If you’ve been single at all the last decade then the idea of giving a dating site or dating app a go has probably crossed your mind a few times. With apps like Hinge, marketed as the dating app “designed to be deleted”, it’s no wonder the online dating world is at an all time high.
However, online dating is not always as innocent as it sounds. For example, if you’ve ever signed up to Tinder, then you know that the amount of people looking to Netflix N’ Chill, far outweigh the people looking for a romantic date.
So, Why Is Online Dating So Closely Related To Friends With Benefits?
When every other dating site is full of the love making collective, it’s hard to deny that online dating is just about hooking up. But that’s not always the case for every site and app.
Sure, there are many dating sites designed to find you a “partner” for the night. Nonetheless, there’s also dating sites designed to bring people together – whether that’s in a romantic or platonic sense.
The internet is filled with adult content, so it’s no surprise online dating somewhat reflects that too. An article by The Guardian even mentions how online dating has started “a new era of sexual liberation”, but it has also isolated people even more.
An EliteDaily article (from as early as 2016) gathered testimonials from men using dating sites and apps regarding their intentions. An interesting find was that men were looking to settle down, but would not say “no” to more casual propositions.
Is Every Dating Site Just A Hookup Site?
Much like you’d expect, people using online dating have different reasons for setting up that dating profile. However, something often overlooked is where that dating profile is being created.
Much like everything in this world, there’s a place for everyone when it comes to dating online. Bumble, for example, is geared more towards the female crowd, and as a result it has a higher female gender ratio than other dating sites.
Does Your Dating Profile Make A Difference When Looking For Love Online?
Aside from the dating site you choose, it’s also equally important to think about your aims on a specific site. If you’re going through the personality quizzes and your favourite activity is getting it on, it’s only normal that your profile will attract people with the same interests.
Obviously, you won’t sign up to ChristianConnect if what you’re looking for is fleeting, but even if you’re looking for love on Badoo, try to get your mind out of the gutter. This is also true for the way you approach people online and in real life.
What Else Can You Do To Give The Right Impression?
We don’t always get a reply on dating sites so it’s tempting to send an inappropriate message for the shock factor. Try to resist though, a woman asking a man how tall he is, could be the equivalent of a man asking a woman her chest size, even if it seems innocent.
Finally, there’s how nonchalant you are with receiving propositions for quick meetups. If you end up going with the flow each time you receive a Netflix N’ Chill invitation, you are most likely not going to be the first choice of your potential matches for a serious relationship.
Summing Up
So, if you want to use online dating to find a serious relationship, try to keep in mind the points we covered above. Do some research on the dating site or app you are signing up for, try to keep anything too “sexy” at a minimum on your profile, avoid sending inappropriate messages just to get a reply, and finally, keep your promiscuity at a minimum.
According to Statista, there were about 44.2 million people using dating services in the US alone back in 2020. The number is also increasing as each year passes by, so don’t get discouraged if you have not managed to find the perfect match yet, chances are, they are out there waiting for you.