eHarmony’s Matching Algorithm – How Does it Work?

If you haven’t had much luck with online dating, then why not hire an online matchmaker? That’s basically what you’re doing when you sign up with eHarmony.

Using a finely tuned compatibility algorithm, eHarmony will match you with potential partners and possibly, the love of your life!

It’s time to let go, and let the professionals take the wheel.

History

The matchmaking professionals at eHarmony have been pairing up hopeful love-enthusiasts of all ages, ethnicities and professional backgrounds for almost 16 years. eHarmony CEO and founder Dr. Neil Clark Warren had been counseling married couples for over 35 years when he came up with the idea to apply his expertise to online dating.

Through years of applied research, he has found “that certain characteristics can predict compatibility and lead to more satisfying relationships.” And although this may sound like common sense, sometimes we don’t realize who is the best match for us until they’re right in front of our eyes. That’s where the experts come in!

Since eHarmony’s launch date in 2000, there have been over 66 million profiles created in 10 countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, the UK and elsewhere. With new profiles being added every day, the odds are in your favor.

Mechanics

A dating-hopeful’s experience on eHarmony is going to be much different than on most other dating websites.

There is no window-shopping here. All of your matches will be decided by eHarmony’s coveted algorithm and delivered to you on a daily basis. This, however, doesn’t mean that you can just sit back and wait for the love to start rolling in. You’re going to have to work for it. This signup process is quite thorough with a multitude of questions covering topics about you, your interests, your values, and so on.

This is all part of the magic (also known as the equation).

Once eHarmony’s scientific method has developed a comprehensive idea of who you are and what you’re searching for, they’ll scour the eHarmony database to find the matches best suited for you.

Some days you’re going to have several dating profiles at your fingertips, and some days you’re going to have none.

This will really test the saying, “Good things come to those who wait.” And I hope you’re patient, because the waiting has just begun.

After you have chosen a match you’d like to reach out to, you’ll learn that even the communication process is unique. Instead of freely writing back and forth, there are a series of multiple-choice and open-ended questions you and your match will ask and answer. Think of this as the “pre-interview”.

As with everything on eHarmony, this is deliberate. Jumping through all of these hoops is aimed to bond you closer (or not at all) with the right match. By measuring your shared values and interests, when you do finally begin to message each other freely your spark may already be lit.

Questions to Expect

Straight away after signup, it’s question time! Although there is an abundance of questions, the format is so straightforward, and I’ll even go as far as saying….fun.

You will be given a scale from 1-10 to rank yourself on qualities such as kindness, generosity, and attractiveness. This is to get an idea of who you are, and also, who you think you are.

Once it’s time to build your profile, you’ll be relieved to find no blank spaces with “Tell us about yourself” prompts. Instead, the questions are much more deliberate such as “The one thing I’m most passionate about is…” or “The most influential person in my life has been…”. You will also be faced with short-answer questions like “3 of my best life skills are…”. There is no breath wasted here.

Claimed Success

eHarmony has won multiple awards in the Online Dating world, and for good reason. According to an eHarmony survey, 57% of eHarmony users reported that they found a relationship with the service and 29% of eHarmony users said they’d been in at least one relationship lasting about a month.

If this still isn’t enough to convince you, here is some data that might sway you further: according to eHarmony, 438 people get married every day as a result of their scientific matchmaking. On their site, as well as scattered across the internet, you can find many heart-warming testimonials of happily married couples whose love began on eHarmony.

Take a Chance

I know that this all sounds exhausting and you may even be thinking, why all the hassle? It’s all about the algorithm. eHarmony works on the principle that there is more to finding romance online than a sexy profile picture and a witty introduction.

Researchers are continuously studying what bonds long-term couples together, and are looking to do the same for you.

The right balance of psychological compatibility, personal interests and attraction is the goal of every little step you take on this site, whether you realize it or not. It’s about finding the person whose day-to-day is compatible with yours, and whose humor will keep you laughing past the first date.