Six Savvy Secrets to Online Dating

Six Savvy Secrets to Online Dating

If you are ready to get serious about dating, you have a number of options open to you: you can hop into action and join the local bar scene, you can your mom up on her offer to introduce you to that guy or gal with the “great personality,” you can trust your friends to hook you up on some blind dates, you could look around your work place for an eligible bachelor or his female counterpart, or you could join the millions upon millions who have discovered the world of online dating. Of course, the online dating scene is not without its own curveballs and issues, and here are six savvy secrets to online dating that will have you up and running in no time!

Pick a dating site that has a lot of listings of eligible singles in your geographic area, unless you are willing to relocate. While many sites will advertise their hundreds of thousands of members, they do not tell you that these members hail from all over the globe. Thus, unless you are willing to travel or engage in a long-distance relationship with someone, it is best to stick with the services that will have eligible singles in your general area.
Do not rely on the Internet to find you that perfect mate – that is still your job! This may sound like a bit of a harsh reality, but just like it is not the job of a bartender to introduce you to that perfect somebody after you cried into your beer for a while; it is also not the job of the dating website of service to match you up with that dream come true eligible single. What both the bartender and the Internet can do is to introduce you to someone who looks and sounds like she or he would be a great match. On the Internet, this might be done by matching you with other singles that have compatible or similar interests and hobbies. It is still up to you to interact with the person, learn about them, see if you are compatible, and then take it from there.
Create a realistic profile of yourself. Obviously, you do not want to give too much information away, such as telephone numbers or your home e-mail. On the other hand, you want others to be able to read the little blurb you write and be able to relate to you and figure out in a nutshell what you are all about. “Blond firecracker” will do precious little when it comes to helping someone else understand that you enjoy the outdoors, have a good sense of humor and like dogs. When reading other profiles you might get tempted to include some generic descriptions in your own, but unless they really help someone understand who you are, it is best to stay away.
When you post a photo – and you should – post one that is truly you. Do not post the one that you got from the specialty store where they airbrushed ten years off your face. Similarly, if you are bald, do not post one from the time when you still had hair. Be honest about your waist size, height, and also your age.
Have realistic expectations. Do you know what you are looking for in a mate? Do you want a spouse, a partner, or simply a date? Do not make compromises on the essentials; yet at the same time be realistic. If you are a seventy-something year old retiree from the post office, do not expect a twenty-something year old to fall head over heels in love with you.