SoulfulDate has released findings from a voluntary survey of approximately 2,300 platform members on how they use Icebreakers, a built-in feature that provides pre-written conversation starters, allowing members to reach out to multiple profiles at once without composing a message from scratch. The survey, conducted from April to June 2026, reveals that 52% of respondents use the template without modification, 41% modify it before sending, and 7% vary their approach depending on the profile. These findings offer insight into the trade-off between efficiency and self-expression in digital communication.
Among those who use the default template, 36% find it sufficient to start a conversation, 33% prefer saving time, 12% say it already says what they would have written, and 19% are uncertain about what to write. This last group aligns with research published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking that found individuals with higher social anxiety are less likely to initiate contact online, even when ready-made tools are available.
The survey also shows how users calibrate their send volume: 43% typically select three recipients per session, while only 11% consistently send to the maximum of five. Notably, users who send to five recipients are 16 percentage points more likely to use the default template than the overall average (68% vs. 52%), suggesting that broader reach correlates with a preference for efficiency.
For those who customize, 54% want the message to feel more personal, 23% want to reference something from the recipient's profile, 15% feel more comfortable sending something self-written, and 8% are dissatisfied with the default tone. Overall, 76% of respondents describe the post-send experience as confident or neutral, indicating that Icebreakers serve as a low-friction entry point.
A SoulfulDate product team representative commented, "The split we see in how members use Icebreakers reflects something broader about how people approach a first message. Some value speed and simplicity, while others want specificity. Understanding these differences shapes how we think about the feature going forward."
The survey collected no personally identifiable information, with responses stored independently of user accounts. All respondents were active members who had used Icebreakers at least once, but no demographic data beyond age eligibility and prior feature use was collected. Participation was opt-in, so results may not represent the broader membership.
SoulfulDate is an online social communication platform offering both free and paid features. New members can follow the SoulfulDate setup guide to get started.
