At one point, people were secretive about using dating apps since the consensus was that only those that were desperate or perhaps unattractive were prone to using the websites.  It was something friends only shared with those closest to them and often sheepishly because it was perceived that only those who could not make a connection the conventional way went online.

The complete opposite is true with countless online dating resources in the modern world – check out Dating Site Guides for example. Now, if you meet someone in person, you are selling yourself short when you could have so many varied options on the internet platform.

In reality, there is truth to that. You can swipe right endlessly, but when in person at a bar, church, even a convenience store, or on the street, there are only a handful of options once you eliminate some for personal preferences.

But is being overwhelmed with countless options better than having just a select few? Let us look at a few tips to see how you should approach the online dating world, and then we can make that determination.

Tips For Those Approaching Dating Website Platforms

Where yesterday no one admitted to dating website use, today people boast of their online dalliances. What has changed? Technology, the digital age, everyone is connected 24 hours a day without fail.

Some people work from home; no one gets out to socialize anymore; instead, being isolated between work and their household. That disallows for many friends aside from family, meaning people are not getting set up on dates.

While shopping, working, emailing, and texting online, individuals take the opportunity to browse the web for potential mates. There is nothing wrong with the activity as long as you approach secure sites and follow safety precautions; not much different than if you were meeting a stranger in person, always self-protecting.

Learn how to succeed with dating apps at https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/6-proven-ways-succeed-with-online-dating.html.

But what are the rules to this sort of dating for people who might have been out of the game for a while or someone just entering the dating world? How do you flirt via a computer?

Is there an emoji for a “hair flip”? Let us save the day with a few tips that will guide you through a first experience with an online dating journey.

●     Show confidence in your strokes.

You will go through a process of meeting many different characters, and you must be upfront, honest, and confident in your approach. If you are not open, you will receive replies from people that do not match what you are looking for. That serves no purpose.

When messaging, the priority is assessing your feelings for the other person and avoiding the nervous knots you are experiencing over whether they will like you. Remember, this person is sharing these same jitters.

Still, both of you need to have security within yourselves, a sense of self-confidence, knowing that the most important thing is whether the two of you will fit into the other’s lifestyle because as individuals, you each know you are cool as people go.

●     Keep things short and simple.

Do not drag out the messages or dating if the person is just not the one. Some people will write message after message – if you allow it. To their credit, these are often awesome words of eloquence, keeping you enthralled and hoping to see the flashing light each time you come back to the computer.

Then when it comes time to meet them in person, the individual is just not what you anticipated, somewhat awkward, socially unsure of themselves, not conversational as in the messages, and no chemistry.

Plus, you wasted weeks, maybe longer, going back and forth with these in-depth texts only to find out it’s not a match. What should you do? Keep the messaging brief before you express interest in meeting for perhaps a coffee to break the ice. If they express any hesitation, move on.

Another scenario is if you have a first date and the chemistry is just not there for you, do not continue beyond that point because you feel sorry for the other person in some way.

It will only make the person feel worse if you drag it on and then hurt them. It is essential to let them know immediately that you do not see them in a romantic light.

●     Go into it with a positive attitude – and a good sense of humor.

The attitude that you have going in means everything. If you have anticipation that you will meet the love of your life right off the bat, you will be sorely disappointed.

What you need to expect is that you are going to be approached by many unusual individuals, unlike the person for whom you are searching, or you could call these people – odd. In the same vein, they might return that compliment.

If you can laugh and have an enjoyable time with it, you will enjoy the experience so much more than if you go in with any sort of expectations or as a serious individual. You will have “odd” experiences more than once, and you will be considered the odd experience more than once. And that is okay as long as everyone takes things with a grain of salt – and a snicker.

●     Educate yourself on who you are before you make demands of a potential partner.

Do you really know yourself, or are you fooling yourself? It is essential to sit down and consider who you are as a person before you set standards for someone else. What do you intend to give, and is it just as much as you are expecting from another person?

Do you anticipate that someone holds an exceptional education and works in a specific career, but you do not have those same credentials – why?

The best way to present yourself to other people is to write a bio and let friends read what you have written and grade you on it. If they feel it sounds authentic, then you should present it to potential mates. If you sound pretentious and disingenuous, start again.

●     Be honest to a fault.

It is unbelievable how many people will lie with their dating profile and then dare to go and meet these people in person, especially after submitting a profile picture of themselves a decade ago. Don’t you think they are going to notice the difference?

It is crucial to be brutally honest when filling in your information, including age. These things will ultimately be revealed. If you are found to be a liar, it can lead to you losing a good person because they will believe if you lie about something small, you might lie about important things, and they cannot trust you. Read here for tips on dating profiles.

And they would be right. Do not lie – just don’t do it.

●     Schedule short first meetings instead of dinners.

When setting up a first meeting with a potential mate, the idea is to keep things short in a public setting. Most people will go for a cup of coffee. If they’re not coffee drinkers, perhaps they can get a soda or another beverage while you have coffee or maybe a hot chocolate (offer alternative drink options).

The idea is not what you have but that you are given the opportunity to have a brief conversation surrounded by a group of people for safety and security since you know nothing about this person.

It’s enough time for you to tell if there’s any chemistry that entices you to want to move on to another meeting or maybe cut ties.

In this instance, you will need to ensure that you go in separate cars and meet at the coffee shop. No one should pick the other up. Again, you don’t know each other, and the priority is ensuring safety.

That can’t be assessed merely by reading a profile and sending messages across a computer. It will take getting to know the person before you determine a level of security.

A good measure is always to let friends or family know when you’re out with a stranger and even when this person starts coming to your house or vice versa. This way, someone knows what’s happening and where you are.

Final Thought

Whether you meet someone in person and decide to go out on a date or go online and check out profiles to meet someone for a possible date, it’s kind of the same scenario.

The difference when meeting someone in a bar or church or even on the street is you cut through all the messaging, flirts, and emojis to get right to the meeting. In either situation, you’re going to be awkward and nervous and unsure, but your self-confidence is somewhere in there.

It’s essential to work hard to pull that out. You know you’re a good person. What you’re trying to determine is whether the two of your lifestyles will mesh together. Honestly, you’ll know within the first few seconds of coffee whether you click. Don’t be dishonest if not. That will only hurt the person more in the long run. Be sensitive but firm, and then go home and swipe right.