Still single? Where have you been hiding? Don’t stay in the rainforests too long—there’s plenty of sunshine in the city. Thanks to the sophistication of online dating, you no longer need to worry about being stalked. Cyberstalking comes with penalties that will make any mischief think twice before harassing you online.
Online Dating: Which One?
According to Jeff Cohen (about.com), who wrote a brief but packed guide on online dating, the top six online dating sites are:
- Match.com
- Yahoo! Personals
- eHarmony
- America’s Internet Dating
- True.com
- U-singles.com
As you can see, the Amazon isn’t the only place to hunt down that rare and almost extinct species of homo sapiens. You can take an exploratory tour right from your living room! All you need is a high-speed internet connection (you wouldn’t want to settle for dial-up—imagine the thousands of photos you could miss). With all the options available, narrow your choices down to a select few so you can start flirting harmlessly. Your flirting style will be your trademark and determine how many responses you get!
Before settling on one online dating site, consider evaluating each and signing up for a trial period. You’re not limited to the six listed above—Christian singles, for example, may want to explore sites that cater to their faith. And when looking for a service, consider the age group it specializes in.
We checked out the first two sites: Match.com and Yahoo! Personals. Match.com claims to facilitate 250,000 marriages annually. For a service competing with many others, that’s significant. If this claim is true, it serves as a strong selling point—after all, many are searching for a lifetime partner, not just a date. Match.com appeals to both casual flirts and serious relationship seekers who wish to settle down and build a family.
Match.com introduces itself as the online dating service that “takes the lottery out of dating” because they know finding a meaningful connection can be time-consuming. Patience is a virtue, but those who are eager to connect quickly appreciate Match.com’s approach.
Yahoo! Personals caters to two types of people: those seeking casual dates and those hoping to build deeper relationships. It also makes the process nearly painless by guiding you through the steps and offering examples. Their communication tools help create an attractive profile and provide advice on “how to say it.”
No matter which site you choose, you’re bound to find someone who catches your attention. There are millions of people hoping to find a friend, an email buddy, or a match. With compatibility, chemistry, and camaraderie—what we like to call the “three C’s”—you’ll move on to the next letter: D (as in dating). And if things go well, you might even skip the others and jump straight to M (as in marriage)!
Ready to come out of your shell?
Profile is Key
Never written a profile before? Don’t know what to say or how to say it? Afraid your profile will be ignored? No worries! Most online dating sites have questionnaires designed to extract your preferences so their algorithms can find suitable matches. These dating programs will pull highlights from your answers to create an 80% complete profile, leaving you to fill in the remaining 20%. This could range from “tell us something you’re proud of” to “mention things you don’t want to hear on your first date.”
Typically, your profile will include your age (sorry, but this is mandatory to avoid mismatches, such as pairing an 18-year-old with a retiree), geographical area (without disclosing your exact address), personality traits, views on love and romance, and your interests and passions (for compatibility purposes—though it’s possible for pet lovers to connect with pet haters, or organic farmers with city dwellers).
Let’s talk about photos. The reluctance—or fear—of posting a photo online is understandable. However, statistics show that 99% of online dating sites confirm that posting a photo leads to a significantly higher response rate. People looking for matches are like search engines; if they can’t see you, you won’t get “ranked.” As the saying goes: to know you is to see you, and that couldn’t be truer for online dating.
Safety First
To show how professional online dating services have become, they place a great emphasis on privacy and anonymity. While you’ll have to sacrifice a bit of anonymity, your privacy is 100% guaranteed. If you encounter someone undesirable, site moderators encourage reporting them. Your real name, address, phone number, and private email will never be shared unless you willingly disclose them.
If your online friendship leads to a date, follow these cardinal rules: choose a public meeting place, drive yourself, inform family or friends of your whereabouts and expected return time, practice safe sex, and ensure your cell phone is fully charged. Don’t reveal too much too soon, unless you feel you can trust the person. Finally, unless your date insists, always pay your share of the bill to avoid any misunderstandings.
Chasing love is a noble pursuit, but don’t “court” trouble.
