When it comes to dating and finding the one for you, it’s not out of place or unreasonable to consider dating sites and apps as options; neither is asking, does online dating work?
Actually, if you didn’t ask the question, we might have to check whether you’ve been living under the rocks all this time!
Especially with all the sad stories that are rampant and how people can put up genuine fonts to hide their sinister sides.
But not to scare you, even with the number of bad stories, there are a plethora of good testimonies about how people have hooked up with and gotten married via online dating.
To make the process easy for you, especially if you’re considering joining the online dating scene, we’ll talk about how online dating works and what the best practices are for getting the most out of it.
So, if you are still asking the question – does online dating work, the next section will answer your question.
Read Also: 7 Signs That People Good Gestures Towards You Are Beyond Niceness
Table of Contents
How does online dating work?
Online dating is a dating model that allows you to connect with possible suitors or ‘flings’ over the internet.
To do this, you need an online dating platform like Tinder, for example, that offers matches through the use of internet-connected devices such as phones and computers.
On these dating platforms, members create profiles, upload profile pictures, and upload personal and sensitive information like their age, gender, location, hobbies, and probable interests in potential connections.
After the profiles are set up, members can then view the profiles of other members to decide on the connections they’d like to pursue via webcasts and message chats.
If, after a few chats, people feel a connection they can explore it further for something serious, they could decide to meet physically.
For online dating sites, there are completely free platforms, paid platforms, and those that depend on advertisements to drive revenue.
Most times, people opt for the paid platforms because “if you have to pay for something, then you consider it important.”
Does Online Dating Work? The best practices for online dating
#1. Keep an open mind
Okay, you’re considering online dating, so it means that you’re really ready to mingle; and you want to come out successful with the ‘love of your life’ at the end of the day. However, it is important that you start your search by keeping an open mind.
We have our specs and the type of people we’d date on a normal day. There’s a kind of skin tone, body type, hair type, and body beauty we appreciate.
There’s also facial beauty, manner of talking, and finance capacity that we find attractive in the people we’d want to date.
But if this will work, it’s super important to keep an open mind.
This means that you have to let up on the importance you place on the physical outlook and transfer it to a deeper connection. At the end of the day, ‘physical beauty’ isn’t going to be enough to solve issues in your relationship when it’s time. Emphasis on the physical appearance doesn’t guarantee intelligent conversations or the type of character that can endure on good and bad days.
When you feel a soul connection, feel easy in their company, and can see yourself sexually involved with the person, it could be all you need to find your princess charming or prince in shiny armor.
Read Also: What to Do After Breakup
#2. Get a good dating site
It can be tempting to consider free dating sites, especially as you want to get a feel of how things run and not feel like you’re wasting your money. However, what’s worth doing at all is worth doing well.
The free dating sites will most likely be fraught with scammers and generally unserious people. And you’ll discover that the vetting process for creating profiles on them isn’t as strict. In essence, there’s no guarantee that the profiles on there are genuine; you can’t be certain that the terms and conditions are conducive, and the privacy of your chats and photos may be at serious risk.
You need to consider paid dating sites to avoid the foundational problems and to be certain that you’ll most likely meet people who are serious and similar to you.
#3. Let your profile reflect who you are
Your profile represents your wants and person. It’s how you want to be perceived, how you sieve out unlikely matches, and how you connect with people of similar interests.
Obviously, a flirty profile will attract those only interested in flings or who are generally flirty. This isn’t bad at all if it’s what you’re in the market for. However, if you’re out for a serious relationship, you want flirty but appropriate. You want to let it out that you’re both out for the serious, but have other aspects to you.
Your profile, this includes the kind of profile picture you opt to use, should have your positive qualities, what you do as work and for fun, your values, and the kind of person you’re hoping to connect with clearly outlined.
As bulky as these are, remember to keep the intro short and simple. Let your interests get to know you much better after you’ve vetted them in your inbox.
#4. Take your time to vet
Your account is now set up, and getting matches is next. At this phase, just remember to be patient and to take your time to vet the connections you’re chatting with. Satisfy the questions in your mind; nothing you ask is silly or unnecessary.
Keep your options open by chatting with different matches. (If it helps, you’re most likely not the only person in their DMs). So, take your time to explore and get a feel of the kind of soul connection you have with each of your matches.
Exchange messages, and do phone calls as well as video chats to build trust. Trust takes time to build, and you want to be extra careful with your heart and emotions as this is the world of online dating. Not to scare you, this scene is filled with people who can mask their bad sides to land unsuspecting and innocent people.
When you’re not connecting with your matches, please don’t feel bad about ditching them for another set. Not everyone will be lucky to find the love of their life at first encounter, and that’s okay. Just take your time and be patient with the pairing and vetting stage.
Check Out: 101 Amazing Words of Affirmation to Spice Your Relationship
Does Online Dating Work? how Safety tips for online dating
#1. Block off suspicious profiles
Once you feel that certain profiles are suspicious, immediately report and block them. You’d be doing yourself and a hundred others a huge favor.
Also, feel free to do the same in the middle of a chat. Once a user starts to ask for overly sensitive information; asks for financial assistance with sob stories; gives vague answers to your questions; almost always tells inconsistent and unbelievable stories; intimidates or harasses you; always requests for nude pictures of you; don’t hesitate to block them!
Once you have basic information about your connections, you should certainly consider using social media and Google to your advantage.
Check them out online to be certain that their information matches what’s on the dating platform.
In most cases, if they’re with a social media or Google presence, it is all the nudge you need to break contact with them.
#3. Video chat before you decide to meet
The obvious reason for this is to ensure that you’re indeed chatting with a human being that matches the profile. You certainly don’t want to be on the receiving end of a catfish prank.
You also want to video chat so you can get a feel of what their environments look like. Are they orderly people? Are their environments consistent or always different? Do they like to have people around? What time are they usually free to chat?
If your connection is one that’s always avoiding the live camera, then you know better than to stay put.
#4. Meet in public and drink responsibly
Your first hangout with your connection isn’t the perfect time to try out new things, especially alcoholic drinks. Stick to what you’re certain you can handle, drink and food-wise. And if you’re uncertain about the menu, ask the waiter to explain and suggest mild food and drink for you.
You also don’t want to do anything private for the first time. Don’t opt to visit your connection at their place, and make sure you both are always in public scenes.
#5. Give important information to a trusted friend
Send screenshots of your data to a trusted friend or family member. Include the agreed day of the hangout and a map of how to get to the location.
At intervals, during your hangout, it’s also not a bad idea to send in check-in messages or calls with your friend. Time checks are crucial when you’re out on a first-time date with someone you meet online.
Finding the perfect partner for you can be somewhat difficult, especially as the people in your circle are very minute compared to the number of men out there.
What are the chances that you’ll meet someone at the work, mall, or movies and hit it up immediately, and you’ll be each other’s specs? If it were that easy, we’d be snagging partners on a daily basis!
However, with online dating, you get to meet different types of people, explore multiple connections and eliminate options easily and without awkwardness. Online dating works, but as with all kinds of ventures, you just need to be aware of the best practices to get the best out of it.
