Online singletons turn to social networks to find love

Social media has revolutionised the way people communicate and now it seems it is also the preferred way for people to find love.

Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites are used by 59 per cent of online daters in a trend referred to as network dating, according to a survey.

And it appears people are becoming more varied in their approach to seeking out a potential partner, using every online opportunity to set hearts aflutter.

MySpace popularised network dating and the bombardment of unattached people with "lovely single guys and girls" on Facebook has helped it to grow.

It has led to social media based services such as Fancy My Friend in Australia and Zoosk in which others help to hook up those searching for romance.

The poll of 1,899 people found that 72 per cent of respondents used both online dating sites and social media platforms while 19 per cent used social media sites alone. Just nine per cent said they solely used dating sites.

Of those, 59 per cent said they preferred social media platforms with 51 per cent beleiving them to be safer and a third saying it enabled them to meet people through mutual friends.

One of the reasons for shunning dating websites is stigma with 27 per cent of people not wanting to admit meeting their partner that way.

The poll was conducted by myvouchercodes.co.uk whose chairman Mark Pearson said: “Dating via social media can feel a lot safer, especially with the presence of mutual friends online. However, for a lot of people, the thought of having their friends involved in their dating life might not be ideal.”