Published by Sue
Published Date 01.07.2024 
In just over 30 years online dating has gone from sssshhh to obviously!
Since everyone deserves to find connection and love, it is surprising to look back and see the negativity and embarrassment related to admitting to the use a dating app. In the beginning ‘We met on a dating app’ was whispered as if this was a failing. Now, well who hasn’t met on a dating app?
What was once shocking is now commonplace thanks to the rise and popularity of the dating website and App!
Taking our lead from Taylor Swift, we look back at the eras and evolution of the dating app and how public opinion has been turned on its head!
The Matchmakers & Personals
History shows us that matchmakers were common in many cultures. For centuries matchmakers were sought to check the identity and compatibility of couples who wanted to marry. Granted not all couples back then were willing!
It is documented that the first dating ad occured in 1685, and by the 1700s and 1800s personal ads were a common way to find love, liaison and relationships. In the 1900s personal ads became ever more popular as did the rise of the fraudster!
The 90s Reputation – The First Dating Website
Before the websites and apps, there were online personals. Ads where you literally met strangers online. Strangers who had not had their identity checked!
The rise of access to computers and the internet spiked in the 1980s and 90s and with this access, Match.com was launched in 1995. Initial users were given a 100% free lifetime membership to get the database started and to invest in its growth. We are not sure what success messaging this membership model promoted, but it worked.
Following Match.com other sites launched including eHarmony, and JDate dedicated to finding love for the Jewish community.
The idea that singles could connect online and that relationships could develop and lead to something long-term was revolutionary!
The 2000s Fearless– New technology makes its mark!
In the 2000s dating apps began to differentiate their selves and their offerings. eHarmony positioned itself as the online match maker for those looking for long term compatibility and marriage and used a questionnaire to generate matches.
Pioneering in the decade was ProxiDating a service which used Bluetooth to notify singles when matches were close by. The big names in online dating began their exploration the use of mobile phones, which were now commonplace.
Badoo championed the idea of ‘social dating’ a casual chatting platform for local singles to connect, within a year it reported having 12 million members. Badoo didn’t involve matches or computer programming you were just thrown in, much as you would a club!
The 2000s saw smartphones and iPhones were available and affordable to the masses so it is no surprise that online dating embraced the mobile app, Zoosk were one of the first to launch an app which could sync Facebook or Google profiles for super quick sign-up and matching. You no longer needed to be at home to find your perfect match, you could be literally anywhere.
Grindr, the first men-only dating app launched in 2009. Designed to be a safe space for gay and bisexual men to flirt and connect, Grindr used geolocation to help connect users in their area.
Online dating was becoming accessible for everyone and although people still whispered about how they met, the negative press was beginning to wane.
The 2010s Folklore – Introducing the Swipe!
In 2012 Tinder arrived on the dating scene. It revolutionised matching with its swipe right for yes and left for no when it came to meeting in real life. Not only did Tinder revolutionise simple interaction, but it also let users search by location in real-time. So meetings could happen quickly.
Hinge also showed their dating prowess in the 2010s. The Hinge focus was on relationships built around interests and behaviours and their algorithm matched users on compatibility.
Bumbl described as a “feminist” dating app also joined the scene in the 2000s. The app only allowed female users to message first in heterosexual matches, the concept propelled its popularity.
Towards the end of the decade, apps and websites saw an increase in the rise of targeting specific demographics, many of which adopted the swipe left for yes formula introduced by Tinder.
The 2020s Speak Now– A Pandemic and an Unprecedented Recovery
Covid saw dating apps having to reinvent themselves to further connect people.
With social media channels threatening, dating apps and websites adopted Video dating first applications. For Snack and Curtn users sent video messages rather than texts to personalise the connection.
Audio first has also been adopted by some applications and Swoon.Me prevents users from seeing profile pictures unless a video note is sent first!
Today – Evermore
Ending where online dating began, today Match has over 30 million members! Alongside them, there are thousands of alternatives!
AI is already changing what dating apps and websites can offer customers and we can’t wait to witness this new evolution.
With dating online no longer being whispered about and online matching becoming as common as meeting face-to-face, the future for the industry and apps is bright.
At the Global Dating Industry Awards, we can’t wait to see what the new era looks like!
