There always seems to be a piece in the news about a dating app gone wrong or problems in general with online dating. And then we read about online dating advice from a guy on a popular TV series, dating advice from the crowd via a dating app and even dating advice from someone’s grandma who dated when there was no internet. Is all of this a bunch of bunk or are there any good suggestions about online dating? To get the best out of online dating you have to think about its strengths and weaknesses.

Electronic Speed Dating

Speed dating is a great way to meet a lot of people in a short time and in speed dating you will be meeting people selected by some sort of criteria like religious affiliation.

Speed dating is only a little over a decade old but formal events that allow people to meet have a long history. Formal dancing, coming out parties, and various cultural functions allow young men and women to meet in neutral, and often chaperoned, settings. The point is to allow both persons an opportunity to meet as many people as possible to see if romance occurs. The rationale behind today’s speed dating is that love at first sight is possible and that long term relationships can evolve from these events.

Online dating is an electronic era version of speed dating. In this sense good suggestions about online dating have to do with the basics of presenting yourself via a photo and bio. And it has to do with thoughtfully sorting through those who want to meet you via the internet. Then it comes to meeting the person face to face.

Good First Impressions

You may or may not like the person whom you met on the internet and are not getting together with for a cup of coffee. But you want to make a great first impression so he or she will be interested in you.

If you expect to meet mister or miss perfect at a wedding you can dress up. Armani suits, silk ties from Bergdorf Goodman’s, and shoes from Berluti’s are all OK if you want to wow miss perfect. If you are miss perfect and want to wow mister wonderful a designer dress and matching shoes would be nice, perhaps with a string of pearls for accent. However, if you are getting together at the neighborhood Italian restaurant a snappy casual look will do just fine for both men and women. Don’t try to be provocative on a first date if you want to make a great first impression. No matter what, avoid looking like you don’t care what you wear because it comes off as not caring what he or she thinks.

Presenting yourself well is always a good idea and it even starts with when you chat online.

And More

Other good suggestions about online dating are to be honest, don’t post fake photos and try to explain why you are still single because it comes off as desperate. Let the other person chat or talk and ask questions. Everyone likes to talk about themselves and you will learn more about the other person by listening than by dominating the conversation.