• Okcupid Hack 2021
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• Okcupid Review 2021

Today’s computer-aided matchmaking services can trace their history back to a class project in 1959. With a project called “Happy Families Planning Service,” two Stanford students managed to match 49 pairs of men and women. Their tools? A punch card questionnaire processed by an IBM 650 mainframe computer—and the lock picking skills to access the university’s newly acquired machine.

OkCupid Reviews From Around The Web. On SiteJabber, OkCupid has a 3.6-star rating. The posted reviews ranged from the usual complaints that plague any free dating site like “ Tired of the scammers and fake people ” to glowing praise like “ Found the love of my life! OkCupid is a free online dating service that provides people a convenient search engine for finding matches. It utilizes a series of quizzes and multiple choice questionnaires to get a unique insight for matching its members. It offers both free and premium paid membership with enhanced profile and messaging controls.

Online dating and matchmaking services have gone a long way since then. The inventors, James Harvey and Philip A. Fialer, didn’t get to commercialize their project. They didn’t follow up on their invention and ended up working in other industries. However, others made an industry out of online dating.

In this article, we will take a look at one of the industry’s big players, OkCupid. With 50 million users in 2020, the company has an active hand in shaping dating as we know it today (or as younger people know it today). So, strap yourself in and check out some of the most interesting OkCupid statistics and learn what will shape the online dating trends in the future.

Getting To Know: OkCupid Through Stats

OkCupid was founded in 2004 by four friends who went to Harvard. Starting only as a website, the company improved its scope by adding mobile applications in 2012. In fact, OkCupid is the first major dating website to do so. Today, it is known for its unique algorithm that matches people through making meaningful connections. Here are key statistics in this regard.

• Over 91 million connections made annually. (OkCupid, 2021)
• 50 thousand dates made every week. (OkCupid, 2021)
• Only dating app with thousands of questions for its matching algorithm. Questions and topics range from music and cilantro to climate change issues and politics. (OkCupid, 2021)
• In a first, OkCupid introduced 22 genders and 13 orientations. (OkCupid, 2021)
• As of January 2021, OkCupid is the sixth most popular dating app in the world based on the number of monthly downloads with 448.08 thousand. Tinder leads the pack with 6.44 million downloads. (AppMagic, 2021)

Both Tinder and OkCupid, among other popular apps, are owned by the Match Group. Other dating sites and applications owned by the company include Match.com, Plenty of Fish, and Hinge.

Source: AppMagic, 2021

The Profiles of OkCupid Users in 2020

• As of April 2020, around 9% of adults, in one survey, were currently using OkCupid.And, 23% have used the application before but weren’t currently using it during the survey period. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• Around 11% of these were male and 6% were female. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• The percentage of US Adults in their age range who used OkCupid in 2020 (Morning Consult, 2020):
  • 18-29: 14%
  • 30-44: 10%
  • 45-54: 4%
  • 55-64: 5%
  • 65 and up: 2%
• Around 18% of Gen Zers have used OkCupid in 2020. About 9% of Millennials and 8% of Generation Xers were also on the platform. Also, only 1% of Boomers were OkCupid users in the same period. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• More or less 11% of US adults with post-grad degrees have used OkCupid in 2020. About 9% of people with no college degree and 7% of people with bachelor’s degrees used OkCupid. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• An estimated 17% of people of Hispanic descent were OkCupid users. Also, about 17% of African Americans and 7% of Whites were on the platform as well. A good 13% of people belonging to other races were users too. (Morning Consult, 2020)
• Around 10% of people that identify as Liberals and 10% of those that identify as conservatives were OkCupid users. Only 1% of those that identify as Conservatives were on OkCupid. (Morning Consult, 2020)

Is there success in online dating? Some stigma remains.

There has always been some stigma associated with online dating. Many couples wouldn’t admit to their family that they have met on dating sites like OkCupid or Tinder. But there are those who find success when it comes to finding a long-term relationship. With the success, the stigma is being washed away, especially among younger adults.

