SpeedDater, the dating events specialist, today reveals how singles use emojis and what you should look out for when dating. In a survey of UK singles*, SpeedDater found that a staggering 94% use emojis to flirt and the emojis chosen can provide real insight into what singles want from a relationship.
94% of singles use emojis to flirt with a potential date
43% of single ladies choose the ‘blowing kisses’ emoji to flirt with potential partners
29% of singles choose a winky face to indicate they are looking for a casual fling
Watch out for a smiley face as 42% of singles use them to friend-zone a date
The dating events company which has helped over 40,000 singles meet through its weekly events across the UK can reveal that 43% of single ladies and 37% of single men will pick the ‘blowing kisses’ emoji to flirt with a potential partner. The ‘heart eyes’ emoji is another favourite, with it being the emoji of choice for 19% of flirty singles.
According to dating expert Danielle Waller, the little yellow faces are now dominating the way singles interact. She says: “In dating situations, we take so many emotional cues from the face of our potential partner. However, body language is now just part of a much bigger, broader ongoing conversation with factors like technological communication helping us decipher the real meaning of what our date is saying’.
The study also provides insights into casual dating, with SpeedDater revealing that the Inbetweeners boys were right when they said ‘the winky face is cheeky’ as 29% of singles use a winky face to signify they are only after a casual fling. Then there is the dreaded emoji that no one wants to receive – a smiley face! As 42% of singles will use a smiley face to show that they just want to be friends.
Miss Waller comments further ‘Emoji’s have most definitely infiltrated the way we date and it is interesting to see that single men and women use emojis in a very similar way. However, it’s important to understand that emojis are enormously simplified and we shouldn’t rely on them to communicate our emotions in the dating game’.
The best of the rest:
– If you are over 55 years old watch out for a ‘thumbs up’, as 13% use to friend-zone
– It would seem that it’s the Scots and the Welsh who are the most romantic as 15% and 16% respectively use the hearts emoji to show they really like someone
– 19% of the Welsh and 15% of Yorkshire folk use no emojis at all if they want something casual
– The biggest fans of the ‘blowing kisses’ emoji were the Geordies, with a whopping 47% choosing this emoji when getting their flirt on!
Top tips:
– Don’t use the cat emoji, only 2% of singles use them to flirt
– Reserve the food emojis for your mates. Pizza, burger and aubergine aren’t popular emojis if you are talking to the opposite sex and 10% use them to friend zone
– And steer clear of the little laughing monkey, when talking to your crush, only 2% of single use it flirt
*Survey of 500 UK singles aged 18-65 50% male 50% female
