Dating Sunday: Why January is the Best Time to Be on Popular Dating Sites

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – the snow is falling, Christmas trees are everywhere, and the online dating world is hustling and bustling. Yes, the new year is not just the time of year when we postpone taking down the Christmas lights, but also the best time for finding love on dating websites.

This special time when Cupid’s arrows are more active than ever is very busy for popular dating sites. If you are single and looking for love, here is what you need to know about what has been dubbed “Dating Sunday.”

What is Dating Sunday and Why You Should Know About It?

The days before the holiday season begin see a large increase in shopping, which is no surprise given the doorbuster deals offered on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. People feel compelled to take advantage of seasonal sales while also getting gifts for underneath the Christmas tree. As the frenzy of shopping and holidays ends, another special time of the year rolls around, and with it, love begins to bloom.

As with special discount days, where people shop till they drop, singles all across the US sign up for online dating websites in numbers that are seen only during the New Year. The first Sunday in January is often busiest online dating day of the year, and the numbers back it up: last year, there were more than 44 million new matches on Tinder, 2.75 new members on Match.com, and Tinder reported that 10% of its total matches happen in January.

The numbers prove that the busiest time for online dating in January and just after New Year’s in particular, on a day that those in the industry officially call “Dating Sunday.”

What Makes January So Special?

The Dating Sunday phenomenon is something worth exploring, and there are several explanations as to why the month after the holidays is so popular among singles:

Post-holiday blues

During the holidays, we all get together with family and friends, and for many singles, this can be pretty tough. Seeing people happy in their couplehood and with their families causes singles to start searching for their other half, and the sooner they find them, the better.

New-Year’s soul-searching

Along with the parties and dropping ball in Time’s Square, the New Year is also a time for self-reflection for many people. As the new year approaches, people make resolutions to change their lives for the better. For many singles that means finding a partner who they can kiss at midnight the following year, particularly if they were alone this year.  Hence, the sign-ups on popular dating sites suddenly skyrockets.

Preparations for Valentine’s Day

After January comes February, and it brings with it the most romantic holiday of the year – Valentine’s Day. The need to find someone with whom to spend this holiday increases right around the start of the new year. In today’s world, signing up for online dating websites increases the chances of finding that special someone and spending February 14th in their arms.

5 Tips for Turning Dating Sunday into a Success

Now that you know about Dating Sunday, you need to know how to fully take advantage of that day and the month of January in general. When the holidays are over and New Year’s creeps around the corner, you can increase your chances of finding someone to spend your life with – if you go about it the right way. First of all, if you don’t already have an online dating profile, it’s time to make one. If you are already registered on one or more popular dating websites, you can increase your chances of meeting a partner with these little tips that go a long way:

1. Be active

If you only log into your online dating accounts once, in a while, it’s time to up the frequency. As more new people are creating online dating accounts, the chances of receiving new matches and messages improve. Try to log in to your accounts at least once or twice a day to see who is new, send and reply to messages, and view as many profiles as you can.

2. Change your photo

Changing your online dating profile photo can do wonders. New people will see your latest pics, and people who you have already matched with can see you in a new light. When uploading a new photo, make sure you use a recent one and not one from 10 years ago. Take a new picture that will flatter you and consider wearing red, since studies have found people wearing this bold hue are more likely to receive messages than those wearing other colors.

3. Update your profile

When you first subscribe to a dating site, you may be in a rush, the result of which is not creating the best profile. The time before Dating Sunday is a great time to update your profile, though you can certainly continue to tweak it and reap the benefits throughout January. Update details about yourself and fill in any questions left blank.  It can be very helpful to get a friend to give you feedback on what sounds attractive and accurate versus what sounds less than appealing.

4. Specify what you are looking for in a partner

Interesting research has shown that the optimal online dating profile should include 80% of information about you and 20% about what you are searching for in potential dates. Keeping this balance will help people discover more about you while also learning if they are a good match for you based on what you want.

5. Do not be afraid to make the first move

Many people who register for online dating websites are afraid to seem pushy or aggressive, which causes them to be too shy and afraid to make the first move. You have to remember that large dating websites are where people come to find love, and most of them do not want to play games anymore. So, instead of being shy about making the first move, take initiative and be the first to send a message. If you want to improve your chances of getting a reply, do not write one-word messages like “hello.” Instead, write a short and sweet message that ends with an open-ended question that encourages the other person to answer.

Conclusion

The start of January arrives with the busiest online dating day and the best time of the year to find new love. If you are serious about starting a relationship and meeting new people, you should register for one or more popular dating sites like Match, Zoosk, eharmony, and others to increase your chances for finding a partner. Who knows? By this time next year, you could be passing along online dating tips to singles while you’re holding the hand of your perfect match.