• More or less half of Americans believe that dating apps have neither negative nor positive effects on relationships and dating. Some 26% claimed that dating apps have a mostly negative effect, and 22% claimed that their effects are mostly positive. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• There are users, at 57%, who have claimed that their own personal experience with dating apps or sites has been mostly positive. About 42% claimed that their experiences were mostly negative. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• About 30% of Americans claim to have used a dating app or site, and 12% have been in a committed relationship or married with someone they met using these platforms. And, 23% have claimed that they went on a date with someone they met through a dating app. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• More or less 48% of adults who are 18-29 years old have used dating sites or apps. Only 38% of adults aged 30-49 claimed that they too have used online dating services. And, only 13% of adults in the age range of 65+ admit to using online dating platforms. (Patteson, 2020)
• Around 55% of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults claimed to have used a dating app. Around 20% have found a committed relationship via these platforms. (Anderson et al., 2020)

The Real Common Dangers of Dating Sites

Of course, there are downsides to dating apps and platforms. This is because just like everything else online, users can manipulate information and possess malintent towards others. Here are the most common undesirable aspects of online dating platforms.

• 71% – people lie to make themselves more attractive. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• 50% – people set up fake accounts to scam others. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• 48% – people receive sexually explicit images or messages that they did not ask for. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• 25% – people are being harassed and bullied. (Anderson et al., 2020)
• 18% – privacy violations like identity theft and data breaches. (Anderson et al., 2020)

These are inherent risks that people generally accept when it comes to using dating sites and apps. Of course, communities and developers try very hard to minimize these occurrences. However, this seems to be an uphill battle in the foreseeable future.

As Covid Spreads, Love Spreads

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world to what seems like a standstill. However, it couldn’t really put a dent in the human desire to find love, be loved, and procreate. As the possibility of going on physical dates decreased during the outbreak, a new range of online dating activities has been devised.

• 94% of OkCupid users claimed that they will continue to date but they’ll do it virtually during the lockdown. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 51% claimed that they enjoy phone sex (OkCupid, 2020)
• Only 6% of OkCupid users claim that they will wait to date until the pandemic ends (OkCupid, 2020)

Singles interested in select online dating activities (US and UK)

• 24% – online games setup for dating (GWI, 2020)
• 21% – synchronized movie watching with a date (GWI, 2020)
• 13% – an organized online speed dating event (GWI, 2020)

Online Dating Preferences by OkCupid Users During the Pandemic

• 31% – shared activities (e.g. a game) (OkCupid, 2020)
• 29% – have dinner or drinks (OkCupid, 2020)
• 25% – video chat (OkCupid, 2020)
• 15% – watch a TV show or movie together (OkCupid, 2020)

Okcupid Hack 2021

COVID Spreading, Love Spreading

• 900% increase in social profiles on OkCupid mentioning “social distancing” and “coronavirus” (OkCupid, 2020)
• 10% in matches on OkCupid and conversations increased by 20% during the lockdown. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 30% increase in messages being sent. Also, there is an increase of 40% for intro messages (OkCupid, 2020)
• Users that modified their preferred location to “anywhere” were 5% likely to have more conversations than those who don’t. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 20% decrease in OkCupid users just looking for hookups (OkCupid, 2020)
• 5% increase in OkCupid users who are looking for a long-term relationship. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 85% of 70,000 daters on OkCupid agree that it is important to develop an emotional connection first before a physical one (OkCupid, 2020)

The Most Popular Virtual Dates on OkCupid

• 51% – prefer texting and messaging (OkCupid, 2020)
• 26% – video chatting (OkCupid, 2020)
• 17% – good old fashioned phone calls (OkCupid, 2020)

What are the best parts of virtual dating on OkCupid?

• 38% – less pressure (OkCupid, 2020)
• 37% – get to know the other person better (OkCupid, 2020)
• 25% – get to wear whatever they want (OkCupid, 2020)

COVID-19 Induced Online Dating Trends

COVID-19 just couldn’t stop people from dating. Instead, it became a centerpiece when it comes to conversations. This, as OkCupid stated, is one way that has been correlated to people prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of others and themselves.

