January is the peak season to find online love in NZ, with dating site EliteSingles revealing that Kiwi registration numbers have risen to as much as 212% above average.
This boom is an echo of similar trends from the same periods in 2013/2014 and 2014/2015, with analysis clearly showing registration numbers taking a dip in the hectic run-up to Christmas then bouncing back to record numbers as the new year begins.
It’s a trend that does tend to mellow out slightly as January continues but, if previous years are any indication, the amount of Kiwis registering for online dating will remain high right up until Valentine’s Day – meaning that this is a great time for singles to try online dating.
EliteSingles psychologist Salama Marine suggests that this spike in registrations is due to a particular set of emotions that singles experience during the Christmas-New Year period:
‘’This [peak] is down to three reasons: firstly, when spending the Christmas holidays with family, most singles are faced with never-ending questions about their love life. Secondly, there’s New Year’s Eve, which can also be a trying time for singles as they’re surrounded by couples sharing a kiss at midnight (yet another reminder that they’re not in a relationship). Finally, this is the time for new resolutions and, for many singles, finding a new partner is resolution number one. After all, with Valentine’s Day fast approaching, they don’t want to go through that feeling of loneliness again.’’
So, how should Kiwi singles take advantage of this boom in numbers? The answer is pretty simple: by getting online on a Sunday night. Member activity shows that the amount of messages sent by NZ users peaks on a Sunday around 9pm – perhaps as people look back on (another) lonely weekend and hope for a reversal of their fortunes in the week to come!
About the author: The EliteSingles Press Team