Hot Tips for Choosing an Online Dating Site
Posted on 05. Nov, 2012 by inMotion Dating in Online Dating Services, Online Dating Tips
In the fast paced world we’re living in today, many of us don’t have the time to go out and find our perfect match. It can be overwhelming when you consider how many first dates you might actually have to go on before you find a partner. This is one of the main reasons people are turning to online dating.
If you are one of the millions, young and old, who are looking for someone to explore a relationship with, but you just can’t seem to find them, then you might want to give a reputable dating site a try. Sure, attending social get-togethers and agreeing to set-ups organised by your friends is fun, but are they getting you any closer to finding the person you’d like to be with?
With online dating you can easily expand the pool of potential relationship opportunities available to you. If you’ve watched any late-night TV lately, you’ll know that there are many websites out there offering relationship advice and the ability to connect with others, but which is the best one for you? Consider these tips as you go about deciding which online dating site to use.
Safety
No doubt you’ve heard of identity theft in today’s society. So even before you get started with online dating, and accepting advice on dating, you should be aware that once you type something, and hit “Enter”, that information is out there, never to be taken back. Right from the very start you should be absolutely sure that you want this information, image or video available to the world.
If a dating site asks for… Don’t
As you investigate various dating sites, remember this important rule; if a website asks for your identity number or social security number, do not give it to them! Keep looking for another site… if a site asks for your telephone number; do not give it to them… keep looking… if they ask you for your street address; don’t give it to them… look for another site! You should not have to part with this personal information to partake in online dating!
Services
The benefit of services really depends on how selective you would like to be in your search for your match. Each site offers a certain set of services. These services help you find and get to know your match. Selecting a site that offers a lot of services depends on what makes you comfortable in getting to know the other person. Some of the services on offer include: social groupings, photos, age, sex preference, regional groupings, advice on dating and more.
Usability
You’ll have to figure this one out for yourself. Each site will be structured a little differently. In a sense, this is a good thing for you. If you feel comfortable with the site structure and your potential match feels comfortable as well, you already have a certain similarity in how you think and work. The closer you get to similar thought patterns, the fewer dating tips you’ll need.
Contact Procedures
Getting to know somebody online is one thing, but meeting them for the first time in person or over the phone is quite another. Check to see if the site has a procedure where you can take the next step with a certain amount of safety built in. For example; can you voice chat with your online contact without either of you knowing each other’s phone number?
Online Dating Costs
Decide whether you’d like to pay a fee for the use of an online dating service and the dating tips that they provide. There are many good sites out there that offer great matching opportunities and relationship advice for free. The paid sites may offer more services than the free sites, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have a better success rate.
Membership
Check out the membership of the dating site. In many instances, the site will open itself up to a little poking around. See if the membership has a good representation in your area and if the members are largely; young, older, divorced, professional or religious etc. Oddly, international representation can be a good indicator of a sites’ legitimacy. Although there are exceptions, if a dating site has a large international representation, you may want to be cautious with your selection process. Some of the matches may have ulterior motives. In this case, you’ll also need a few international dating tips.
Professional Appearance
Think about how the site is set up to do business. After all, the majority of sites are trying to make money. If the site is set up in a professional looking way and responds to your questions regarding relationship advice or match selections, the site is likely genuine in its mission to match you up. If the site is a jumble of personal ads with little structure, you may want to take a closer look before you get involved.
Success Rates
Start by asking friends who have used the site. Ask if they have had any luck meeting decent people. If they have, you may have a similar experience. Another option, although it’s wise to be a bit sceptical, is to ask for testimonials. It may be difficult to figure out who is sincere and who isn’t, but listening for pat answers or inflections in their voices may help to weed out the less sincere couples. You might also ask them for advice on dating with the service. This is new territory for you, so asking how the process worked for them is a good idea.
Does the Site Offer Dating Advice?
Dating advice, relationship advice and other tips that can help you along are good indicators of a site that really wants you to succeed. You are really looking for a partnership with the site as much as with a relationship partner. In many ways, it’s a lot like interviewing for a job. If somebody offers advice, you at least listen. You may not use the job or dating advice, but every little tip could help.
What do you want?
This is a bit trickier to answer than you might think. Having an idea of what you want and what will work is often quite different from what will actually make the best match for you in reality. If a site offers a personality or matching test, be honest with whom you feel you really are. There is no point in lying to yourself and wasting everybody’s time in the process.
We hope these online dating tips will help get you started on your cyber journey to finding your perfect match in a safe, comfortable way. If you have any questions, concerns, or tips based on your own experiences, please post them in the comments below.
Good luck!
