Sarah Beeny Speaks About How The Dating Industry Has Changed

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Name: Sarah Beeny
Position & Company: Founder, MySingleFriend.com
Twitter ID: @mysinglefriend

How do you think the dating industry has changed over the past few years?

The biggest change has definitely been the attitude to online dating. When we started out over 10 years ago, there was more stigma attached to online dating. People were less comfortable describing themselves online to potential partners.

That was the problem MySingleFriend.com solved, it removed any awkwardness about writing your own profile because your friend did it for you. People love matchmaking their friends in real life, so in that way MySingleFriend.com was more like offline dating, which is why it has stood the test of time.

What do you think are the biggest problems for online daters at the moment?

Many free dating apps like Tinder and Happn are populated with users who aren’t really interested in actually meeting up with people, and see it as more of a way to kill time or boost their egos. So it can be hard to make an actual connection beyond that initial ‘match’ stage.

Why do you think so many singles are disillusioned with online dating? What can sites do to help?

With online dating, it is all about having the right attitude. There are people who go into it expecting to find love with the first person you speak to. Or expecting to have a profile, never speak to people and expect to be chased. But dating is a numbers game. You need to get out there, talk to and actually meet people!I always recommend planning a quick coffee with someone before booking in that first official date – it’s a meeting to see if you would actually want to go on a date with them. It just makes good sense.

How have you adapted your site over the past few years?

We created a new app last year which makes it even easier to get started and find people on the go. We also tweaked the sign-up process so people can put themselves on the site and get chatting, and then have their friends add glowing endorsements later. With the new app, you can even send potential matches to your friend to get their second opinion. We want to make it as easy as possible to get dating and to take their friends along for the ride.

Where are your biggest markets?

Our biggest customer base is in London and the surrounding areas, but we also have loads of fabulous users all over the country.

What kind of customer service do you offer users?

We have a great customer service team to help users whenever they need assistance, and write regular blog posts giving advice on how to get the most out of your dating profile. We welcome any questions and feedback from our users to make sure they are getting the best experience on the site.

What are you most proud about with MySingleFriend?

The best thing about MySingleFriend is the amazing feedback we get from couples that find love. We’ve had so many weddings and MSF babies born in the 10 years we’ve been operating. Other than that, I love to hear from people who have got back into the dating game later in life and are loving meeting new people and enjoying themselves.

Visit MySingleFriend’s official site here.

Danielle White

Danielle is a Junior Reporter at Global Dating Insights. Originally from Reading, she has studied Multimedia Journalism at Bournemouth University and has a passion for writing and reporting. She enjoys travelling and likes to spend her free time socialising with friends and attending music events.

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