At the recent Barcelona iDate/Social Networking Conference, following my first WebmasterAccess Amsterdam, I caught up with Nate Elliott, Senior Analyst with Jupiter Research. Mr. Elliott leads coverage of the European Marketing and Advertising arenas and possesses keen insight on current and predicted trends in this huge market.
The news is mixed, but the best news for EU dating sites and US companies seeking to sustain growth numbers is that the western EU dating spend, currently valued at 64% of the US market, is catching up to the US numbers. Current global dating growth is approximately 10% annually, and usage trends are declining. There are fewer total users and paying users are relatively flat. And all this - with only 5% of the total dating population as paid users of dating sites. The EU dating companies are currently profiting from observance of US trends, where current rising revenue figures are credited to price increases and retention rather than new entrants. The EU is expected to see increases over the next five years before user growth declines, and niche dating sites are helping sustain these expectations. It has also become evident that US offline advertising is not driving new traffic.
The Jupiter Research indicates that price is the top reason dating site visitors do not subscribe, but only 20% use free sites. Comfort level is the top reason online singles won’t visit dating sites. Chief complaints are an unwillingness to trust profiles, paying for dating services, disclosing personal information, inability to find desirable people, embarrassment, and again, too expensive. Approximately 10% are looking for dates on social networking sites instead, and an additional 10% just don’t know what to put into their profile or what to say. Bad news for the mobile industry is that 92% of EU online users have no interest in using mobile dating…Two thirds of EU dating users say they would not pay for any mobile dating content or services so mobile dating is expected to remain small compared to online. Another interesting research result is that although ‘friends & family’ and ‘work’ remain the top two areas through which people have met their ‘significant others,’ ‘we met online’ is now number three, and ‘met in a bar or club’ is down to number six.
The bottom-line message from this conversation is that EU Paid Online Dating is expected to experience huge growth for the next few years, so position your company with the best products and the best billing to garner the most benefit from this trend.
Specialty Mainstream Conferences
Affiliate Conventions
Social Networking Conferences
Internet Dating Conferences
Webbilling.com - Best Alternative Processor
Click Here for Additional Help Starting or Improving Your Online Business
Dating and Social Networking Markets
Copyright © 2026 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.
More Articles
WIA: Corrinne Musick Fosters Harmonious Retail Relations at Sportsheets
Wherever there’s a retailer needing guidance, a trade show booth crowded with buyers or a curious YouTube viewer looking for sex education, there you’ll find Sportsheets’ traveling pleasure product expert, Corrine Musick.
A Creator's Guide to Post-Event Networking
In the adult industry, talent, creativity and individuality are vital, but true longevity often comes from the connections you make — and how well you nurture them. Meeting people at expos and conferences, or on online forums, is only the first step. What strengthens a career and reputation is how you maintain those relationships over time. Networking isn’t about collecting contacts; it’s about cultivating trust, offering value and building mutual support in an industry that thrives on collaboration and authenticity.
Tips for Testing Content to Maximize Conversions
Everyone’s looking for what’s next, hot and new. That’s understandable. Who doesn’t want to be on the cutting edge, riding the next wave? But before you rush to reinvent yourself, remember this: The most successful creators aren’t the ones chasing trends. They’re the ones who take the time to figure out what actually works before committing to big changes.
Eversense Founder Matty Hennessy Discusses Engineering Products for Trans Bodies
For transgender folks shopping for pleasure products, it can be a daunting challenge to find items that accommodate their changing bodies, address their specific needs and support gender affirmation during intimacy.
How Adult Businesses Can Navigate Global Compliance Demands
The internet has made the world feel small. Case in point: Adult websites based in the U.S. are now getting letters from regulators demanding compliance with foreign laws, even if they don’t operate in those countries. Meanwhile, some U.S. website operators dealing with the patchwork of state-level age verification laws have considered incorporating offshore in the hopes of avoiding these new obligations — but even operators with no physical presence in the U.S. have been sued or threatened with claims for not following state AV laws.
Top Tips for Bulletproof Creator Management Contracts
The creator management business is booming. Every week, it seems, a new agency emerges, promising to turn creators into stars, automate their fan interactions or triple their revenue through “secret” social strategies. The reality? Many of these agencies are operating with contracts that wouldn’t survive a single serious dispute — if they even have contracts at all.
LSMT's Allison Brazier on Creating a More Connected Shopping Experience
Managing adult retail stores in Florida and Texas has never been for the faint of heart, but lately it’s become a veritable high-wire act. Between new legislation and shifting local attitudes, it seems like every day brings a new obstacle.
Building Sustainable Revenue Without Opt-Out Cross-Sales
Over the past year, we’ve seen growing pushback from acquirers on merchants using opt-out cross-sales — also known as negative option offers. This has been especially noticeable in the U.S. In fact, one of our acquirers now declines new merchants during onboarding if an opt-out flow is detected. Existing merchants submitting new URLs with opt-out cross-sales are being asked to remove them.
How to Handle Payment Disputes Without Sacrificing Trust
You can run the best-managed and most compliant website out there, but that still doesn’t completely shield you from the risks tied to payment disputes. Buyer’s remorse, an unclear billing description or even a simple misunderstanding can lead a customer to dispute a transaction. Accumulate enough disputes, and both your reputation and revenue could be at risk.
Tips for Supporting Male Shoppers Managing Stress and Performance Issues
When focusing on men’s sexual health, one crucial topic to discuss is how stress can impact men’s sexual well-being, and what can be done about it.