The Best 7 Online Dating Tips for Beginners

attractive woman using phone outside

The world of online dating can be tricky for beginners. But you’ve already made the right choice, you’re looking for the best online dating tips to make sure that your dating journey is a successful one. So, sit back and relax because we’ve found the best dating advice for novices looking to find their special someone online.

Online dating is huge, there is no denying it. A recent study found that one-third of marriages now start online and every age demographic using online dating has increased in the past few years. Which is why if you’re new to online dating or you’ve dipped your toe in the waters but never taken a big leap, you might not know where to start. The seven tips we’ve compiled should give you the confidence to give online dating a go and find someone for long-lasting love.

1. Key Online Dating Tip – Make Your Profile Stand Out

It may sound like an obvious online dating tip, but making your profile shine is crucial to catching the eye of your prospective partner. It can be easy to finish your profile quickly or pop some typical dating profile catchphrases. But saying ‘I like movies’ or ‘I’m looking for someone with a good sense of humour’ isn’t going to capture your unique and interesting personality. So dig deep, think of some of the events you’ve taken part in, or recent travels you’ve gone on, what’s specific about them that makes you stand out?

The clearer picture you paint, the more likely that compatible people with similar interests will strike up a conversation. Try and walk that fine line between coming across shy or boastful, if you’re unsure then get a friend to look over it for you. They might even suggest some interests that you may have overlooked. Write your profile with plenty of time and do it with confidence.

2. Make Time for Dating

If you’re a busy professional, like most of the community who have chosen EliteSingles, it’s likely that you’re strapped for time. Juggling a social life, family obligations, and work commitments can make it tough to find time to date. Which is why one of the best online dating tips for women and men is to pick a dating site that does the hard work for you.

Our matchmaking algorithm is designed to give you 3-7 matches per day of highly compatible potential partners. So, you don’t have to spend your time swiping or searching. Set aside sometime when you’re relaxed, look over some the profiles and start sending out those first messages. EliteSingles does the heavy lifting so you can concentrate on dating.

couple walking together in woods

3. Online Dating Etiquette – Do’s and Don’ts

Below are some quick-fire online dating tips for beginners looking to get the most of our their online dating site.

Do: Send confident and interesting first messages. Look at the profile of the person you’re messaging, find a common interest or something about their profile that stands out and ask them a question.

Don’t: Only look for the same sort of person. Everyone has a ‘type’ but the whole point of online dating is meeting someone you’d never have the opportunity to meet in real life!

Do: Download the app version of your dating website. It’s the best way to message on-the-go and catch up with your new matches.

Don’t: Be overly picky, your profile might be award-worthy but other people might have a difficult time describing themselves online. If you think someone seems nice but their profile is a little nondescript then suggest a casual meet up to get to know them better.

4. Stay Safe and Don’t Get Overexcited

The majority of people who partake in online dating are honest about the information they provide. However, making sure you’re still safety savvy is one of our most important online dating tips. We’ve compiled a short, succinct guide to staying safe online and some of the things to look out for when you’re dating. In short, talk only on the dating website, meet in a public place and don’t give out any personal information online.

Another important piece of online dating advice is not to be too keen. Texting too much can be off-putting to some people, remember to keep a respectful distance – at least before you’ve met. It’s easy to get caught up in someone’s pictures and profile, so stay grounded until you’ve met someone.

5. Be Open-minded and Honest IRL

We’ve talked about honesty being the best policy elsewhere in this article, that also goes for you! Tempting though it may be, always upload recent pictures of yourself and be honest about your day-to-day life. Fibbing about being a part-time lion tamer or knowing a second language may be exciting for your date, but it’ll catch up with you down the line.

We also spoke about being open-minded when dating, that also goes for the first date activity! Coffee shops, restaurants, bars – these are all places that are great for a first date but aren’t the most inventive. Look for some local events in your area, perhaps an art fair, a flea market, or even a concert. Suggesting something different means that you can capture your date’s attention and it gives you some easy talking points throughout the date.

couple hugging outside and laughing

6. The Most Important Online Dating Tip – Be Yourself

Phew! Five online dating tips in and you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed with relationship advice. Relax – our sixth online dating tip is the easiest one to follow, just be yourself. It may sound like a simplistic rule, but it’s one that’s easy to forget when you’re in a romantic whirlwind.

Before you embark on your dating journey, it’s important to understand what you want out of a relationship and a potential partner. Think about your future plans, what you want to achieve and ultimately what are the goals and values that you think are important in a partner. This will give you an easy mantra and waypoint to follow while you’re meeting new people and experiencing new adventures. Stay true to yourself and your personality will shine through.

7. Start Online Dating the Right Way – With Confidence

It may not sound obvious but you have to remember to enjoy the experience of online dating to get the most out of it. It’s usually because people aren’t in the right frame of mind for online dating and therefore ending up feeling less satisfied than they expected. Before you try any of the previous online dating tips, make sure you’re in the best spirit to start looking for your future partner. Confidence cannot be taught, it comes from within and you can only increase it by feeling good about yourself.

Looking to improve your online dating experience even further? In collaboration with partners, EliteSingles is here to offer you the chance to receive specialised support that’ll help to ensure you get the most out of your online dating journey. Whether you’re a first-timer interested in getting an overview of online dating to help you get started, or you’re a veteran looking for some specialist advice, the dating coaching services at Maclynn are ideal for singles seeking a meaningful, long-lasting relationship!

About the author: Emily Waddell

Emily Waddell is the UK Editor for EliteSingles.

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