Wanderlove in 2023: Relationship expert reveals dating trends fuelled by online connections

• “Wanderlove” and meeting in the metaverse are the key dating trends for 2023 with 21% of singletons wanting to date people further afield than their hometown
  

• A quarter (25%) of singletons would struggle dating without access to online apps and websites

• Zen has partnered with relationship expert Hayley Quinn to offer tips for people looking to find long term and reliable connections in 2023

To find your best connection with Zen - and qualify for one month free, click here. (Offer ends 28th February 2023).

Ahead of Valentine’s Day, new Zen research has revealed that one in five singletons (22%) feel there’s a perceived lack of people nearby to date, with the ‘wanderlove’ trend a solution to finding love in 2023. With online dating a ‘wanderlove’ enabler, a quarter (25%) say they’d struggle to find ‘the one’ without quality internet access to explore dating apps and websites.

The study of 2,013 UK adults revealed that over a quarter (27%) prefer to meet partners online because they don't know how to meet people in real life (IRL). For time-poor daters (22%), meeting people online works better to determine an early connection, while over a quarter (27%) say it is easier and more convenient.

Wanderlove: 2023’s hottest dating trend

This year’s hottest dating trend works in harmony for those who feel restricted by what’s on offer in their local area. The ‘Wanderlove’ trend – whereby daters expand their search for love by radius outside of their local neighbourhood or region – will be a popular tactic this year.

Zen has partnered with renowned dating expert and coach Hayley Quinn to offer tips for online dating this year. Hayley said: “Zen’s research shows long distance relationships are clearly not a deal breaker when it comes to finding the perfect match. Over one in five singletons (22%) feel like they’ve run out of people to date in their hometown, and over a quarter (26%) think someone who lives in a different area to their hometown may have more similar values to them. The internet is vital for online dating and allows people to expand their horizons with almost two in five (37%) single people willing to travel for the right person.”

Hayley’s top tips for online dating include:

1. You don't know who your "type" is: Remember your "type" is just hypothetical until you actually find the right connection for you. Avoid letting rigid ideas around what your date does, where they live, or (dare I say it) even their height get in the way of you assessing potential partners on what's really important on often superficial dating apps: great communication, shared values, and a willingness to build a relationship.  

    

2. It's not about "where" someone is, it's about "how" you can meet them: One of the oldest dating questions is "so where do I find all the good ones?". The irony is, there's no one app, or postcode for where the best dates are; the answer instead comes from you really examining your own dating processes. Do you need to be more proactive, work on your dating app profile, or improve your communication skills when striking conversation with a match? There's usually a lot you can work on to better your chances of finding ‘the one’ online.

    

3. Look further afield, but start with what you can improve: If you're not getting the matches you want online, chances are you need to adjust perimeters around distance and the age range you're open to dating. However, it's equally important to focus on your profile, getting great quality pictures and avoiding clichés. To help with this, get informal and write your profile quickly. Remember it's not a LinkedIn post, and the best profiles communicate your personality. So let that shine!

Finding love: from IRL to URL

Just over one in five (21%) think it’s more feasible to meet a partner online than in real life, and almost a third (31%) know a success story of a couple who have met online. On that basis, over a third of Brits (36%) are confident that online dating will continue to rise in popularity, with the metaverse becoming another mainstream trend for finding love (26%).

For ‘wanderlovers’ looking to find love further afield – whether it is via apps or in the metaverse – having a good broadband connection is just as important as having a good romantic connection. Hayley added: “It is telling that many find reliability in their broadband provider more important than in a relationship – in today’s instant world our tolerance for buffering is waning, especially amidst the surge of online dating. In fact, 21% would be put off online dating if their partner’s connection kept dropping out! Getting back to a potential date quickly, and having the bandwidth to keep longer distance relationships alive with regular video calls is becoming even more important to sustaining a relationship.”

Paul Stobart, CEO at Zen Internet, said: “It is clear the future of dating is becoming more and more digital, with online dating apps, websites, and even the metaverse proving to be popular modes of matchmaking. People shouldn’t have to compromise when it comes to any kind of connection.  

“Consumers clearly value reliability and honesty from their broadband provider, just what they’d want from a romantic partner. It’s important to do your research so you can make an informed decision on choosing a provider that will stand the test of time. Get it right and this might very well be your last switch.”