It’s no secret that dating sites are the place to be if you want to find love. We are talking about actual statistics here. It’s cuffing season, and everyone wants to find love as fast as they possibly can.
It is an understatement to say we are utterly elated that dating sites are getting their moment right at the beginning of the year. We love it when people are taking the challenge to change it up and go into the new year with a new beau, but we also want to be here for you as you begin to navigate all of the things that come with getting on a dating site during its height in popularity and users.
One of the reasons why this is the more popular time to get on dating sites is not only because it’s cuffing season and everyone’s looking to snuggle up next to someone for the cold winter months, but also because it’s almost Valentine’s Day!
That’s right, it’s almost the day of love, and people are trying their best to settle down with someone before February 14th hits.
If you’re one of those people wondering how to navigate online dating during Valentine’s Day, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are our favorite tips and tricks to help you make this Valentine’s Day the most romantic one yet!
Is Valentine’s Day a Good Day to Be On Dating Sites?
Full disclosure: every day is a good day to be on the dating sites. If you want to find love, we support you no matter what day you log on and search for it. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter what day you’re swiping on the app, just as long as you’re putting in the proper effort and being intentional with the time you’re spending on it.
But there is a stigma against being on a dating site when it’s Valentine’s Day. Here’s the deal, if you want to spend your Valentine’s Day getting hit on and possibly going out on a date with someone, that’s amazing, we support it, and you are allowed to do that.
However, some people like to save that day for someone they’ve already invested time and energy into. Whatever you choose, we just hope you have the best Valentine’s Day ever.
Instead, we support you jumping online prior to February 14 to take advantage one of the busiest seasons for dating sites all year. People might tell you to avoid online dating during Valentine’s Day because there can be an influx of people online just looking for a quick date before leaving the app. We suggest seizing the opportunity to meet more singles than you typically see on the site.
Valentine’s Day is a great time to get on dating site because of the massive increase in signups and user activity. This time of the year is called cuffing season for a reason. Many people are trying to find a partner they can settle down with for the season and maybe even longer. And those users are already online
Time Magazine says that holidays are the place to be on the dating sites, which makes sense because they’re inevitably dull, and most users want to find an excuse to go out with someone at night. Also, because Valentine’s Day is such a focused holiday steeped in love, the 150% increase in users, activity, and messages that most dating sites receive during most of the holiday season only goes up.
And it’s no secret that people are trying to find a connection online before the big day comes; that’s part of the fun! Hinge reported that 35% more dates happen on Valentine’s Day night than at any other time of the year. Alternatively, Facebook noted that 20% more conversations happen in messenger on the fourteenth of February than on any other day. While that increase in romantic interest is expected, given the nature of the holiday, we want to help you get in on those statistics and be one of those participating in the world of online dating during Valentine’s Day.
On the whole, most dating sites do see a spike in their membership on and around Valentine’s Day. And those numbers only have a little to do with cuffing season, which usually shows anywhere between a 15-35% increase in users.
There is something to be said about the spike: many people visiting dating sites for a Valentine’s Day date either leave the sites after they’ve found someone or give up after failing to have success. If you can jump on the trend and get active before Valentine’s Day, the increased membership pool dramatically improves your odds of finding someone you like.
Tinder also receives more clicks, likes, and overall activity on its site between January first and the 13th of February. In 2019, Tinder’s user numbers increased by an average of 40 million users during that period. Most online dating activity generally increases by 18% between February 1 and February 14. Everyone’s trying to make their last-minute rush for love, and it’s the perfect time of year to do that.
This also doesn’t mean dating sites will lose their popularity or usefulness after Valentine’s Day. Thankfully, dating sites will always be there for us, and people will always have a need and a want to use them.
Think of the activity spike in the weeks before Valentine’s Day like the mad dash of shopping everyone does before Christmas. It’s a fast and furious time when everyone tries their best to get everything done till the last minute. But just because Christmas is over doesn’t mean everyone is done shopping for the year! Similarly, just because Valentine’s Day is over doesn’t mean that people will be done finding love for the year.
Take the Pressure off of Yourself and the Day
Before we go further with this fun article topic, we want to say one thing. Valentine’s Day is just another day. I know the pressure you can feel if you’re single and don’t want to be alone on the fourteenth of February.
While it’s fun to talk about the many new dating opportunities that come from online dating during its prime times, it is also good to take a step back and note that it’s really just another day. If you’re feeling the pressure to partner up with someone as quickly as possible, that will ruin your Valentine’s Day much quicker than if you just decided to stay home alone on that day.
We want to give you the encouragement you might need to get out there and have fun on Valentine’s Day, but we also want to highlight that not having plans is more than okay as well.
If you’re not feeling like finding love (or a warm body) this Valentine’s Day, we hope you have the best February 14th possible and focus on your own version of self-love this year.
If you feel left out of the dating site frenzy that’s happening all over right now, you can try out Bumble BFF and find someone with whom you can celebrate Gal-entines Day or Bro-entines Day!
How to Navigate During Valentine’s Day on Your Dating Site
If you’ve been on a dating site for some time, are gearing up for the Valentine’s Day rush, or are thinking about trying it out for the first time this season, we are excited for you!
Thankfully, because there’s such a considerable increase in activity on the apps, there will likely be multiple great matches online looking for the same thing as you. We want to give you the best tips and tricks to stand out from the crowd and get the most clicks and likes.
Plenty of Fish found that many people took extra care to ensure that their dating site profiles were up to snuff this time of the year when the greatest number of people are looking at their profiles.
