21st century dating: How technology is helping us find love at first swipe

From left: Marriage.lk and Bizservices.lk Head of IT Amila Yahampath, Marriage.lk and Bizservices.lk Head of Customer Services Harshani Lakmali, Marriage.lk and Bizservices.lk Head of International Relations Sagara Lakmal De Mel, Bizservices.lk CEO and R. Smartfuel (UK) Director M.L. Ranga Perera, Bizservices.lk Head of Management/Alternative Director Lakmini Peiris and Sampath Gamage

We all, or at least many of us, remember the classic Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan movie ‘You’ve Got Mail’[1]. For those of you who do not, it was one of the first movies to integrate online dating into the story line. In this 1998 classic, Ryan and Hanks send emails back and forth with the iconic AOL ‘You’ve Got Mail’ notification pinging away. With each new email, the two are able to talk about their problems, share pieces of themselves, and form a strong emotional bond. [1] Far from being ‘creepy’ or antisocial, the movie shows how technology can facilitate healthy romantic relationships.

Fast forward to now – some 15 years later – and technology-facilitated dating has evolved dramatically. And it continues to do so. In just the past five years, we have transitioned from a website industry to a landscape that now includes specialised mobile dating applications (apps). 

Consider: In 2010, users spent more than twice as much time on dating websites as they did on dating apps.[2] Just one year later, in 2011, users spent slightly more time on dating apps than they did on websites.[2] According to a recent study from Flurry Analytics, there are 17 million active users on the 20 most popular dating apps worldwide.[3] In January 2013 alone, there were 2.1 billion active sessions on these apps.[4] Although it is safe to say that dating apps are not used by everyone looking for romance, their use is quickly growing.

Online matchmaking

People are meeting less now face to face. Technology gives you access to people outside your vicinity and social circle. 

People are working longer hours so their time is more valuable. If you are commuting to work you can be flicking through people online and start falling in love in various ways such as online dating, FB and other social media. 

 

According to recent studies, each one in five relationships in the UK begins online. It is certain that online love quite successful whereas offline relationship find it somewhat difficult especially when it comes to matrimony. Online matchmaking is more applicable for any individual in any region since it is lesser basic to discover anyone who has never attempted online matchmaking. 

Matrimony results have made a big impact through online matchmaking sites by becoming successful. Online matchmaking is growing much faster than that no one has ever noticed besides desperate folks who are looking for serious long-term relationships. As developing country, even in Sri Lanka online matchmaking has become much more culturally acceptable than it was 10 years prior. 

Hence further researchers have investigated that every 5% of Americans who are committed to matrimony had found their significant other on online matchmaking sites. Online matchmaking is quite easy and safe when you savvy to the fact that every other person out there is similarly as powerless as you seem to be. Online matchmaking sites in countries as in India and Europe shows successful results rather Sri Lanka. And Marriages.lk provides a big difference to Sri Lankans who is still stuck with poor cultural myths. 

More likely 64% of users are interested in finding potential partners with common characteristics while 49% of users are interested with looks. Moreover, many of the online matchmaking sites provide bespoken services where users can choose many sorts of potential partners’ categories from in terms of their bio. Maintaining a real and humble profile would provide a greater amount of results where it is proven in many scientific facts. It is often crucial to use your real bio on your dating profile since most users were attracted to profiles with positive impact where studies show that many folks depend upon the details and occupations of any particular interested partner. 

Further, recent studies by Yagan, the internet entrepreneur, show online matchmaking has long-lasting capability and factors regarding that would be great for the society as well. Moreover, according to another recent report from online matchmaking services and the Imperial College Business School, some 70% of relationships would begin from online matchmaking sites within the next 20 years.

Online matchmaking can be applied to anyone even more than 40 million Americans have gone for online matchmaking. Moreover, nobody has to be worried over thinking that entire relationship is going on online will last only on web, it is more about in-person after you have got to know about each other well. 

According to many users’ experiences, you have the benefit of finding someone who is interested in your interests and this is greater approach for shy people as the awkwardness is automatically taken out to a certain extent right before meeting your partner in person and with the assist of certain top online sites each and every individual can try out online matchmaking with no barriers. 

Numerous scientific studies have shown that use of online matchmaking eliminates ambiguity of many users’ intentions and builds a great approach that might help any user when it comes to meeting people in person. More likely online matchmaking is nearly similar to interviews that you face in day to day life since you have the opportunity that you don’t have to stay till someone asks you out perhaps which might take ages. With online matchmaking you could easily overcome this issue as it helps you find potential dates with a shorter time period. 

