Dating online for the majority of singles these days is the medium of choice to find a date. Unfortunately many have little or no success because they don’t know how to date online.
Learning how to date online successfully is not difficult provided the following dating rules are adhered to:
How to date online – the ground rules
Don’t rush things
Most people using online dating sites are nice people and it’s unfortunate that the press coverage given to the very few scammer incidents that occur is so great. Indeed the public could be forgive for thinking there is a scammer lurking round every dating site corner just waiting to pounce on unsuspecting singleton thanks to all the adverse publicity.
It is however sensible to take some precautions in case you are unlucky enough to encounter these tricksters and perhaps the most important is to take your time!
Find out if someone is who they say they are
In finding the ideal match you will probably look at quite a few profiles before finding some that appear to share your values, interests and who have the type of personality you like.
Now you need to find out if this “ideal match” is exactly as described on their profile. In other words you need to find out if they are who they say they are or believe themselves to be. As Robert Burns once said “If only the gift of God would give us to see ourselves as others see us!” Some people don’t know who they are and may unwittingly provide a description of themselves that bares no relationship to how others see them – including you!
So how do you discover what someone is really like? Well you can make a good start by developing an online rapport and asking lots of questions. In fact you could be really well organised by preparing a list of questions. If you do this make sure you keep the tone conversational otherwise they may feel your questions are a bit like the Spanish Inquisition!
Then the answers you get can be compared with the the profile description to see if it all stacks up or not!
Don’t give out any personal information
Initially you won’t of course know someone from Adam so it’s best not to divulge any personal information such as your address, phone numbers or email addresses although giving out your first name is ok. This won’t hamper you though because you’ll still be able to use the dating site’s secure email system to send and receive messages, chat online or even use video chat!
Make use of video chat
Meeting someone you have many things in common with is of course not sufficient to guarantee you’ll find them attractive. Usually that’s more to do with physical appearance and chemistry. Luckily some of the best dating sites have something called video chat that enables you to find out if there’s any physical attraction before you agree to meet for a first date. It’s very easy to use and it can save you the time, cost and the embarressment from meeting someone for a first date that just doesn’t turn you on.
Take one step at a time
Earning the trust of people does not happen overnight. By taking some time to know more about this person, one will be able to see if this can on any further or be better off meeting someone else.
Don’t arrange a first date until you’re ready
The right time to arrange a first date with someone is when you’re good and ready and not before. This means the time has to be right for the two of you so don’t feel pressured into agreeing to meet before you feel comfortable about doing so.
Arrange your first date in a public place in broad daylight
Although you may have by now spent a lot of time in building a rapport with someone such that you have built up some trust it is wise to err on the safe side and arrange your first date in a public place like Starbucks during daylight. You should also let a trusted friend know where you’re going and who you’re meeting just to be on the safe side. The chances are everything will be ok although you may have to arrange a few of these first dates before meeting your perfect match.
So I trust that these how to date online ground rules will help keep you safe and motivated to carry on with your search because you can be sure your perfect match will be out there looking for someone like you!
