Looking Ahead: 2021 in Dating

As the world jolted to a stand-still in March, Plenty of Fish, like many other companies, had to examine our business model for the changing times. We’re in the business of creating connections and relationships, but how do we do that when face-to-face connections are limited and dating is turned on its head?

We focused our immediate efforts on making dating easier in a world where video was suddenly king, by expediting the launch of Live, the first live streaming community for singles. We knew that singles were more stressed than usual, so we launched a first-of-its-kind brand partnership with a mental wellness platform to help singles cope with the new and unusual dating scene. Throughout the year, we continued to find game-changing ways to support our members and help them adapt to the new dating norms.

Though we may be inching towards “normalcy,” the innovations we made in 2020 have taught us a lot about our members and the future of dating. Despite such challenging times, we learned that dating has been forever changed – maybe for the better.

• Vetting More Online Before Meeting:  Without the possibility of going out to dinner and a movie, singles are spending more time online dating instead of online matching. This means more meaningful in-app conversations: 72% of online daters believe it is still possible to start a romantic relationship while social distancing. Instead of supporting “match-making”, we’re seeing the first moments of a new relationship come to life, with singles using our platform to spark real, authentic relationships. In 2021, I expect this trend to continue with singles vetting potential partners before meeting. 
• Video Isn’t Going Anywhere. Our insights show that 75% of singles are more comfortable video chatting with a match now than before the pandemic – with video being especially popular with a younger demographic. Video is able to mimic “IRL dating”, which is something our singles crave in the age of social distancing. Especially with a constantly improving UX/UI experience, video will become even more personalized and dynamic, as the adoption rate increases and use-cases grow. 

We’ll also see video's positive impact on long-distance dating, as daters look for ways to mimic the feeling of being together – despite being oceans apart. 61% of singles are more open to long distance dating than they were before the pandemic with video likely set to drive up this number. 

• Online Dating in 2021: A One-Stop-Shop Supporting Healthy Relationships:  In a recent survey, we found that nearly one-third of U.S. singles experienced increased levels of anxiety this year, with more than half looking for ways to better manage their emotions. We took these insights to heart and partnered with female-led and founded mental wellness app Shine, on two new custom meditations (Navigate Dating During COVID and Balance Dating While Busy) to give singles a free resource to cope with dating related stress. In addition to free dating meditations, Plenty of Fish provided free year-long Shine Premium memberships to 5,000 Plenty of Fish members. The result was huge: in just a month’s time, singles who listened to the dating meditations and used other tools provided by Shine, like journaling and forums, reported that anxiety tied to online dating had reduced by a whopping 62%.

Finding new ways to support singles is something we’ll continue to see from dating apps. With the integration of in-app experiences like the ability to plan and purchase date activities, and member perks like free or discounted subscriptions to other services outside of dating, we’ll see a shift in how singles use dating apps – and the value they bring to them beyond dating.

Though many of us (myself included!) are sprinting towards 2021, I look back at 2020 with a mixture of awe and gratitude for our Plenty of Fish community.  I continue to be inspired by the enthusiasm and adaptability of my colleagues. And to our members, I am encouraged by your agility and eagerness to explore new ways to connect and can’t wait for brighter days ahead.

Cheers!