• Mentions of ‘coronavirus’ increased more than 2,2000% on OkCupid profiles. (OkCupid, 2021)
• An increase of 32% was seen between March and December of 2020 and a 137% increase seen on mentions of ‘vaccine’ between November and January 2021. (OkCupid, 2021)
• People who answered “Yes” to the question “Will you get the COVID-19 vaccine?” are getting 12% more matches and 20% more likes. (OkCupid, 2021)
• 20% of Millennials and Gen Zers started to wear double masks. They receive more conversations on OkCupid. (OkCupid, 2021)
• 14% would cancel a date with someone who didn’t want to take the vaccine. (OkCupid, 2021)
• 215,000 people would cancel a date with someone that refuses to maintain proper social distance. (OkCupid, 2021)
• During the pandemic, women became more active on their dating apps. OkCupid women users under 30 were more active and engaged. They sent 28.5% more first messages in January 2021 than they did the previous year. (OkCupid, 2021)
• 86% of users are looking forward to in-person dating after the pandemic is over. (OkCupid, 2021)

Love and Belief: Activism and Politics

Shared beliefs play a role when it comes to how long relationships last, especially when it comes to religious beliefs. Beliefs can either unite or divide marriages or serious commitments. That is why in online dating, websites such as OkCupid use algorithms to match individuals with the same interests and beliefs with each other.

This 2020 showed that online daters on OkCupid put a premium on a dating prospect’s beliefs. This includes topics, ranging from social issues to political ideologies.

#BlackLivesMatter: Racial Equality and Justice

OkCupid had been showing strong support for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. This came after a string of incidents that led to some racial unrest in the US in 2020. And, the support also filters down to OkCupid users. Here are some facts and statistics concerning the OkCupid community’s BLM support.

• $1 million worth of advertising space was donated by OkCupid to Black civil rights organizations. The site also rolled out a #BlackLivesMatter profile badge for those that are interested. Moreover, the company also donated to organizations like the Black Girls CODE, NAACP, and Fair Fight Action. (OkCupid, 2020)

Many OkCupid users also support the BLM movement

• 70% of OkCupid survey respondents are protesting against racial inequality. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 62% donate time and money, educate others and themselves, and protest. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 23% educate themselves and others as well (OkCupid, 2020)
• 9% donated their money or time (OkCupid, 2020)
• 6% are protesting (OkCupid, 2020)

The BLM profile badge can be attractive

• Users with #BlackLivesMatter profile badges were found to be 10% more active than others. They also experience an increase in likes. (OkCupid, 2020)
• Those with BLM badges are 2x more likely to be a match with others that also have badges. Moreover, those with badges are more likely to get the first message from someone. (OkCupid, 2020)

The Advent of Advodating

Obviously, ‘advodating’ is a portmanteau of advocacy and dating. It is a trend where people date others that advocate the same political or social causes. This, too, is not something new. Many have found love, thanks to activism. This includes the parents of Vice President Kamala Harris who met each other at a civil rights protest.

• In 2020, 48% of Gen Z women and 41% of Millennial women identify themselves as activists. (OkCupid, 2020)
• Gen Zers are 11% more likely to identify as activists than Millennials. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 33% of OkCupid users in the US identify themselves as activists. (OkCupid, 2020)

Even though there’s some truth to the adage that opposites attract, OkCupid data shows that this is not likely to happen when two individuals have strong opposing views on politics.

• More or less three million daters couldn’t have a date with someone with strong opposing political views than them. (OkCupid, 2020)
• In 2019, 53% of OkCupid respondents claim that they wouldn’t date someone with strong opposing political views. In 2020, the figure rose to 60%. (OkCupid, 2020)

Of Voters and Lovers: ‘I voted’ is the new ‘I love you’ says OkCupid

OkCupid statistics and data show that politics is a big part of dating nowadays. In fact, the trend points towards the possibility that politics could make one’s dating life better. As OkCupid pointed out, for many people ‘I voted’ is the new ‘I love you.’ This might be a bit of an exaggeration but there’s water to this claim.

