Miss or match: The realities of digital dating among Gen Z

If you can’t be bothered to cook, want to catch up with your friends, or fancy a little retail therapy, you reach for your phone. And what about if you’re hoping to make a new connection? That’s right—you head to the app store.

Why do people use dating apps? Because it means there’s no need to waste time speed dating, strike up awkward conversations with strangers, or risk having to work alongside a classmate or colleague who you broke it off with. You can scroll through hundreds of profiles and pick out precisely those who catch your eye.

But is dating in 2024 as easy as it seems? EduBirdie surveyed 2000 Gen Zers on their use of dating apps and whether swiping right leads to lasting romance.

How to find a date in the digital age: Gen Z’s go-to strategies

They say romance occurs when you least expect it, so instead of stressing over how to find love, just be yourself and see what happens. That’s what the majority of Gen Zers think, at least. Some 55% admit that when using dating apps, they prefer to just go with the flow.
However, for 11% of young people, finding that special someone requires a game plan. They can’t just sit back and let Cupid do all the work—they need to finetune every element of their dating profile, put in the hours swiping, and meticulously craft every opening message.

But if you’re a strategizer, what should you look for in a dating app profile?

“I mostly swipe on people in a certain age range who look like they’ve accomplished something in life,” one user said, while others admit that finding your person among the online dating crowd is a numbers game.

"I swipe on almost everyone and see if I get any responses,” another admitted.

 When you find someone that ticks all your boxes? “Just be yourself,” one user stresses.

But when it comes to finding love in the digital age, young people don’t just have to pick between dates but also between apps: “I look for dating apps with positive ratings, a good user experience, and strict privacy rules,” an Edubirdie user explained.

Scrolling for a soulmate: Are Gen Zers finding love on dating apps?

You spend hours swiping and planning the perfect icebreaker, and then nothing… Not a match or a message, let alone a date. Some 61% of Gen Zers admit they struggle to find decent matches on apps, with 5% having never found somebody that fits their dating criteria.

It’s not because there aren’t enough fish in the sea. How many people use dating apps? Hundreds of millions around the world. And where do most people meet their spouse? You can surely guess the answer… so are dating apps dead? Absolutely not. The good news is that having a strategy works. 59% of people with a plan often find meaningful connections on dating apps, compared to 31% of those without a strategy.

It’s not me, it’s you.

When it comes to online dating, unclear intentions are the biggest dealbreaker. Are you looking for love or a hookup? If you don’t specify, 54% of Gen Zers are swiping left.

Likewise, slow replies are another major red flag for 54% of young people. If you’re not interested, they’ll look elsewhere.

And if you want matches clamoring for your attention, a little creativity is crucial. Some 34% admit boring bios are a major turn-off, while overused openers don’t cut it for 27% of young people. 

If you find yourself constantly questioning “Will I find love on dating apps or am I wasting my time?”,  it depends. In the end, dating apps are a mixed bag for Gen Z, and while some enjoy the ability to chat with someone new every hour, others just don’t connect with Tinder, Bumble, and the rest. But that doesn’t mean your match isn’t out there—you just need to work out how to meet people to date who match your personality, share your interests, and make for good company.