Fast Facts for Online Love

A quick-hitting compilation of online facts, tricks and tips to put your best foot forward

By Jack McLaughlin

Story Design by Bryce Patterson

Mariana Trench? I don’t think so. The internet is the real last great frontier of humankind. While this means that internet and app-based dating can be incredibly exciting and rewarding, it also means you never know what you’re going to run into. We’ve put together a collection of fast facts for the online dating novice and guru alike.

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The United States is the clear leader in the number of online daters per country worldwide.

According to Pew Research Center, women are roughly 20 percent more likely than men to prioritize information listed in a potential date’s online profile

(for example: making sure a date‘s profile says they are looking for something long-term).

Don’t be discouraged about getting back into the online dating scene if you have kids. Match.com reported that over 40 percent of its users have children. Plus, a recent poll of single parents showed that 92 percent of single parents prefer to date other parents.

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Relationships formed via apps or the internet are just as, if not more, susceptible to breakups as those that start elsewhere. According to a series of “love averages” published by Lisa Daily, most breakups occur between 3 and 5 months.

If you’re trans or non-binary and looking for a more hospitable space to date online, there are plenty of reliable dating websites and apps specifically for the trans community.

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First impressions matter when you end up meeting: A University of Pennsylvania study showed that the majority of people make up their minds about their date’s attractiveness within the first three seconds they meet.

While this varies significantly by age and sexual orientation, only 3 in 10 American adults say they have never used a dating app.

Can’t decide what to wear for the first time you meet IRL? According to a pair of studies published in “The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology” and “The Journal of Experimental Psychology: General,” both men and women are more attracted to potential partners who wear red (although for different reasons).

Wondering when a kiss is right?

According to Dailey’s averages report, most couples who kiss end up doing so on their second date.