We've all heard online dating horror stories. A former coworker (let's call her Alex) came to me every Thursday for six months with a new story about the guy with creepy facial hair, or the guy who stood her up, or the guy who wouldn't text back for days and then pretend like no time had passed, before she just gave up on dating apps altogether.
But for every 100 Alexs there's an Alice — a friend who met her wife online after just a few weeks in a new city. They have been married for several years and are disgustingly cute on Facebook.
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Although that totally made up statistic seems true, one dating app claims the reality of meeting your true love through the internet is much less bleak.
The people behind Hinge feel so strongly that you can find a happy relationship online that they've written a book telling you how to do it. The book, IRL, weaves together statistics about online dating with true stories from couples who met on the app. It's basically a how-to guide on online dating.
Some of the statistics, shared with Refinery29, paint an interesting picture of what people are really looking for in a date. Here are just a few statistics from the book:
1. 71% of people are game for discussing “taboo” topics on a first date.
2. Most people think new couples should delete their dating apps after 4-6 dates.
3. Messages sent within the first 24 hours are twice as likely to receive a response.
4. On a first date, 59% of people prefer grabbing drinks, 15% prefer dinner, and 13% prefer an activity.
5. Couples who met through Hinge messaged for 3 days and swapped 25 messages before exchanging phone numbers.
6. Way to a woman’s heart: women are 40% more likely to respond to openers about food.
7. 68% of people believe weird is better than normal.
8. Profiles that show spontaneity are 139% more likely to lead to a conversation.
9. More people download dating apps from Christmas to Valentine’s Day than any other time of the year.
10. 63% of people are pro-facial hair.
2. Most people think new couples should delete their dating apps after 4-6 dates.
3. Messages sent within the first 24 hours are twice as likely to receive a response.
4. On a first date, 59% of people prefer grabbing drinks, 15% prefer dinner, and 13% prefer an activity.
5. Couples who met through Hinge messaged for 3 days and swapped 25 messages before exchanging phone numbers.
6. Way to a woman’s heart: women are 40% more likely to respond to openers about food.
7. 68% of people believe weird is better than normal.
8. Profiles that show spontaneity are 139% more likely to lead to a conversation.
9. More people download dating apps from Christmas to Valentine’s Day than any other time of the year.
10. 63% of people are pro-facial hair.
If you're looking for even more insight into finding your one-true-love online or, you know, at least an awkward first date, pre-order your copy of IRL now.