Valentine's Day: A Data-Driven Love Story of Trends, Searches, and Online Dating

February 11, 2025

Valentine’s Day has long been a celebration of love, but beyond the chocolates and roses, it’s also a season of surging search trends and online dating booms. With billions of searches and millions engaging with dating platforms, data paints a compelling picture of how people prepare for and experience this day globally and in the United States.

The Search for Love: Valentine’s Day Trends in Search Data

Global vs. U.S. Search Trends

In the months leading up to February, search interest in Valentine’s Day-related topics skyrockets. In the U.S., total search volumes in 2024 reached 6.3 million monthly queries on average, whereas global search volumes stood at a staggering 14 million.

Interestingly, search activity follows a predictable annual cycle: searches peak dramatically in February and drop almost instantly in March, indicating a sharp, seasonal interest rather than a prolonged one.

Key Search Data for Valentine’s Day in the U.S.:

Top search term is “Valentine’s Day” (825,962 searches per month)
“Happy Valentine’s Day”: 280,977 searches per month, declining 18.5% from the previous year
“When is Valentine’s Day?” sees 266,792 monthly searches, showing a significant interest in date reminders
“Romantic getaways” searches surged 49.6%, indicating a growing trend of travel-focused celebrations

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Globally, search trends mirror those in the U.S., with “Valentine’s Day” leading the way in search volume. However, international searchers show a stronger preference for “Valentine’s Day messages” and “Valentine’s Day quotes,” indicating a cultural emphasis on expressing affection through written words.

Additionally, “DIY Valentine’s Day gifts” ranks higher globally, showcasing a growing trend in personalizing gifts rather than purchasing traditional ones. The popularity of “Valentine’s Day images” and “Valentine’s Day GIFs” further suggests that digital expressions of love continue to gain traction worldwide.

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A Spike in Last-Minute Searches

January sees 17.2 million searches related to Valentine’s Day in the U.S., a number that explodes to 37.9 million in February, more than doubling within a month. This highlights the rush of last-minute planners scrambling for gift ideas, date night inspirations, and greeting cards.

Globally, a similar trend emerges, with searches spiking from 31 million in January to 104 million in February before crashing in March.

What Are People Searching For?

Beyond the general terms, specific search trends reveal diverse interests:

Gifts & Shopping: The largest search category, including “best Valentine’s Day gifts” and “DIY Valentine’s Day gifts.”
Experiences & Date Ideas: Terms like “romantic dinner ideas” and “date night ideas” saw over 163,000 searches.
Pop Culture & Entertainment: Queries like “Valentine’s Day movies” and “funny Valentine’s Day memes” spike closer to the date.
Valentine’s Day for Singles: A growing number of searches include “anti-Valentine’s Day” and “Galentine’s Day,” showing increasing non-traditional celebrations.

Love in the Digital Age: Dating Website Insights

Online dating activity also experiences a noticeable shift around Valentine's Day, reflecting increased interest in finding a match.

U.S. vs. Global Dating Site Traffic

Traffic on major dating websites spikes between December and February.

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Tinder.com remains the leader, with 76.9 million average monthly visitors worldwide. Badoo.com follows with 59.2 million visitors, largely driven by international markets. Bumble.com saw a 45.9% drop in users compared to last year, signaling shifting preferences or competition from emerging platforms.

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Match.com leads in U.S. traffic, with 11.9 million average monthly visits, despite a 49.1% decline year-over-year. Zoosk.com also struggled, seeing a 51.3% drop in traffic, suggesting a loss of relevance in a highly competitive space. Tinder.com, however, grew by 4.1%, maintaining its dominance among younger users.

Who’s Using These Platforms? Age & Gender Insights

The demographics of dating website users reveal a broad appeal across different age groups:

Tinder and Bumble: Heavily skew towards the 18-34 age group.
Match and eHarmony: More popular among 35-54-year-olds, aligning with those looking for long-term relationships.
ChristianMingle and SilverSingles: More niche audiences, appealing to faith-based or older demographics.

Interestingly, women make up a majority of Bumble’s user base (56.4%), whereas Tinder, Badoo, and other mainstream apps maintain a nearly even gender distribution.

What This Means for Marketers

The highly seasonal nature of Valentine's Day presents a significant opportunity for marketers:

Targeted advertising: Brands should focus on mid-January to early February to capture peak search traffic.
Personalized & shareable content: The rise of “Valentine’s Day images” and “GIFs” suggests that social media campaigns can gain traction with visually engaging, easy-to-share materials.
Experiential marketing: With searches for “romantic getaways” surging, travel and hospitality businesses can capitalize by promoting destination packages and experiences.
Inclusivity matters: The growth of “Galentine’s Day” and anti-Valentine’s trends highlights the need for brands to appeal to diverse audiences, not just traditional couples.

Conclusion: Data Proves Love (and Panic) are Seasonal

As Valentine’s Day approaches, data consistently reveals three things: an explosion in search interest, a rise in dating app engagement, and a strong preference for gifts and experiences. However, the moment February 15th arrives, interest quickly dissipates—only to return with the same intensity next year.

For businesses, brands, and marketers, leveraging these seasonal peaks can drive meaningful engagement—whether through online dating platforms, romantic experiences, or consumer gifting trends. The patterns are clear: love may be timeless, but Valentine’s Day remains a high-intensity, short-lived phenomenon in the digital landscape.

❤️ ❤️ ❤️

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