When you meet a new couple, one of the first questions you might ask them is “where did you meet?”. Some common answers used to be “at work”, “through mutual friends”, or “in a bar or club”. Stories would be told of eyes meeting across crowded dancefloors and of love at first site.
Occasionally, with the birth of the internet, people might say they met online, but it would be in hushed tones and with more than slight embarrassment as if they weren’t good enough to have met the man or woman of their dreams the “normal” way.
Nowadays, not only are people more likely to say they met their partner online than ever before, they are much less likely to be embarrassed by it as online dating is part of the mainstream culture and the way we live our lives.
This is probably no surprise given we live in a world where the line between our physical and digital worlds has blurred to the point where they are one in the same. People don’t just talk face-to-face anymore but through emails, instant messaging, social media, and a host of other digital platforms. And a glance across a room has been replaced by many with a reply to a tweet or a comment on a blog post, both of which have led to relationships blossoming.
Online dating sites have led to lots of relationships too, with millions of people across the world signing up to be members of sites that focus on everything from simple hookups with people in your local area to long-term relationships including marriage between men and women who live thousands of miles apart. So, if you thought online dating wasn’t for you but you’re looking for love, you might want to think again and sign up on FindBride today.
Ask most people, and they would be able to name at least one or two dating sites, even if they aren’t on them. Ads for these sites are everywhere from magazines to TV adverts. Online dating sites are no longer something that people feel the need to shy away from or hide the fact that they are signed up for.
That’s because statistics show over 20% of people in serious relationships began those relationships online through dating sites. Add to that the 17% of marriages, which now begin through an online relationship, and you have some pretty impressive figures and an understanding of why online dating is now mainstream. It works.
As with all things internet-related, some countries have picked up the trend more than others. In the US, for example, over 33% of marriages between 2005 and 2012 started online. 45% of these came from meetings on dating sites while others met through social media and chat rooms. The research into US marriage trends was carried out by the University of Chicago’s psychology department, which also found that people who met their significant other online were more likely to be well-educated and in work and showed higher happiness levels than their counterparts who had met through more traditional dating routes. As a result, divorce rates for online marriages were at 6% whereas those married after meeting someone more traditionally had an 8% divorce rate.
There are a number of reasons for these higher satisfaction rates which, while small, are significant. One of the reasons may be that people complete profiles when they register for online dating sites which list their likes and dislikes, hobbies and interests, making it easier for people with similar interests to seek them out.
Sharing common interests is a key factor in a relationship working long-term. Despite the saying, and belief amongst many people, that opposites attract, research shows that this isn’t the case and that compatibility is much more important. With online dating, you can find someone who enjoys the things you enjoy, cares about the things you care about, and wants to do these things with someone they love rather than just with friends or on their own. It means once you get married you are unlikely to be stuck for something to do or somewhere to go and can live happily together.
Another reason online dating works is that, while there are plenty of sites out there for people who simply want to meet someone to date or for sex, there are just as many for people who are looking for long-term, committed relationships. The type of site you register for says a lot about what kind of relationship you want and what other people on the site are looking for too.
People who register for sites that focus on matching people up for serious relationships are making a statement about their motivations and their desire for commitment, possibly marriage, meaning there is less chance of a couple understanding what both partners are expecting and — potentially — speeding up the dating process as you both know where you want to end up — in front of the altar.
The ease of communication is also another major benefit of online dating. Research showed that people find it much easier to talk about themselves and what matters to them online rather than face-to-face, meaning people get to know each other at a deeper level and can develop stronger relationships as a result. Why this is, isn’t clear, but it may be because people know they are talking to partners who share a similar mindset (thanks to their profiles) and so find it easier to open up to them without a fear of being judged.
Finally, online dating makes it easier to find a person you can build a long-term relationship with because it opens your dating pool up to the rest of the country or, if you are so inclined, the world. It lets you meet people internationally and get to know them before you meet. There are practical elements to this — the more people available to you to date, the more likely you are to meet someone who matches your requirements and you are less likely to waste time trying to make a relationship work with someone who isn’t compatible just because they live close by.
While America is probably leading the way when it comes to online dating, Russia has been slower to take advantage of the trend. There are definitely fewer registered members on Russian dating sites and their quality doesn’t always compare to sites in Western Europe or North America. However, this may be changing as a recent review showed Russia was number one when it came to dating apps, suggesting that Russian people are catching up with the rest of the world.
The lower level of take up for online dating doesn’t mean it isn’t an option if you are looking for love and interested in developing international relationships as many Russian women are looking for marriage with men from the West as they believe they make good husbands. You are especially likely to be successful if you speak Russian, as many Russian women don’t speak English, are hard working and a good provider, both of which Russian women find attractive.
If you do sign up to a Russian site, look for ones that include women from the larger cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg as there are slightly more single girls in these areas than others. Also, it’s worth remembering that Russian women generally go on dating sites because they are serious about finding their long-term love. They are less likely to sign up in order to date short-term or hook up with men, it is not their style. If it’s yours, you are unlikely to be successful on a Russian dating site.
You are also likely to get much out of the site if you sign up just to have a look and chat with a few women, something which does happen in the states, where the Pew Research Centre found 30% of people on dating sites had no intention of meeting the people they talked to in person or taking their relationships further.
If you are serious about finding true love, however, and think that a woman from Russia or another Eastern European country might be the one for you, a Russian dating site might well be the answer. Before you sign up, however, it’s worth taking the time to understand what sites are out there so you can find the right one for you and doing some research on the differences between dating internationally and dating in your own country. If you do, you could find yourself with the woman of your dreams thanks to online dating.