The site found that 36% of users said that they updated their profile photos, 37% were more careful to reply to messages on time, and 29% said that they were more likely to initiate a conversation on the sites around this time of the year.
If you want to take advantage and make sure your profile will perform well, too, here is some of our best advice for ensuring that your dating profile will attract the most people this Valentine’s Day.
Create the Best First Impression
I know that that’s much easier said than done, but keep in mind that you are crafting the first and sometimes the only impression a lot of people will see of you. This is your shot for them to know what you look like and who you are.
Because of this, you should put some extra thought into what people will first see when they look at your profile. Make sure that the first picture on your profile is up-to-date and one of your favorites. Don’t put a group photo or personality picture as your main image; people might not get an accurate view of you or your personality.
You’ll also want to ensure that anything you say in your bio is clever, snappy, and stands out. Most people glance over dating site bios and move on; you want to make the most out of any space you’re given.
Remember, people often spend less than 60 seconds looking at profiles and deciding whether to swipe left or right. You must be concise and make an excellent impression.
Be Strategic about the Photos You Choose
No one is ever sure which photos they should use in their dating site profiles, and we don’t blame them! Knowing which images to use and the order to put them in is complicated.
Here are some of our suggestions when it comes to the photo dilemma. One thing that you’re going to want to do is to get rid of any older photos. If you’ve been on a dating site for a long time or keep re-downloading it, it might be time to get rid of your old photos and add some new ones. Getting a little profile refreshment is always good for the soul.
You also want to avoid adding low-quality pictures that don’t show off your face. While a fun personality picture might be a good idea to count among the others, you want to ensure that your photos clearly show your face and are high-quality.
Next is the question about group photos. While it’s okay to have one shot with all of your friends in it, make sure it comes after a few pictures of yourself so anyone swiping through your profile doesn’t have to figure out who you are.
You also want to ensure that you’re shining and standing out in any group photo you pick. There’s a joke that everyone is a little more narcissistic than they think, and if you don’t believe that, ask yourself whose face you look at first when you get a group photo back. You’re allowed to be vain when making your profile, so make sure any group photos you include enable you to shine.
Our last advice regarding pictures is to use all the space you’re given. If someone clicks through your profile, they’ll be glad you took the time because now they can get a more accurate view of what you look like.
Set Aside the Proper Time and Energy to Invest in Your Dating Site Profile
This might sound silly and a bit overdramatic, but your dating site profile says a lot about you and how you approach dating. If you don’t take the time to fill out your entire profile, not only will people not know who you are and what makes you tick, but they also might interpret it as you being lazy or not really caring about what happens on the dating site.
Set aside time to read through and think about your dating site profile and what you want to say in it. Make sure you’re being yourself and providing an accurate reflection of how you want to be perceived online. Then have fun!
The biggest thing to note is that there is no right or wrong thing to say on your dating site profile, that’s why it’s yours. If something’s integral for a person who might be thinking about dating you to know, add those bits in!
The main point is that you should invest in your dating site profile and fill it out to the best of your ability to show others that you’re invested in this experience and excited to see what the future holds.
Try to Be as Unique as Possible
This tip is especially relevant when joining a dating site at such a high volume time. We want your profile to stand out from the crowd and want people who see you online to immediately want to swipe right.
For that to happen, you want to avoid giving basic answers or creating a dull, run-of-the-mill profile. Instead, fill your profile with personal responses, be a little weird, and talk about interests that might be specific to you and make you different. Celebrate those differences instead of hiding behind them.
Try not to quote over-quoted TV shows — or really any TV show at all. Avoid putting anything in your profile you’ve seen other people do, or that might be considered a cliché by now. For example, “I’m here for a good time, not a long time’ or ‘Come here often’ might want to take a back seat when you’re crafting a profile that you want to stand out from the crowd.
Another thing people do is ask questions in their profile. Play two truths and a lie, flex your knowledge about U.S. history, or ask someone to play truth or dare with you.
While many people avoid oversharing on their dating site profiles for fear of turning people off, when there are so many users online searching for the same thing, it’s good to take advantage of the opportunity to be authentic. Who knows? With all the extra people logged in, you can afford to take a shot at finding your perfect match.
Be a Bit Mysterious
If you’re writing out your dating profile and feel like you’ve spent too much time describing yourself and what you’re looking for, you have. Remember that people won’t spend much time reading through everything you write, so don’t want to waste your time writing it down.
Instead, try to be mysterious. You can allude to things you don’t necessarily explain in your profile. That allows you to have a conversation about anything left open-ended that people might still be curious about after reading your profile.
Suddenly, you will be less attractive, and people won’t want to get to know you better. You already gave them too much unprompted information about yourself.
Brevity is king in dating site profiles. You never want to explain who you are before even getting to the messaging stage of the relationship. Once you’re talking with someone one-on-one, and the two of you are getting to know each other on a deeper basis, you can spill your guts. But try to avoid over-sharing too early; keep an air of mystery about you. That way, people will still be curious when they swipe right and start messaging you.
Be Honest about What You’re Looking For
I know that honesty is not always the most popular approach to dating sites, but during this season, you might want to be very clear about why you’re on the site. Ensure you’re finding people who want the same thing as you do.
Because of the sheer number of people using dating sites during this time of the year, if you’re honest about what you’re looking for, you’ll have a decent shot at finding someone with similar desires.
Whether you want a one-night stand, a Valentine’s Day date, or to find your future life-long partner online, share that information to see if someone out there wants the same thing (spoiler: there is!)
People come to dating sites looking for all sorts of things; there are no right or wrong reasons.
