The past year has been nothing but a roller coaster ride for everyone, with people trying to get back to normalcy amid the pandemic. However, even with all that, building meaningful connections online reigned supreme. According to data by the online dating platform Bumble, in 2021, there has been an increased need for social connections with continued lockdown and social distancing restrictions. This was evidenced by the fact that over 9 billion messages were exchanged on the app globally in 2021, up nearly 40% from 2020.
2021 was the year of intentional dating where singles were eager to build more meaningful connections than ever and this trend is expected to continue in 2022 as the majority of single people (54%) in India are more mindful of how and when they date.
In 2021, the top three interest categories for India’s Gen Z and Millennial users on the dating platform were: “Film and TV,” “Food and Drink” and “Sports”. In 2021, action & adventure and comedy were the top two genres of choice for Indians who adopted the “Film and TV” Interest Badge on their profiles. While Bollywood was another top choice for Millennials, Anime was the most popular genre among Gen Z.
Coffee was the beverage of choice for Indians who selected the “Food and Drink” interest category followed by beer, foodie and Biryani.
As we look ahead to 2022, below are some tips to help you navigate your dating journey-
- Send a message when folks are most likely to be online and responsive! The most popular time to be on Bumble is between 7 pm - 10 pm especially during the weekdays as people get ready to wind down from the hustle and bustle of the day and enjoy leisurely activities before bedtime.
- Love them or loathe them, emojis have become the new grammar in our daily conversations.
- Less is not more: Don’t leave your profile blank! This is your opportunity to show off your amazing sense of humor and let your next potential match get to know a little bit about you. Everyone loves a funny, memorable profile. Remember to keep it positive! Asking a question in your profile that a potential match can answer as their first message to you is always a good idea.
- Show off your special and most authentic self: Give specific examples or anecdotes that show your matches what sets you apart. Lots of people are fun, outgoing, adventurous, love to travel, or enjoy being active. If you like to cook, what’s your favorite dish to make? What show are you watching on TV right now? What does your typical Saturday night look like?
