Dudgeon says they had more than 1.8 million members and more than 8000 marriages and 900 babies from people who had met on the site.

Convenience is a factor. ‘‘Parents are time poor and it gives more options for rural/country people,’’ she says. ‘‘It’s easy, convenient and safe.’’

She adds the stigma surrounding online dating has dissolved.

‘‘It was a nerdy, desperate thing to do and that’s all gone.

“People see it as a way to meet people and are not longer keeping to themselves online.

‘‘Photos are now added because of the facebook era, with people who use photos more likely to find someone.’’

Her RSVP colleague, relationship psychologist John Aiken agrees.

‘‘The stigma has really dropped as people are hearing stories of people/friends who’ve met online,’’ he says.

‘‘Social media has made a positive impact, with people more comfortable online and it’s not a big stretch to click on a dating website.

‘‘People are moving on with the technologies and singles are moving with this.’’

Aiken says online dating allows people to be more selective in their dating.

A lot of people are single because they are not picky enough’

‘They hook up at clubs and its not the right match and they try and make it work and they are wasting time.

‘‘They need to get picky and be more selective with it.

‘‘It’s a positive thing that before they go online, they send out an application with what they want to portray to others and what their likes and dislikes are,’’ he says.

Speed dating is also taking off.

Justin Parfitt, owner of Fast Impressions, started his company in 2002 after returning from London.

‘‘I’d been single for a long time and was in London and it wasn’t a place for more in-depth relationships,’’ says Parfitt.

‘‘I wanted to create a more sophisticated scene which was invitation-based.

‘‘In England it was a grunge scene, held in community halls with guys with comb-overs. It kicked it off quickly and spread through US, UK, Canada and China.’’

He says things have changed a lot since he first started, with his company running 150 events a month in Australia alone.

As well as running more events, they are being tailored to suit the needs and interests of singles.

Events include nights for people who like literature, travel and trivia, particular religions and can also cater to same sex relationships and even psychical preferences — such as tall men, slender women and nationalities.

They also host parties and wine tours.

Fast Impressions hosts Stephen Walden and Celia Mitchell, say most people are nervous at first, but soon get into the spirit of things.

‘‘We’ll get a group of about 14 men and women and try and keep it as much as even as possible,’’ says Mitchell.

‘‘The women will stay seated and the men will move around and they get to chat to each person for six to seven minutes.

‘‘They then fill out cards, where they write the person’s name they’ve just met and either put a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’.

‘‘If two people have put a yes to each other, we consider it a match and send email addresses to the other person.

Walden admits it isn’t always smooth sailing.

‘‘I had one occasion when a girl and her ex-boyfriend were at the same event”, he recalls. ‘‘We’ve also had people who were matched at previous events and went on dates and it didn’t work out turn up to the same night again.’’

Some even called up the head office, asking for results to be double checked.

Another host, Brooke Summerfield, says the stigma of speed dating has changed since she first started.

She says people in Melbourne were more receptive to the idea than those overseas, including London were she previously worked.

‘‘When I tell people about my second job the reaction is a lot different to five years ago,’’ says Summerfield.

‘‘Fifteen years ago there was a big stigma to dating agencies and that sort of thing. Then online dating was introduced and that was difficult for people to get their heads around.

‘‘It’s really good fun and I like introducing people.

‘‘I love it and often bump into people who’ve been into a Fast Impressions event and three years later are getting married.’’

With the rapid popularity of online and speed dating, the question is how will people find love next?

Phone applications like Blender and Grinder, where people put in their locations and talk to other people around them, are growing in popularity, while online dating is becoming more mobile.

Aiken believes people will continue to use online dating.

‘‘People will become more and more selective and more niche communities will appear,’’ he says.

‘‘We are looking at keeping (RSVP) more mobile and make the convenience of dating easier, so people can be online on buses, trains and whenever it suits them,’’ adds Dudgeon. ‘‘We wait for the next technology and watch the digital space and then change to suit them.’’