January is the month for online dating. The highest number of singles sign up to and use online dating websites in the hope of a more successful love life than the year previous. But the online dating scene is complicated to navigate and wherever you look online the same wishy-washy dating advice is given.
Get a fresh outlook
Tom Packer, VP of Smooch.com is on hand to direct confused singles:
At Smooch, one of the online dating industry's fastest growing sites, we live and breathe online dating and want to provide hopeful singles with advice that will make a difference.
Rule 1:
So what if you prefer guys with beards to those who are clean shaven... that doesn't mean the clean shaven ones have the personality of a wet fish. Forget about what your ideal man looks like on paper and meet someone who's different to what you usually go for. You never know, you might end up liking them!
Rule 2:
Stop playing it cool. Be online as often as you can. Mobile dating makes it easier to date on the go wherever you are, but set time aside to be online and ready to chat in the evenings and other peak times - conversations don't flow when it takes you 5 hours to reply.
Rule 3:
Treat your online dating profile like a skirt. You want to show just enough leg to spark an interest but not give too much away at first glance. Share an odd interesting fact you might have about yourself to see if people are paying attention, you'll quickly see who is actually interested in your personality and cut the time wasters. The people who take the time to read your profile and send a personalised message are the ones worth getting to know.
Rule 4:
Show your personality through your pictures. Upload photos of what you've been doing recently and photos of you doing what you love. Variety is key. Make sure they're recent photos - a picture of you at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro sure is impressive, but if that was once on your gap year and you haven't been on a mountain since, you're not painting an accurate picture of who you are and you'll only attract the wrong type!
Rule 5:
Invest in yourself by paying for a dating site. Casual platforms that encourage swiping based on looks may help you find a quick match but often only result in a quick fling. 2016 is the year to focus on quality over quantity. You may make fewer matches but you'll make deeper connections that last longer than a swipe left or right!
If you follow these five simple rules, I am sure you will see sparks fly in 2016.
tagged in dating