12 Steps Simple How To Know If Online Dating Is For You

doylc.com - How To Know If Online Dating - If you’re sick of being single, you may have considered diving into the world of online dating. While it can open up new possibilities, online dating isn’t for everyone. We've compiled a comprehensive list of pros and cons so you can figure out if online dating is right for you.

Pros of Online Dating

1. It’s easy to get started with online dating. Once you’ve decided that you’re ready to dive in, all you need to do is pick out a site and sign up! Most dating sites and apps only take a few minutes to set up, so you can start swiping on potential matches in no time.

Some sites have a longer set up time because they make you fill out a questionnaire beforehand. However, those usually only take about 10 to 20 minutes tops.

2. You’ll have a lot of potential date options. More and more people join online dating every day. If you feel like your dating pool has been a little small lately, online dating can help you branch out. You can search for people in your area, or you can widen the search (if you don’t mind seeing someone long distance).

3. You can use sites that match you with people you’re compatible with. If you’re looking for something a little more serious, try joining a dating site that has you fill out a questionnaire, like Match, OkCupid, or Plenty of Fish. Then, you’ll be recommended singles who fit in with your lifestyle and your own personal beliefs.

Other dating sites like Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble simply let you swipe through potential dates and pick out the ones that you like.

4. It’s easier to start a conversation online. Feeling shy? Online dating takes that awkward first moment out of the equation. If you see someone you like, all you have to do is send them a message. If they don’t respond, no harm no foul!

5. You can "test" people out before meeting up with them. When you date online, you can decide if you like someone before meeting up. No more awkward blind dates where you desperately figure out if you have anything in common! When you meet people online, you can chat about your common interests and your various hobbies before you even meet face to face.

Keep in mind that this can also be a downside for some people. Lots of people prefer to save all the "get to know you" chatting for an in-person date—if that’s you, traditional dating might be more your style.

6. You can save money. Between dinner, drinks, and desserts, you might not want to spend all that money on someone you don’t even know yet. With online dating, you can vet the person that you’re chatting with to make sure you have a real connection before you go out. That way, when you spend your hard-earned money, you’ll know it’s worth it!

Consider just grabbing drinks on the first date instead of a full meal. That way, you don’t spend a ton of money, and you can leave quickly if things go south.

Cons of Online Dating

7. You need to know what kind of relationship you’re looking for. This can be tough if you’re not really sure what you want yet. If you’re looking for a casual fling with no strings attached, that’s fine! And if you’re looking for a long-term commitment, that’s great, too. Just be sure you know what you want before you start online dating—otherwise, it might be tough to find who you’re looking for.

Some people even put the type of relationship they’d prefer in their online dating profiles. That way, anyone who stumbles across them can decide if they’d like to pursue something or if they want to move on.

8. It can be hard to gauge someone’s personality online. There’s only so much you can tell about someone via a dating profile. Their photos, bios, and basic information might be there, but you won’t know if you two actually have chemistry until you meet up in person. For some people, this is no big deal, but for other people, it’s not quite what they’re looking for.

On the flip side of this, people might make inaccurate assumptions of you based just on your profile.

9. Some people lie on their profiles. Unfortunately, you may come across a few fakes in your online dating experience. Don’t trust anyone who asks you for money or your personal information, and block people who you think are suspicious. Fortunately, these profiles are usually easy to spot, and you won’t have much trouble if you keep your wits about you.

Profiles with no photos or personal information are always a big red flag.

Online dating sites also have their fair share of pick-up artists, who are good at misrepresenting themselves and manipulating their dates.

10. You’ll need to dedicate some time to online dating. Contrary to popular belief, online dating can take some time. Wading through a long list of potential dates isn’t very fast, and you might end up swiping and chatting for a couple of hours per day. If that sounds like something you could do while watching TV or relaxing on the couch, then online dating is probably right for you!

Keep in mind that you set your own time limit for how long you want to spend online dating. However, the more effort you put into it, the more likely you are to make real connections.

11. You’ll be meeting up with someone from the internet. It’s up to you to figure out if you’re comfortable meeting up with a stranger. Online dating does still have some risks, but you can be safe if you take the right precautions. Make sure your date is real by searching for their name and city on Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn, tell a friend (or two) where you’re going, and always meet up in a public place to stay safe.

If you really want to be cautious, you could also ask your date to video chat with you before meeting them in person.

12. You’re more likely to be ghosted from an online date. Ghosting is when someone suddenly decides to stop talking to you, seemingly for no reason. Unfortunately, this is a pretty common phenomenon in online dating—people feel more inclined to ghost you if you’ve just been chatting online than if you had met up in real life. Ghosting never feels good, so if this is a big turnoff for you, you may want to stick to traditional dating.

Ghosting also happens in face-to-face dating, it’s just a little less common.