AD | As most of us have been in and out of lockdown during the worldwide pandemic, being single and trying to find a partner hasn’t been easy. So, it’s not surprising that more and more people have been turning to dating apps and websites in the hopes of finding love. It’s fair to say that online dating has had a bit of a bad rap but it can be really useful once you know what you are doing. That said, online dating isn’t for everyone. Some people are always going to prefer traditional ways of meeting potential partners. However, if you’re thinking of trying it or are still pretty new to it, here are some online dating tips for beginners.
5 Online Dating Tips for Beginners
1. Are you really ready to start dating?
This may sound like a dumb thing to ask yourself. Stick with me though. Are you really ready for dating? Do you want a serious relationship? Or are you just looking for some fun? Nothing wrong with either of those but it’s best, to be honest with yourself and any potential dates. It really does help to know exactly what you are looking for and what the other person can expect from you.
2. Choose the right dating app Or Website for you
Once you know what you are looking for, it will help you to decide which dating app will be best for you. Betway online casino recently did a study where Tinder came out as the highest-rated dating app in the iOS store in 86% of the 165 countries they researched. Just because Tinder is the most popular though, doesn’t automatically make it the most suitable dating app for you.
There are a lot of dating apps and sites to choose from. It doesn’t matter if you’re 25 or 55 years old, or indeed if you’re gay, straight or bi, or anything in between. There is something suitable for you out there. For example, if you’re a woman and like to make the first move, you could try Bumble. Want to read in-depth profiles? Check out OkCupid. Looking for a lasting relationship and love, then you could try eHarmony. There’s Grindr for ‘gay, bi, trans, and queer people.’ Plus, there is also Her dating app, for ‘LGBTQ+ women and queer folks.‘ I could list many many more. Take your time and do some research to find the ideal dating app or website for you.
3. Spend time creating a Good Profile
Make sure you have a good profile that really reflects who you are. Avoid all the clichés, like ‘I love romantic meals, long walks on the beach’ etc – you know what I’m talking about. No one wants to read that stuff, not really, not unless you’re purposely trying to make eyes roll. Most important of all, just be honest – you could ask your close friends for help with writing it. They know you well and can give you their insight into all your qualities as a person. Say who you are, how you live your life and what kind of person you are looking for.
When it comes to your profile photos, please, for the love of God don’t use filters! Don’t use photos that are years old either. You want your photos to be a real representation of you. You should preferably have a current candid headshot, a full-body shot and maybe an action shot if you’re into a lot of sporty activities. Just make sure they reflect the real you, otherwise, it can lead to disappointment if you don’t look anything remotely like your photos.
4. Sometimes you have to kiss a lot of frogs
Be realistic with yourself that you are not going to find the love of your life on the first try. There is definitely a lot of truth to the saying ‘you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince’ …or princess for that matter! You may have to go on several dates, and I mean like a LOT of dates. Some will be mediocre, some will be good and some might be just plain awful.
You might also get ghosted, which means you could be fooled into thinking it’s all going well. Then, suddenly for no apparent reason, out of the blue, the other person stops all communication with you, only never to be heard from again. So be prepared that your self-esteem might get a little bruised. You may experience any, or even all, of these things before finding someone with which you could have a long-term relationship. So, just keep that thought at the back of your mind and have realistic goals.
Just don’t rush yourself. Take your time and remember it isn’t a race; you can take as long you need. After all, you can’t force these things to happen any more than you can force the sun to shine. Even if you are just looking for something short term and fun rather than anything serious, it still might take some time to find people with whom you are compatible.
5. Look Out for Red Flags
This is one of the most important tips. Look out for those red flags. Just because you’re talking to them online at first doesn’t mean that they can behave how they want to. If someone starts being very demanding from the beginning, for example, demanding to meet you, obviously that is not a good sign. Likewise, if they start to become controlling, you’re going to want to nip that in the bud very quickly. Stop all communication with those types of people immediately because it will never end well. Not everyone is going to be a nice person. You stand just as much chance meeting a toxic or abusive person when dating online as you do dating traditionally.
You should also be wary of anyone that is being very vague about themselves because chances are they are probably hiding something. If they can’t give you a straight answer on something important, it doesn’t mean they’re being all sexy and mysterious, most likely they aren’t being honest about something. If something doesn’t feel right in your gut, it probably isn’t; deep down the majority of us know when something is wrong. It’s just that sometimes we choose to ignore it. So make sure to listen to yourself if something feels off, even if you don’t know precisely what it is.
Online dating can be just as much fun as traditional dating when done right and I really hope that these tips help you to feel more confident about giving it a try!
I hope that you found these online dating tips for beginners useful.
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