Internet Dating Facts

Internet dating facts include the fact that the number of active members on the top 5 online dating sites was recorded at 22.53 million people, in August, 2004 (according to Nielsen/NetRatings).

Of those over 22 million, more than 16 percent were 55 and older, and more than 5 percent were 65 and older, making Internet dating very popular also in the elderly population.

Those figures compare to the estimated (Nielsen/NetRatings) over 148 million who were active online during the same month in the U.S.

Internet Dating Facts - comScore

According to comScore Networks estimates, 38 million Americans visited Match, Yahoo Personals and other online dating sites in October 2003, up from the estimated 35 million during same time in 2002.

As for size of the Internet dating business, consumers spent $214 million on online personals in the first half 2003, up from $121 million in 2002, according to comScore research.

ComScore estimates the biggest Internet dating site, Yahoo! Personals, to have had 6.5 million visitors during June, 2004.

The second largest, match.com reportedly had more than 4 million, and one up-and-coming site, eHarmony, had 1.5 million, making it the tenth most popular site for that month.

What's an important thing to know about eHarmony.com is that comScore estimates it to have gathered 36% of dollars spend by newcomers to online dating, more than any other company in the online dating business.

Internet Dating Facts - Other Research Firms

Another research firm, Jupiter Research, forecasts that $473 million will be spent on dating sites in 2004, $516 million in 2005, and $642 by 2008.

Another firm, Ipsos-Reid, made a poll about Internet dating for the web site lavalife.com in conjunction with Mansfield Communications during September, 2002.

Of the 1,000 Americans polled, 29% would recommend online dating as an alternative way of meeting other singles.

Of genders, 35% of men and 23% of women would or might recommend online dating as an alternative to a single friend.

Of the polled, 44% think they have a better and 8% think at least equal chance of meeting someone they like online than at a single’s bar.

In other words, a majority of Americans think that they have at least an equal chance of finding love online than at a single's bar.