Love is in boom

At one time, almost every young person expected to find the love of their life and get married by the time they were about 25. Today, many people do not marry until they are 30 and above, and frequently find themselves divorced by their fifties or sixties. The shift in social mores means people are dating for longer than before — and many are doing so via the internet.

Only ten years ago, internet dating was virtually unheard of but today there are about 15 million singles in Britain and a third of them use online dating services.

Worldwide phenomenon

Nor is the phenomenon confined to the UK. America is the most advanced online dating market in the world but countries as far apart as Germany and Australia are big fans of the concept. In fact, online dating services can develop in any country where consumers have internet access and credit cards.

This is excellent news for EasyDate. The company is Britain's leading online dating group and owns a portfolio of brands, catering for a range of ages and interest groups. Some sites, such as Datetheuk, have a broad appeal. Others, such as Maturedatinguk and Datingforparents appeal to different sections of society.

EasyDate was founded five years ago by Bill Dobbie, an entrepreneurial Scot who already knew a fair bit about the potential of the internet, having set up and sold an online DVD rental business.

Dobbie was looking for a new venture and hit on online dating. Since then, internet dating has mushroomed and EasyDate has developed into a company valued on the stock market at £85 million (Dh480 million).

The group makes money by charging a subscription fee to any user of its sites. Though most subscriptions last only a few months, many people sign up, sign out and then sign up to new sites if they feel like trying a new service or if "matches" fail to turn into lasting relationships.

EasyDate benefits from this and is working hard so it can advise subscribers of the sites that might suit them best. The company is also growing by acquiring new subscribers, acquiring other businesses and expanding overseas.

It operates in 29 countries and recently bought Cupid.com in the US. About 20 per cent of the group's revenue comes from outside Britain and Dobbie hopes to increase that to 50 per cent in the next few years.

EasyDate joined the Alternative Investment in June and it has already acquired a solid following. Analysts forecast rapid growth for the firm as profits are expected to rise from £2.3 million (Dh13 million) in 2009 to £5.2 million this year and £8.5 million (Dh48 million) in 2011.