Finding a partner, developing a romantic relationship, and falling in love is part of human nature and one of our basic human impulses. Understandably, everyone wants to find and have that special someone, but living a fast-paced life in the modern age has made it harder for individuals to meet their significant others.
Obstacles such as a no dating policy in your workplace, not being one to enjoy bars or nightclubs, or not looking for your potential partner in places such as the grocery store, cinema, and the likes might make it that much harder to find the love of your life.
However, living in the digital age does have its perks. Instead of having to go out and meet people, you can know look for that special someone online. Dating websites or smartphone apps have been extremely popular for over a decade now, allowing people to find love without having to leave the comfort of their homes.
Of course, online dating has its pros and cons, but generally speaking, it is a great place to meet people. Although there is an abundance of dating sites with many different rules and practices, there are also many things they have in common. So if you are considering giving them a try, here are some things you should have in mind.
How Do They Work?
Today, the majority of services utilize Artificial Intelligence and algorithms to match users.
The algorithm includes several basic factors such as a user’s location, religion, height, and weight, coupled with criteria that include a person’s level of agreeableness (a personality trait which includes empathy, friendliness, compassion, and politeness), romantic passion range, the importance of spirituality, closeness preference, optimism or happiness levels, and the amount of introversion and extroversion.
By collecting all this information, the algorithm then draws matches that are the closest to the individual’s preference.
The Different Types of Sites and Apps
1. Matchmaking
These are your best option if you know exactly what type you are looking for. By giving a detailed profile, you will avoid wasting time going through searches that have nothing to do with your interests or taste. Instead, you will only be provided with matches that have all or at least some of the qualities you are looking for.
2. Preference
These types cater their services to specific groups, interests, or hobbies. For example, there are certain sites for fitness enthusiasts, individuals with tattoos and piercings, apps for senior citizens, ones for a specific religion or sexual orientation. There are many to choose from if you are looking to find something a bit more specific.
3. Event
By joining such a site, you will have the chance to go to parties, gatherings, and similar events organized by the service. This is perfect if you like to meet people in a more socialized, group setting or if you prefer communicating face to face.
4. Simulators
Dating simulator apps are not necessarily a place you can meet people since they are essentially games where you get to date beautifully designed characters.
However, services such as BadBoyapps offer realistic character traits and responses and most scenarios are based on real-life situations, so not only can you have fun, but also practice and improve your social skills.
This is especially great for people who perhaps, lack confidence or for individuals who are shy and afraid to communicate. If nothing else, you can simply play them as a way to beat boredom.
Free vs. Subscription Websites
Free websites have the obvious advantage of being cost-free and are ones that have many more people on them. On the other hand, there are several disadvantages such as privacy issues, annoying or misleading ads, and people who are not serious about finding a partner.
Subscription ones, although they can be pricey, at least have people who pay for their services, meaning these individuals truly want to find a match. The searches and profiles are generally much more detailed and refined and you will not have to be afraid that your privacy or information will be misused in any way.
How to Choose the Best App for Yourself?
1. Safety is a Top Priority
If you easily find the safety guidelines, especially when signing up, you can rest assured that the site offers built-in safety features. Otherwise, try looking for another app.
A variety of people use these services and sometimes, certain individuals might creep you out or make you feel uncomfortable. This is why it is important to check if the website allows reporting and blocking.
2. Having Visibility Control is Crucial
How much control you have over the visibility of your information is crucial. Make sure that you can decide who can see your profile, send you messages, and what personal information you would like to be displayed.
The same goes for your location settings since it is never a good idea to allow strangers to pinpoint your city, neighborhood, or even your address.
Simply, the more control a website gives you, the better and more trustworthy it is.
3. Say No to One that Allows Contact Before Matching
A website that allows anyone to contact you, even if you have not matched, is not a really reliable one. Your inbox might get flooded by weird messages, pictures, or proposals, and the entire experience can be extremely uncomfortable. So, always make sure messaging is disabled until you match with another person.
4. Check Whether it Links to Social Media
Although linking your profile to your social media accounts is generally harmless, sometimes the app might display certain information from social media you wanted to keep private. This includes, for example, where you went to school, what places you enjoy visiting, your previous or current employer, and more.
People will still be able to find you on other platforms, even after you block them on the dating one, so always make sure the website is not linked to any social media or at least that it doesn’t share unwanted information.
Conclusion
As fun and as exciting these apps might be, always remember to be cautious and stay safe when using them. Do not overshare until you’ve gotten the chance to know someone well and think twice before meeting them in person.
Besides that, enjoy meeting and talking to different people and don’t hesitate to be yourself. After all, you never know, you might end up finding the person of your dreams.
