Once upon a time, online dating used to be something we felt we had to hide from our friends and family.
But, due to forced isolation and feelings of loneliness from COVID-19, people are forced to seek companionship through their mobile screens rather than in person.
As the global pandemic continues to reign chaos left, right, and enter, online dating sites have been raking in big bucks as people turn to virtual dating to fill the void of emptiness intensified by the lockdown.
Although it has the reputation of being face-paced and short-term, that’s not the case for every online-catalysed relationship.
Besides comically bad experiences, dating online offers a multitude of benefits as well!
If you’ve been on a dating hiatus since the pandemic started, and you’re finally thinking about getting back in the game, we’re here for you!
Read on and take notes as we dissect online dating, why it’s so popular, and how it works!
Guide to online dating 2021 – What is online dating?
Online dating, internet dating, or virtual dating, is a way for people to connect and develop a personal or romantic relationship using the internet as a platform.
You can find love online anywhere you like, but apps and online dating sites are a popular option as they offer an existing pool of fellow available men and women whom you can easily chat up.
These sites typically have matching services, which finds you potential matches based on the information you provide on your profile.
Once there’s a match, the chatting ensues!
Then, with the right amount of banter, similarities, likes and dislikes, chatting eventually leads to meeting face to face. Or as we like to call them in the non-online dating world, a first date!
We’ll go in depth into how online dating works later, let’s first find out what makes this modern day romance tool so popular.
Why is online dating so popular?
While the veil of taboo surrounding online dating is gradually being lifted in our post-COVID era, it has always been a popular yet discreet way for people to meet.
Many obstacles might stand in the way of keeping someone from meeting the love of his or her life in today’s world such as hectic schedules, and of course, distance.
The internet has always been bringing people closer together, so there’s no stopping it from helping lonely hearts find their soul mates too!
Even Martha Stewart gave it a shot in 2013 when she signed up for Match.com.
Thanks to the pandemic, dating virtually have become more of a necessity for one of the basic human impulses to find companionship as seen by the tens of millions of new users on these sites just last year.
Internet dating has surpassed traditional dating as the most common way of meeting a mate, with over half of all 18 to 34-year-olds now using dating apps.
Locking eyes in a crowded room make for great song lyrics, but nothing beats technology when it comes to romantic possibilities, you just need to learn how to work the system!
Finding a match is easier now than it has probably ever been in history, which is one of the reasons why dating online is so appealing.
You don’t have to frequent your local bar, hoping for the right person to walk through the doors.
Instead, you can even set up a date at the beginning of the day if you feel like you need some company at the end of it!
In a world where everything is becoming increasingly hectic and fast-paced, virtual dating is becoming a convenient tool for people who are seeking love.
Another appeal of online dating is that you can get to know as much or as little as you want about a person before deciding to meet them in person.
Online dating also has the benefit of giving you an expanded radius of potential mates.
Not only does this mean more options for you to choose from, but it can also be a great thing if what you’re in search of is going on casual dates or hookups with a broad variety of people outside your inner circle or local area code.
Dating apps have also proven to be a small miracle for some singles in the LGBTQ community where users can locate other LGBTQ singles in areas where it may be difficult to do so otherwise.
Explicitly spelling out gender or gender a user might be interested in also means fever awkward first dates.
How does online dating work?
Once you’ve decided to give online dating a shot, the first thing you should do is find a platform whose features fit what you are looking for in your current dating life.
These days, there are a plethora of online dating sites to choose from, each with its own specific appeal that caters to various wants, desires, and needs of the dating population.
Variety of these range from sites specifically for Christians, sites for the gym bros and gym bunnies, to sites for people who are interested in more adult activities, sites for people seeking mutually beneficial relationships, and everything in between.
Creating a profile
When it comes to creating your own profile, you’ll start with some basic details like your gender, the kind of individuals you’re interested in meeting, the type of relationship you are seeking, age range, and your location.
Some sites have users fill in other physical attributes as well as your hobbies, likes, and dislikes, music, etc, using this information to match with another profile with similar characteristics.
Some sites go a step further to match partners, using complicated personality assessments and mathematical algorithms to achieve compatible results.
Most sites will also have a section for you to write about yourself in a less rigid fashion, giving you the opportunity to express yourself better than a series of drop-down menus can.
Then, the next crucial step is in selecting a few photos of which your potential matches will be able to assess if they want to initiate a conversation with you or continue searching.
Now that your profile is up, you too can start browsing for potential matches and chatting up possible soulmates! (if that’s what you’re looking for)
Some people might write back to say they’re not interested, some may not respond at all, while others may have the worst pick-up lines you’ve ever heard.
But you will eventually get some responses, as people will begin chatting you up too once they’ve seen your profile!
Although it might take a while to find you the perfect matches, it’s definitely much quicker and simpler than traditional dating!
According to scientists, the secret sauce to online dating success is to shoot high, keep your chats short, and be patient.
What you’ll slowly begin to realise is, you are not alone!
With everyone meeting each other online these days, the reality suggests that it’s highly likely that you will find “the one”, because everybody is searching in the same place.
Thanks to the specificity of these online dating sites, finding exactly what you are looking for is made even more possible.
As long as you are honest about what you want, your chances of finding an ideal companion is just a few clicks or taps away.
Face new experiences with excitement, explore yourself in every way possible, while having fun along the way!
Of course, we can’t leave without pointing you in the direction of one of our favourite dating sites – Sugarbook, a site for you to build mutually beneficial relationships. You might just find the person or arrangement of your desires 😘
