Online dating search grows faster than matrimony queries in India

BENGALURU: Dating, not matrimony, seems to be the “in thing” in India, says Google in a report based on an analysis of its search queries. There was a 40% growth in dating-related queries and searches in 2018, compared with 2017. Also, 37% more Indians took to Google to search for dating websites in the same period, compared with only 13% growth in searches for matrimony brands and websites.
Google did not provide absolute numbers, but it’s likely that ‘dating growth’ is over a smaller base than that of matrimony. Google’s insights bear out what a study of Bharat Matrimony showed this February — Indians in general are getting more mushy. As high as 92% of respondents in a survey of 6,000 Indians said that they were looking to find love.
The survey also said that 24% of Indians like to express love with words, 21% with a romantic dinner, 34% by gifting and 15% by planning a holiday. The survey also found a whopping 86% wanted to celebrate Valentine’s Day even after marriage. The Google survey found that search queries for food more than doubled in 2018, a result likely of Swiggy, Zomato and other delivery brands growing strongly.
The top searched item in this category was “pizza” and not, as some expected, “biryani”. From science, hobby, cooking to beauty tips, YouTube video searches tripled in 2018. Google India said social media has become a very important tool guiding buying decisions. As high as 79% internet surfers said they check YouTube videos before deciding on a new car model. 81% users see credibility in the independent auto review videos posted online.
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