Online dating is now one of the most prominent ways in which people are meeting their partners. And there are so many different ways to date online, the options are endless. You wouldn’t believe the obscurity of some of the dating websites out there. It seems that these days, there is a dating site for every person ever.
Whether you want to find someone who shares the same interests as you, the same religion, the same ethnic origin, or of a similar age group there is truly something for everyone. Being there are so many different ones to choose from, we are here to help you pick just the right one for you. As well, there are ways that you can optimize your dating profile to make it represent your authentic self and attract the right kinds of people who would suit you the best.
We are presenting some tried and tested online dating tips for women, to help you execute and manage your online dating profile and help you to get comfortable with this new world of dating.
Choose the right online dating platform for you
As mentioned before, there really is a dating site or app for everyone these days. There are so many different ones that it might prove difficult to decide on which one is right for you. Most of the websites even have apps so that you can flirt with potential mates on the go. Portability is a great feature for those boring and long commutes to work. It is so important to find the right app for you because this is really the dating pool that you are introducing yourself to.
Whatever you choose, you want to make sure that the people who’ve also chosen this platform are likely to be people you will get along with and have great experiences with.
The Conventional Platforms
Some of the most common dating websites are Match, OkCupid, Plenty of Fish, and eHarmony. These sites host profiles of many people all over the world, therefore the pool is quite large and you are likely to meet someone perfect for you. It allows you to add all of your interests, hobbies, etc. and you can adapt your profile to represent you completely.
If you want something a bit more conventional, where you can learn a lot about a person from their profile due to the detail and extensiveness of it, this is the way to go for you.
The Specific Platforms
But if you are looking for something more specific there are plenty of options. Gluten-free? There’s a dating website for that. Cowgirl? Try EquestianCupid.com in order to meet the cowboy of your dreams.
Pet lover? Try DateMyPet.com and meet someone who you can walk your dog with. Do your research, because if you have an obscure passion or even a common one, there’s likely a dating site catered for you.
The modern and slightly superficial Platforms
Then we have the swiping apps. They are much more superficial than most of the dating sites out there. They are solely through mobile or tablet devices and cater to the needs of our innate attraction to fast visual gratification and shallow culture.
First, you add some pictures of yourself to your profile (though you’ll find that many people don’t follow this conventionality and will add photos of cars, their pets, or even memes), you then write a little blurb about yourself, add a location, your gender and sexuality, and your age. When your profile is set up, you can start to swipe. And oh, how addictive it is. You may find yourself mindlessly sitting on the couch for hours swiping through men in your area solely based on their looks and your first impression of them. And they are doing the same to you.
There are a few different swiping platforms for you to choose from as well. There is the original and probably the most common, Tinder. There is Bumble, an app where after being matched with someone, the women must start the conversation first within 24 hours or the match will disappear. And another popular one is Hinge, where you can only match with someone who you have mutual Facebook friends with.
While these apps might seem quite shallow, and they definitely are in a way, there is a reason that people say, “a picture speaks 1000 words”. Their pictures might tell you how attractive they are, and if this is important to you great, but it also shows you what they like to do with their spare time, and how important their features are to them. If it’s all selfies that says a lot about a person, if it shows them doing things outdoorsy, or funny photos etc. then that speaks a lot as well. So if you like the idea of obtaining a lot of matches quickly, and are excited by the visual aspect of these platforms, then this might be the way to go for you.
Make your profile stand out and be true to you
Creating an online profile can be a work of art. You want to show off your sense of humor, your intelligence, and your skills. You may want to show off that beautiful face or body of yours as well, it’s all up to you.
Choose photos that showcase you
In terms of photos of yourself, these should be somewhat modest and exhibit your passions in life as well. If bikini pics are your thing, go for it! But make sure you are also showing off what makes you, you. Show yourself water-skiing, or snowboarding, or gardening or whatever it is that makes you happy. Make it personal and make it fun.
There is no shame in posting photos of yourself where you look beautiful and confident. It’s not best to post altered photos of yourself, as tempting as this might be, where if someone meets you in real life you look completely different. Do whatever makes you feel good and depicts your looks and your personality accurately. Also, keep the pictures to solo shots, men like to know who they’re talking to.
