums.

The global market has been expanding rapidly in the last years. This can be explained by the rise in number of single people around the globe, especially in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Moreover, the surge in Internet penetration has been beneficial to the industry.

In the United States, the trend is similar to that of the world: the market for online dating in the United States is growing, amid the increasing number of dating applications which are created. Moreover, the number of single people in the US has increased over the last years. In particular, such platforms offer something for all demographics; whilst millennials enjoy applications, older consumers are more likely to use websites Technological innovation is also driving growth: for instance, in 2018, Badoo implemented live video chatting.

In the US, males use dating applications and websites more than females. In April 2020, a survey conducted by morningconsult revealed that 31% of males are currently using an application, or have used one in the past. For females, the equivalent figure was 23%.

The market is concentrated in terms of sales: three players (IAC’s Match.com, eHarmony, and Spark Networks) together generate close to $1.3 billion in sales. However, the market is fragmented as there are numerous different applications and players dedicated to this activity.