The internet dating boom began in 2000, when around 100,000 early adopters braved a dial-up internet connection to find a partner.

1. Online Dating Insight
– UK – January 2014

2. 1. Market overview

3. Gauging the market…
The internet dating boom began in 2000, when
around 100,000 early adopters braved a dial-up
internet connection to find a partner.
Now that figure is 9.1 million, according to the
Metaflake study, with two-thirds using
mainstream dating sites such as Match and
eHarmony, while 2.8 million pursue "erotic
encounters" on websites such as Shagaholic and
Sexintheuk – contributing £170m to the UK
economy.
Not only did the UK have the highest
concentration of single people in the pan-
European study, according to Metaflake, but it
was also judged to have the "most colourful
dating landscape" due to the volume of themed
singles dating sites, ranging from Cougar Dating
to Uniform Dating, to those catering for religious
groups or body-type preferences. Of Europe's
5,000 dating portals, roughly 1,500 emanate
from the UK. The five biggest players in Europe
are Friendfinder, Match owner Meetic, Badoo, C-
Date and eDarling. Match is the UK market
leader.
Source: Metaflake
2012

4. Room to grow the market
The majority of singles in the general public looking for love who have never used
online dating services would be encouraged to do so in the future, and particularly if
the credibility of other members could be assured. This is followed by being assured
that their data would not be shared with other sites, and then if they could be
assured about the security of their privacy/profile.
Whilst assurances of credibility of other members, security and privacy are more
likely than cost to encourage sign-up, cost is a dominating factor when it comes to
non-users choosing which site to sign up to, although data security also features
quite prominently.
Recommendations from friends and family, online reviews by other users and
website reviews would have a greater influence on choice of dating site than any
forms of media advertising.
Source: YouGov SixthSense, Online Dating
2013

5. Awareness of online dating sites
Only two of the dating
sites were stated as being
heard of by over one-half
of respondents:
Match.com (60%);
eHarmony.co.uk (56%).
More generally, younger
people are significantly
more aware of each of the
sites compared to older
people, but those aged 25-
39 have the greatest
awareness.
Less than one-quarter
had heard of any of the
other sites listed in the
report, with many sites
gaining less than a 10%
response rate.
Source: YouGov SixthSense, Online Dating
2013

6. 1. Attitudes and users

7. Reasons for signing up among users
None of the options listed netted a response of more than 50%, suggesting that there
isn’t one over-riding reason shared by members for signing up to online dating sites.
Source: YouGov SixthSense, Online Dating
2013

8. Factors that would encourage sign-up
Issues concerning credibility and privacy are the main factors that would encourage
singles to sign up. Almost three-quarters (72%) would want to be assured about the
credibility of other members. Just over half (55%) would want to be assured that
their data would not be shared with other sites, with a similar proportion (54%)
stating that they would want their privacy/profile to be secure.
Source: YouGov SixthSense, Online Dating
2013

9. Factors that would encourage sign-up
Whilst assurances of credibility of other members, security and privacy are more
likely than cost to encourage sign-up, cost is a dominating factor when it comes to
non-users choosing which site to sign up to.
Source: YouGov SixthSense, Online Dating
2013

10. Factors that would encourage sign-up
When it comes to influencing choice of site amongst potential future members,
recommendations from significant others cannot be understated. Over half (53%) of
non-users would trust recommendations from friends and family members, and
significantly more than they would any of the other options.
Reviews from users follow this (39%), backed up by website reviews (28%) and
reviews in magazines/newspapers (24%). Furthermore, results highlight that
recommendations from trusted parties and reviews are significantly more influential
than any modes of advertising on behalf of the sites/brands themselves.
Thus whilst the potential is there for online dating to attract new members, for any
site/brand to achieve this, it needs to be able to gain a good reputation by assuring
the credibility of other members by careful vetting and background checks, along
with affording users confidentiality and exclusivity. In addition, whilst providing a
profile matching service, it could be beneficial to provide a location-based service
that also hosts face-to-face meet-ups with other members.
Source: YouGov SixthSense, Online Dating
2013

11. Site membership: most go free
Source: YouGov SixthSense, Online Dating
2013
Almost three-fifths (59%) of users of online dating services are members of free sites
only.
Members of subscription sites were asked to record the amount they pay on a
monthly basis for the online dating site or sites that they use. Results point towards a
willingness on the part of singles to pay relatively handsomely for a potential date.

12. Ratings of sites, by users
Source: YouGov SixthSense, Online Dating
2013
Results highlight that
Telegraph.co.uk/dating,
OKCupid.com and Gaydar are
the most highly rated by their
users.

13. National – Dating spends on TV
Brand (T VEye) Sept'13 Oct'13 Nov'13 Dec'13 T otal % Spend
Adults.co.uk dating service £55,7 68 £45,428 £13,368 £25,150 £139,7 14 4%
Christianmingle.com £10,332 £14,656 £12,528 £15,7 18 £53,234 2%
Eharmony.co.uk £332,432 £197 ,7 20 £137 ,255 £667 ,407 21%
Inboxme.co.uk online dating £7 ,893 £7 ,893 0%
Match.com dating service £551,7 84 £459,068 £231,848 £137 ,990 £1,380,690 43%
Mysinglefriend.com dating service £7 4,616 £7 4,616 2%
Oasis.com dating service £22,084 £17 ,648 £9,220 £6,328 £55,280 2%
Onelastfling.com £1,684 £432 £2,116 0%
Plentymorefish.com £13,368 £16,220 £18,188 £22,615 £7 0,391 2%
Uniformdating.com £205,432 £330,400 £142,7 36 £93,005 £7 7 1,57 3 24%
Upforit.com dating service £15,67 3 £15,67 3 0%
Total £1,267,500 £883,852 £625,608 £461,625 £3,238,585 100%

14. About Goodman
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