• 90% of Millennials and 83% of Gen Zers on OkCupid are registered voters. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 50% claim that being a registered voter is an important criterion for whether to date someone. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 64% of OkCupid users believe that cross-party dating will not work in modern relationships. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 76% claim that it is very important how their date leans politically (OkCupid, 2020)
• 75% of females and 57% of males on OkCupid are leaning democrat. (OkCupid, 2020)
• Registered voters on OkCupid are 85% more likely to get a message. (OkCupid, 2020)
• The percentage of people who claim that having the same political beliefs is more important than good sex has increased 38.1% in 2020 compared to that of 2015. (OkCupid, 2021)
• OkCupid users who are registered voters are 63% likely to get a match. (OkCupid, 2020)
• Millennial OkCupid members are likely to lean Democrat (67%). Around 16% are undecided and only 9% claimed that they will vote Republican. Another 8% stated then that they will not vote. (OkCupid, 2020)
• Registered voters on OkCupid are 12% more likely to initiate a conversation. (OkCupid, 2020)

Voting is Sexy on OkCupid in 2020

Source: OkCupid, 2020

The Future of Online Dating on OkCupid

OkCupid found that when having a physical connection is no longer an option, people will turn online to emotionally connect with others. These connections are about things that matter most to them. Aside from the usual interests like cooking, gardening, or music, daters are continuing to connect with each other on social issues. Advodating seems to be the one big trend that will continue for years.

Of course, there are others that seem to be more conventional, including more selfies, music-based matchmaking, and the like.

Thunberg, Climate Change, and Hooking Up

Among other issues for advodating, climate change has been a hot subject among singles. This is especially true for Millennials and Gen Zers. Congregating and dating around this topic will likely be more popular in the coming years.

• More or less 2 million OkCupid users believe that climate change is real. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 85% of Millennials and 84% of Gen Zers are concerned about the climate change crisis. (OkCupid, 2020)

Selfies: Taking Care of Profiles

Because people can’t date in-person, online daters turn to creating better profiles to put their best foot forward. Again, the pandemic can’t stop people looking for love. And, even if it’s only virtual, they’ll get whatever they can.

• 92% of OkCupid survey respondents claim that they continued to find love even during lockdowns. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 30% go on virtual dates during the quarantine. (OkCupid, 2020)
• To better their chances, they put up better profile pictures. And, 95% believe that smiling selfies are the best ones. (OkCupid, 2020)

Slow Dating and Wilder Dating

The COVID-19 lockdown forced daters not to rush relationships. This spurred on the trend of slow dating where daters get to know each other more on an emotional and personal level before going into physical pursuits. This also gives women more control over their dating lives. Because of a slower pace of dating, women have been sending intro messages more as mentioned.

• 84% of 1 million survey respondents on OkCupid believe that it is best to have an emotional connection first before a physical one. (OkCupid, 2020)
• When the pandemic is over, daters will likely go for more outdoor activities like treks and other adventures. It’s because it was found that 59% claimed that the pandemic made them more motivated for meet-ups in the outdoors where they can properly social distance. (OkCupid, 2020)

Borderless Love and Speed Rooming

As mentioned, because of the quarantine, singles on OkCupid can change their location to “anywhere.” Along with it, people are willing to engage in a long-distance relationship. Moreover, it is not just physical borders that are slowly disappearing. Ideological and cultural borders seem to erode little by little as well.

• Since the outbreak, connections and conversations across geographical borders have increased by 50%. (OkCupid, 2020)
• Interracial relationships are on the rise, with a 10% increase during the pandemic. (OkCupid, 2020)
• In matters of faith, OkCupid daters are also 15% more willing to connect with others who are of another religion. (OkCupid, 2020)

Also, because of a long time of living alone or feeling alone, daters are likely going to live together after hooking up.

• 1 million daters on OkCupid admit that they don’t like living alone. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 5 million users believe that couples should live together before thinking about getting married. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 89% of users agree that the pandemic accelerated the rate of couples living together. (OkCupid, 2020)

Musically Yours

Music is something that gets people together and talking. On OkCupid, there were nearly 5 million mentions of ‘music’ on OkCupid profiles. If this is connected with other text strings like performers or genres, the number would shoot up to about 10x more. This trend is very strong and will likely continue throughout 2021 and even beyond.

