All You Need To Know About The World Of Online Dating

All you need to know about the world of online dating

The want to have a romantic companion is one of the most natural and common desires we have as human beings. However, seeking a partner has become challenging in this day and age as most of us live in a bubble of routine life and chores, quite isolated from the social scene. Fortunately, there’s a modern solution for this new-age romantic conundrum — online dating. Simply put, it is an easy way of meeting people without having to rely on just your existing social circle to introduce you to someone. Having said that, finding the right partner is equally difficult online as it is via traditional dating methods. So to help you out, in this article we’ll cover some essential aspects of online dating such as pros and cons, online dating tips, and top dating services.

Online dating pros and cons
Getting familiar with the online dating benefits and pitfalls will help you decide if it’s the right medium for you to explore romantic prospects.

Pros

• You’re not alone
  Initially, you might feel hesitant to sign up for a dating service, but you should know there are millions of singles across the country using these platforms to find love. The best part is that the current online dating space is extremely inclusive. So you won’t just find young or straight people but a significant user base of seniors and LGBT individuals.
• Easier to find people with common interests
  We all know how difficult it can be to land a date that has the same interests as you. Another appealing factor about online dating services is that the matches recommended are based on compatibility factors and your personality. Having common interests in the picture could help break the ice to start a wonderful conversation.
• Connect with different kinds of people
  On the other hand, a little digital serendipity couldn’t hurt. You might end up meeting a completely different person that you wouldn’t otherwise come across in your usual circles. They could be living in another state or have a distinctive lifestyle that could introduce you to a way of life you would never have explored otherwise.

Cons

• It’s crowded
  While it’s nice to have options, the online dating space can be jammed with compatible prospects, making it trickier for you to understand who you’re actually compatible with. To avoid indecision, we’d suggest that you only stick to a single dating service.
• It is easier for people to lie
  The biggest disadvantage of an online dating site would be the fact that since users can’t be physically present to verify facts, they are at a risk of being lied to. While misinformation about one’s height, weight, or age can definitely harm one’s chances, miscreants can use this platform as a medium to bully, con, or harass users. For your safety, ensure that the dating service you’re signing up for is reputed and has necessary security instruments to deal with fake profiles, harassment, bullying, and offensive content.
• It takes time
  You might meet several people online, but it will take time to find the right person and foster a bond with them. The key is to be patient and learn to let go of people who seem insincere.

5 essential online dating tips
Before you dive into the fascinating realm of online dating, here are some useful tips you should bear in mind. Whether or not you find that special someone, these tips will help ensure you have a pleasant dating experience.

• Keep your bio interesting but honest
  When you have an eye-catching bio, the odds of someone approaching you are automatically boosted. The secret to a good introduction is sincerity. Let it be a tiny window reflecting your personality that mostly includes your likes, dislikes, interests, and quirks. At the same time, steer clear of excessive information, exaggerations or lies to create a perfect image. Trust us, keeping it real will only help you avoid mortifying situations later.
• Upload a good solo picture
  No one wants to come to a dating profile only to be confused about whose profile it actually is when they see a group picture as the profile picture. Ensure that you’ve uploaded a great and recent picture of only yourself. While good looks can be a definitive pull, there are multiple factors a worthy prospect will pay attention to in your profile. Once you’re happy with your picture, stop fussing with it and focus on the other aspects of your profile.
• Keep the chats fun
  If you are talking to your date online, ensure to keep the conversation lighthearted. Don’t pry into their past or ramble on about your ex. Likewise, don’t offend them by cracking inappropriate jokes or being overly sardonic. Focus on topics like favorite movies/TV shows, foods, places they’ve traveled or would like to travel to, their current job and interests, or their favorite subject at school.
• Stay safe
  If the person you are chatting with seems untrustworthy in the slightest, or you aren’t fully confident about them, you do not need to forge ahead and it is best to end all communications with them. You must report any and all unsavory incidences without fail. Also, never make the mistake of giving completely strangers personal information like your cell phone number, address, workplace details, private photos, adding them on social media accounts, and so on after just a few sentences exchanged. Only after you’re sure they are trustworthy enough to meet should you share your cell number but until you’ve had the first few dates, it is wiser to hold off from giving them your home address and other sensitive details.
• Your first date should be somewhere comfortable
  First dates can be awkward and scary. So you should preferably meet them in a public area like a quaint coffee shop, popular bar, or bowling alley. Like the chats, during the first date, keep the face-to-face interactions casual and respectful. Avoid bringing up touchy subjects like exes, bad family history, marriage, money, religion, etc.

5 top online dating platforms
If you are genuinely considering giving online dating a go, then you should take a look at these popular dating sites. These platforms are particularly useful if you’re seeking long-term relationships.

• eharmony
  With 10 million+ users, eharmony emphasizes on helping you cultivate serious relationships. To ensure that you are matched with the right prospects, this dating service requires you to fill out a lengthy personality questionnaire. After which they employ their 32 DIMENSIONS® model of personality and compatibility to help narrow down eligible partners.
• SilverSingles
  One of the best dating sites for seniors, SilverSingles uses an in-depth compatibility tests and intelligent matchmaking algorithm to get you matches. It will send the users around 3 to 7 matches daily. Furthermore, it is equipped with safety features such as automatic filters for messages containing offensive content and disallowing image downloads from the site.
• EliteSingles
  A premium dating service, EliteSingles is a fantastic alternative for people who specifically wish to date highly-educated individuals. You will have to undergo a rigorous personality test so that the dating service could identify your 29 traits instrumental in finding the right prospects. EliteSingles even offers you with five predesigned questions so that you can break the ice and introduce yourself comfortably.
• Christian Mingle
  This faith-based dating site is perfect if you are in a search partner who holds deep religious beliefs like you. It features community chat rooms, an online worship center, and a “Relationship Readiness IQ” test. The premium accounts of this site can avail the Compass® Test where the service finds you better matches according to your personality.
• Match.com
  One of the first online dating platforms, Match.com is a wonderful option to explore serious relationships, companionship, friendship, and more. Instead of the long questionnaires, Match.com employs their smart behavioral technology that monitors your account activity to come up with recommendations.

Also, take a look at our comparison article to make a more informed decision – Elite Singles vs. eharmony and Silver Singles vs. Christian Mingle.