Getting Back into the Dating Game? 4 Online Dating Tips You Need to Keep in Mind

Have you been out of the dating world for a long time? There are of course many reasons this may be the case. Perhaps you were in a long relationship until fairly recently. Maybe work kept you too busy. Maybe you simply needed a break from the dating game.

Regardless, getting back into dating can be intimidating at first. That doesn’t mean it has to be. Online dating sites and apps have made finding your dream partner easier than ever. This is true for people of virtually all ages and preferences. Whether you’re a young person seeking a casual relationship, someone older interested in finding their soulmate, or anything in between, online dating services remove much of the pressure and stress some people otherwise feel when re-entering the dating lifestyle.

The following dating tips will also help. To leverage online dating sites to their full potential, be sure to keep them in mind:

Dating Tips: 4 Ways to Boost Your Odds of Finding Love with Online Dating Sites and Apps

1. Research Your Options

There are many different online dating services from which to choose. No one service is ideal for all people. The benefits they offer vary depending on the individual goals of each user. For instance, maybe your Christian faith plays a very important role in your life. You might thus wish to find a partner who shares your faith. If so, consider using a service such as Christian Mingle. On the other hand, if you’re over the age of 50, it’s likely important to you that any online dating sites you sign up for offesr matches close to you in age. In that case, you may be drawn to SilverSingles.

The main point to remember is that each online dating service is unique. You’re much more likely to have a positive experience using one if you research your options first.

2. Optimize Your Profile

You might be a perfect match for someone you find on a dating site or app. That doesn’t mean the app will magically bring the two of you together. A dating site gives you the opportunity to make an impression on a potential partner before you meet them. Take the time to research dating tips that will help you optimize your profile, and you’ll make the right impression.

The way in which you will achieve this goal depends on the sites and apps you use. For example, Tinder typically limits bios to 500 characters. You need to express who you are in a very condensed way if you’re looking for love on Tinder. Other apps, which allow you to compose a longer bio and profile, might yield better results if you take the opportunity to be as thorough as possible.

It’s also a good idea to consider how you can make yourself as attractive as possible to matches. That doesn’t mean you need to look beautiful in all your photos. Instead, you should find a way to demonstrate what you can offer to a match in a relationship.

You might use your bio to indicate you have a steady income. Your pictures can show off your dynamic lifestyle, appealing to someone interested in the same activities and lifestyle they depict. If you have a strong sense of humor, find a way to illustrate this in your profile.

All that said, authenticity is paramount. Your goal is to find matches you’ll make genuine connections with. You don’t want to frequently match with the wrong people because you didn’t express your genuine identity online.

3. Learn to Send Messages That Yield Replies

People who actively use online dating sites and apps can (depending on a variety of factors) receive a high number of matches and messages every day. You need to stand out from the crowd if you’re going to impress someone.

Fortunately, this may be easier than you realize. Research indicates the median length of initial messages sent on Tinder is 12 characters for those sent by men, and 122 characters for those sent by women. Either way, it’s evident people aren’t necessarily saying much when they first reach out to matches.

This represents an opportunity. You can easily distinguish yourself among other matches by thinking of a way to send something relatively substantial when first reaching out.

This may consist of cute but authentic opening lines (check this poll for ideas). Or, you can simply take the time to send a message that indicates you genuinely checked someone’s profile thoroughly before sending a message.

For instance, perhaps you match with someone whose pictures suggest they recently visited London. Maybe you did as well. You might then consider messaging them asking about their favorite London experiences and activities. This illustrates you gave their profile a full review, and it provides you with a subject to begin talking about immediately. That’s obviously much more impressive than starting out with a simple “Hey.”

4. Avoid Common Mistakes

Familiarizing with dating tips when getting back into the dating game is, of course, a good idea. However, just as it’s important to understand what to do right when using online dating sites, you also need to research common complaints and errors. This is key to finding the right matches and having an overall enjoyable online dating experience.

For example, you do have to accept the limitations of geography when using online dating services and apps. Someone using an app in a big city will likely find matches more often than someone using an app in a rural area. A lack of matches doesn’t indicate you’re not desirable. It’s far more likely it’s simply a reflection of the user base in your region. You’ll be less discouraged using these services if you accept these realities.

You should also pay attention to negative reactions you personally have to the profiles of your matches. This can help you better understand what types of mistakes you might be making. For instance, people using online dating services often include pictures of themselves in groups to indicate that friends and family are important to them. This is an understandable idea. However, many people find it difficult to truly know what a person looks like with only a handful of pictures. If one or more of those pictures depicts a match in a group, it may also be difficult to determine which member of the group they are.

Don’t settle for the wrong dating service either. At this stage, you’re just experimenting. While you absolutely should take advantage of online dating sites, you should also give another a try if one isn’t working for you. Continue to check our site for reviews of dating services and apps to find the one that’s right for your goals. They’ll help you find exactly what you’re looking for!