Captivate him with that witty bio
Your bio should describe your personality and can also explain what you’re looking for. There are really so many ways you can go about it, just make sure you have fun with it and keep it light and easy. Stating that you want to be married within the next year and are looking for a serious partner might scare a lot of people off. So take it easy and see how things go. Feel free to make a joke, or write something quirky that will inspire a lot of matches to message you about.
Don’t list skills or interests that are not true about yourself because you think that they make you sound cool or interesting; these will get found out eventually and doing this encourages you to meet people who you have nothing in common with!
Don’t be afraid to send the first message
Just because you are a woman does not mean the man has to make the first move! When it comes to online dating tips for women, we recommend being bold. Send him a cute and flirty message, compliment him on one of his photos, or identify a common interest stated in his profile.
He’ll love the confidence that you have in messaging him first, and it gets the ball rolling. The worst thing that will happen is that you don’t get a reply and if you don’t who cares?! There are plenty of great guys just waiting for you to match with them and start up a convo.
There is absolutely no harm in trying, the beauty of being online over the computer or mobile phone is that it lessens any shame in rejection. And chances are rejection is the last thing that will happen.
Be yourself!
As cliché as this may be, being yourself is so important. When you are finally talking to a man that ticks the right boxes and seems like he’d be a great match for you, you want to be yourself truly and openly. This is what will hold his attention in the long run.
Men love it when a woman is confident in who she truly is, and you can definitely show this in your conversations through online dating. If he says that he is interested in something that you absolutely hate, it doesn’t mean you have to pretend to like it. It doesn’t mean you won’t be a match either. Opposites attract for a reason. You can banter over this. Stick to your true self and beliefs, and this will make you come off in the best way possible guaranteed.
Keep an open mind
Okay so a match didn’t have the best opening line in the world, it can be hard sometimes! And it can be a lot of pressure to start up a conversation, so don’t dismiss someone just because they started off the conversation with a simple “hey” or “how are you?”.
Maybe his profile is a bit bleak as well. Give him a chance, he might be new to this and nervous. He might be intimidated by your diverse interests and prestigious career. Don’t let a meek introduction or lull in the conversation put you off, sometimes people need a little push. In saying this, if it continuously bores you and you have nothing in common then on to the next and no looking back.
There are so many great guys waiting for you, so no point in wasting time on someone who clearly isn’t the right fit!
Encourage interesting and deep conversations
Don’t be afraid to take conversations to another level, just because it is through an online dating platform it doesn’t mean that you can’t have conversations that are deep and meaningful. This is how you really get to know someone. If you are going to take the next step, it is important to know that you are able to talk about certain things that are important to you with this person.
Be safe and cautious, always
This is one of the more important online dating tips for women. You need to be extremely careful and cautious while using dating sites. If you are, you will be fine. But you need to always take the necessary precautions in order to protect yourself, and even just to prevent your time being wasted. Catfishes main stomping grounds are dating sites like these. For those of you who don’t know what catfishes are, a catfish is someone who creates a fake dating profile and talks to people under this fake identity.
There have been cases where these people have gone so far as to develop relationships with innocent people, using fake video footage to prove themselves as real and the like. Be careful of these kinds of accounts, add them on various social media accounts after becoming comfortable with someone you met online, and use this to make sure that they have real friends and people interacting with their accounts.
Eventually, you will want to meet up with someone in person and take your relationship to the next level. Which is so awesome and exciting! But there are things that you need to do in order to make sure that this is a safe situation for you to be in. Never ever meet someone for the first time in an area where you two are alone. Meet them in a busy area such as a restaurant, or café, on a busy street and preferably during the daytime. Tell friends or family where you are going exactly and tell them you will contact them when you are back home, so they know you are safe.
Before even agreeing to meet up with someone you need to make sure that you have a really good idea of their personality. Make sure that you have been talking to them frequently for at least a few weeks or so and have exchanged other personal details such as cell phone number, email, and social media accounts. You don’t want to do this too quickly either, if you have a bad feeling in your gut you’re probably right and should move on to the next right away. Again, you want to make sure this person is who they say that they are.
Now get out there and have fun with your potential matches ladies! Don’t take it too seriously, keep an open mind, and be yourself.