• 85% of OkCupid users claim that music has a big influence on their lives. This also leaks out to dating. (OkCupid, 2020)
• When asked “What would you prefer your ideal match to be more into?” 37% of respondents selected music—the most popular response, topping sports, movies, and books, among others. (OkCupid, 2020)
• Around 1/3 of OkCupid survey respondents believe that a good indicator of a person’s intelligence level is a person’s music preference. (OkCupid, 2020)
• Around 86% of daters listen to music to get ready for their dates. (OkCupid, 2020)
• An estimated 53% of singles on OkCupid listen to music when they are feeling down. (OkCupid, 2020)
• Users with music mentioned on their profiles get 28% more likes. (OkCupid, 2020)
• 95% of OkCupid users like to have music on when they are hooking up. (OkCupid, 2020)

The Online Dating Industry is Booming

The worldwide online dating industry is poised to grow. In particular, the number of online dating users is set to reach 276.9 million by 2024. This is from about 196 million users in 2020. In the US alone, online dating revenue will likely shoot up to $1.09 billion in 2024, up from $779.4 million in 2017.

OkCupid is likely to remain among the top online dating services in the world. As mentioned, it currently placed sixth. Its unique and highly-specialized matching algorithm puts it in an ideal position to acquire more users. However, this will most probably be in a specific niche: daters who are looking for a serious and committed relationship.

Healthily growing this niche will likely be the key to more OkCupid growth. By emphasizing couple matching via similarities in interests over than just hookups, OkCupid could climb further up the leader boards.

OkCupid will continue to be a major asset to Match Group. Its steadily-growing user base will increasingly make it a magnet for advertisers. In particular, its diverse interests of daters make it a good target for advertising.

References:

Okcupid Changes 2021

1. Andersen, M., Vogel, E., & Turner, E. (2020, February 6). The virtues and downsides of online dating. Pew Research Center.
2. AppMagic. (2021). Homepage. AppMagic.
3. GWI. (2020). Case Study: Match Media Group. GlobalWebIndex.
4. Morning Consult. (2020). National Tracking Poll #200473. April 22-24, 2020. Washington, DC: Morning Consult.
5. OkCupid (2021). About. OkCupid.
6. OkCupid. (2021, February 27). One year later: How COVID-19 changed dating. OkCupid.
7. OkCupid. (2021, June 11). Black Lives Matter. OkCupid.
8. OkCupid. (2020). Voters make better lovers. OkCupid.
9. OkCupid. (2020, February 10). Music lovers get more love. OkCupid.
10. OkCupid. (2020, April 5). Love in the time of Corona: Massive spikes in matching, messaging and virtual dates around the world. OkCupid.
11. OkCupid. (2020, November 9). The future of dating. OkCupid.
12. Patteson, C. (2020, February 15). Dating app denial: For some couples, the stigma of meeting online still holds. Today.

🎉 SuperLikes Are Here! 🎉

So what's a SuperLike? It's a Like, but Super!

SuperLikes make it easy to know when someone really likes you! We give you one SuperLike to use every week, and sending them to your matches significantly increases your chances of matching with them. When members SuperLike you, you'll see a separate Stack where you can view them. Those members will also appear in your normal Likes list, so if you're a Premium member you'll be able to see them in multiple places.

You can send notes with SuperLikes too! This allows you to send a message to your match before they Like you back. If there's someone you really want to impress with your wit and charm, send them a SuperLike with a note! They don't need to sift through Discover or their usual Stacks before they see your message!

Frequently Asked Questions

What about Intros?

Those are going the way of the Dodo. If you'd like to see your Intros before they expire, go to the Intros section of your Likes tab. Here you can choose whether or not to match with the people who've sent the Intros. Once Intros are removed, the ones you've received will still exist, but you'll only be able to see them if you match with the sender. Conversely, the Intros you've sent to other people will still exist, but the recipients will only be able to see them if they match with you.

So, what's the point of regular Likes?

Okcupid 2021 Conference

Great question! Regular Likes will still function the way they have been - you Like someone, they Like you back, you have a chat. You'll no longer be able to message someone before they Like you back unless you use a SuperLike.

Okcupid Review 2021

If you have questions about SuperLikes, get in touch with us!