Internet connection connecting the hearts

Sep 24: ‘Matrimonial search’ is one of the established mainline online activities in India. Around 48 percent of the internet users use it to find the perfect matches for them says a report.

51 percent of the internet users in India make its use for dating and friendship activities.

A survey ‘India online 2007' conducted by JuxtConsult shows the figure that matrimonial search is the 13th most popular activity for Indians as almost out of 30 million urban internet users, 12 million online urban Indians surf matrimonial sites to get a match for them.

More interesting fact is that only one out of five internet surfer of matrimonial sites is woman. Women constitute only 18 percent of the internet users population thus creating a low base of only 5 percent women users for matrimonial purposes.

37 percent of the internet users use both the activities i.e. matrimony and online dating and friendship sites.

This year registered a busting growth in the internet users for both these activities matrimony and dating. Last year only 9 percent of the internet users undertook both the activities but this year it recorded high growth in surfers of the internet for dating and matrimony.

Dating and friendship leaves matrimonial search activity behind the numbers of its users soaring higher than that of matrimonial search.

Even in dating and friendship social networking sites like ‘Orkut’ and ‘My Face’ are ahead in the race engaging almost 11 million Indians.

Popularity of the matrimonial sites and social networking sites surged in the last one year. Popularity is likely to go up as these websites are trying to bring the vernacular versions which will make it easy for the people to surf.

The most popular matrimonial site of India has been named in the survey as Bharat Matrimony group which includes the websites in regional languages too.

Job search activity comes second in the preference which is undertaken not only by the urban surfers but in small cities too. As per the research shows 61 online job seekers come not from metro cities but from non-metro cities and small towns.