In a nutshell, it is true that patience can bring you good things eventually but without putting yourself out and trying hard you won’t get anything at all. Good things would happen only if you give it a try and online matchmaking can be a successful method only if you go for it.

Marriages.lk

Marriages.lk is one of the newly built free online matchmaking sites for Sri Lankans and any individuals all over the world who are looking for a fine match by giving quality and awesome experience for users search for commitments. The site is comprised with latest technologies and user friendly UI along with quick functionalities. The site enables you to narrow your search into few specific parameters in order to make it quicker and effective. 

Marriages.lk assures that users’ bio is safe in site and provided full-time online protection. Moreover, the site assures all user text messages within the site are confidential and private and distribution of personal info among third parties is forbidden as well. Nor Sri Lankan or any user has to be worried over registering on Marriage.lk since they conduct high quality security services and any user with fake info will be removed without further ado.

Comprehensive personality tests are carried out by the site which is basically based upon the Five Factor Model theory of personality traits including conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness, extraversion and introversion. The site follows thorough and comprehensive review upon personality tests when it comes to find compatible matches, demographic data, and personal preferences in the context of user search criteria. 

The fundamental factors that any user ought to pursue in terms of creating online matchmaking profile are their profile picture and bio. According to many user experiences this is quite nerve-wracking at the preliminary stage and Marriages.lk would provide you the full assistance in many ways when it comes to creating an attractive user profile and bio. All the guidance along with examples as in what to use as bio, what type of profile picture to use, how to start the primary conversation in a good way are simply provided by Marriages.lk.

As one of the upcoming online matchmaking websites for Sri Lankans, Marriages.lk is comprised with multiple potential benefits for users. The site enables the profiles and matching services which facilitates basic user personality test, and the results of the personality test include particular person’s age, lifestyles, beliefs and other significant aspects. The site utilises compatibility tests which include algorithms when it comes to match potential dates which help in saving users’ time and effort. 

Security and safety

Marriages.lk gives you the capability of creating your own filters when it comes to finding your ideal match along with many more custom services while allowing users to view how often other users log on to the website as well. Options such as creating favourite lists and active lists are accessible in the site for further user convenience. 

The site also carries out a text alerts service where you will be informed in the event any potential subscriber has messaged your profile. Chat service includes digital winks, gifs and other significant options that any social media chat box contains. Any online matchmaking site carries out help and support service where users can inquire regarding safety concerns. Assistance services are provided directly through phone calls, email and general aids as in articles and FAQs. 

Marriages.lk likewise manually verifies user details in accordance with input bio as in email addresses, usernames, NIC, occupation details and so on. Hence the users can easily sign up with Marriages.lk with no second thought since their personal data is protected and no fake users can exist within the site. For further protection the site enables block tracking technologies and third party aggressive advertisements. 

For those of any sexual orientation, finding the ideal match via online matchmaking sites is simple and quick, given the variety of features. Users do not have to be nervous anymore regarding trying out online matchmaking sites as it is quite common and a lot easier when it comes to find your ideal match. 

Marriages.lk inbox daily user suggestions in accordance with their interest and compatibility match. Moreover, users have custom capabilities as in limit available matchmaking results or enhance them by adding up to interest lists. Furthermore, some of the studies related online matchmaking shows many online daters enrol further assistance when it comes to create and review their private online matchmaking profiles. 

Being successful in an online matchmaking site is entirely in the users’ hands and it is their responsibility to be sensible and use real info in the event they are to find true love. According to many researchers’ findings, use of attractive screen names would be beneficial as clearly as that of using alluring profile photos. 

Furthermore, screen names with positive meanings give faster results rather than the use of something useless. Use of easy language on matchmaking profiles is also a great advantage when it comes to attracting potential partners to any particular user profile. 

References:

[1] “History of Online Dating” brainz. 2011 Accessed: http://brainz.org/history-online-dating/

[2] “Mobile Dating Apps.” Flurry Analytics. June 2011 Accessed: http://www.ibisworld.com/Common/MediaCenter/Going%20Mobile.pdf

[3] “Oxygen Media Dating Poll Reveals that Race and Religion Are No Longer an Issue for Most Daters” Oxygen Media. 2013 Accessed: http://mobile.theweek.com/article/index/242491/americas-dating-sc…

[4] Gordon, Mary Ellen “Valentines’ Day 2013: Looking for Love with Apps” Flurry Analytics. 2013 Accessed: http://blog.flurry.com/bid/94226/Valentine-s-Day-2013-Looking-for…