A dating app reveals how single Indians are planning to find companionship during the year
A women-first social networking app reveals how single Indians are planning on dating in 2021 now that India has unlocked and lifted restrictions across states. Basis a nation-wide survey conducted by Bumble, there are some interesting data and insights regarding the dating preferences.
Virtual dating is the new norm
The recent nationwide survey found that after connecting with people virtually, 83 per cent of single Indians are comfortable to meet up with their connections in-person. The study also reveals that 40 per cent of single Indians will opt for virtual dating in 2021.
Indians now going on pre-dates more than ever
Single Indians now go on ‘pre-dates’ where they explore virtual dating for the first time and use video dates to get to know one another before meeting in-person. The app’s internal research found out that 78 per cent of single Indians feel the need to build trust before meeting in-person, which has given rise to ‘slow dating’ that means people are taking more time to get to know each other better.
Ideal first IRL dates in 2021
For those who are meeting in person, the pandemic has changed the way they approach dating with a majority (47 per cent) preferring more low-key first IRL dates as staying indoors (at their home, their partner’s or a friend’s place) is the top choice for first in-person dates. Once comfortable to step out, going on a long drive remains a favourite among single Indians (43 per cent) along with meeting at a local cafe/tea shop. Dinner dates at a restaurant (41 per cent) is the next favourite for a great first IRL date choice.
Dating choices and preferences
When it comes to making a connection online, education and career choices top the list of preferences that matter most to single Indians, followed by dating intentions. However, the top most deciding factor when meeting someone in-person is compatibility (23 per cent).
Making boundaries and comfort levels clear
To help navigate new rules of dating in 2021, the app’s new badges give its community the opportunity to communicate what kind of dates people are looking for: virtual, socially-distanced or socially-distanced with masks. This helps with the potentially awkward conversation by allowing the community to search for people who are dating in the same way as them. Globally, more than one million people have used the app’s new feature on their profile. People who share what kind of dates they are comfortable with through the app’s new dating badges see a 43 per cent increase in the average number of monthly matches than those who don’t.
Samarpita Samaddar, Bumble India PR Director, said, “Single Indians are now feeling a strong desire to build trust online before meeting in real life with virtual dating becoming the new norm in India. In fact, over 540 million messages have been sent on the app in India between January and November, 2020. We saw a 38 per cent rise in the use of video chats and voice calls with people spending roughly 20 mins on average on video and voice calls.
As India continues to unlock, we’re seeing an emerging trend of people getting excited about the prospect of dating in real life again in 2021. At the same time, there’s still nervousness about what the future holds. We will continue to support our community in India to write their own stories and take charge of their dating journeys.”
(The research was conducted by YouGov between December 2 to 10, 2020 in India.)
