10 Online Dating Tips for Women
I’m always surprised when I meet men and women that still look at online dating as something bad or shameful. They feel like it makes people look desperate and unhappy with their life.
I say screw that.
Desiring to be in a relationship and being content as a single woman doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive.
Online dating is nothing to be ashamed of and speakers, bloggers, family members and friends that tell you otherwise really just lack empathy or are too busy caring about what others think of them.
Because online dating sites and apps are nothing more than the new way of communicating and connecting with people. And if you know how to approach online dating, then it can lead to a loving and healthy relationship.
In order to help you find The One, I break down proven online dating tips for women, that will help you stay safe and be successful.
1. Choose an Online Dating Site you like
First and foremost I want you to understand that no online dating site/ app is perfect. The quality of dates you have really depends on the type of men you choose to entertain through the App.
In my opinion, there are some simple steps you can take to attract the right men in online dating, no matter what online dating app or site you use.
While some dating sites are better at facilitating casual flings and situationships, there are also dating sites that make it easy to date with intention. Some famous websites, like eHarmony or Match, focus on helping people find long-term relationships.
All you need to do is to get very clear on what it is you want and what you’re looking for. After that, all you need to do is start evaluating different dating sites, based on their features and user base.
By asking the right questions from the start and sorting out the good ones from the bad ones. Pay good attention to their messages, their consistency, and what they do in their spare time.
In order to find a platform that you feel 100% comfortable with, do some research before you sign up. Below are some totally free online dating sites you might like.
Best online dating apps for women:
- Bumble: This online dating app is female-friendly because it allows women to start the conversation instead of men.
- Tinder: The OG of online dating apps focuses on easy and fast connections with short profiles and a lot of people to choose from.
- Hinge: The App asks great questions, which make for great conversation starters and give you a good idea of the person.
- Coffee meets Bagel: This platform sends you curated matches every day at noon and provides creative ideas for the first message.
- Happn: On here you might easily match with your neighbor. The app is location-based and focuses on introducing you to singles nearby.
2. Prepare yourself
Some people, including myself, have met amazing single men and women through online dating. People that are genuinely nice and not creepy.
But it took me some time until I felt ready to actually use the App. I had to make sure that my heart was pure and that I wasn’t desperate in my search, but encouraged to try out online dating Apps to meet people online.
Truth is, the internet was created for our benefit, so we should make good use of it. While it can get pretty exhausting and affect your spiritual well-being, it could also be a blessing.
I suggest, you first make sure that you really want to start online dating by praying about, meditating on and questioning your decision. Because online dating does affect your mental health.
Psychological effects of online dating
- Regular rejection: Between ignoring and ghosting, online dating makes it very easy for people to cancel you without warning or closure.
- Self-doubt: The fact that people can just vanish after developing a friendly relationship, leaves a lot of people wondering “is something wrong with me?”.
- Deceit: We all know the hit MTV show ‘catfish’. While TV made it look entertaining, being lied to and deceived is generally not fun and can leave you in pain.
So before joining any of those dating sites for singles, make sure you are ready for it. And if it gets too much, don’t hesitate to leave the app and take a break from online dating.
3. Don’t date them all
The funny thing about online dating is that you receive wayyyy more attention online then you do offline. It’s not you boo, it’s them.
For some reason men are bolder online then they are in real life. I guess that’s why so many people use popular dating sites to meet people and find love.
But just because someone sends you a ‘nice profile pic’, ‘Hey what’s’ up’, ‘No way I live in XXX too’ message doesn’t mean you have to go out with him.
Take your time messaging back and forth inside the App, before you share your phone number or go on a date. 3 days of messaging inside the dating app is a good rule of thumb.
Use this time to ask questions and find out if he would make a fun in-person date.
Tips for online dating conversations:
- Ask questions: The best way to keep a conversation fun is by asking questions about the other person. But keep it light and refrain from being intrusive.
- Reference his interests: The good thing about online dating apps is that they will give you a few hints about what the other person likes. Use it to your advantage and refer to something on his dating profile.
- Be flirtatious: Keep the conversation spicy by cracking jokes, giving compliments or being upfront and challenging. Give him a taste of the fun and quirky conversations you could have in-person.
4. Not everybody is a match
I know that’s not what you want to hear, but not every guy will be a match.
One of my first dates with a guy was so crazy that I seriously had to pray off his funky spirit after we met. Pretty quickly into our first date, he turned out to be manipulative and demanding.
I finished the date and thanked him for the drinks. But the moment I got home, I deleted and blocked his number as well as his profile.
Even though I was shocked and could have given up, right there and then I decided to keep using the App. The very next date I ended up meeting an amazing guy who later on became my boyfriend.
As discouraging as my first experience was, I knew it’s not the norm. So remember that nothing will be perfect and that there are always pros and cons.
Online Dating Pros and Cons
- Opportunity: You have access to people that you would normally not meet and therefore an expanded dating pool
- Compatibility: Most dating sites use some type of algorithm or personality test to identify people that are potential matches. You are more likely to meet someone that has common interests
- Less investment: People tend to lose interest very fast, because of the sheer amount of options available at their fingertips.
- Communication: Texting is considered a surface level communication which doesn’t allow you to truly connect with someone.
Online Dating Safety Tips:
5. Keep your identity private
Nowadays, all you need to sign up on an online dating app is your first name and a few decent pictures of yourself.
Some dating sites for singles encourage you to link your Facebook or Instagram profile. I say do it, as long as you don’t have any pictures that give away your full name, address and/ or place of work, etc.
That way you keep your identity private and don’t have to worry about estranged online connections later. Because not everybody you meet on a dating site will be someone you’d want to have your personal information.
6. Meet up in a public place
Once you decide to meet someone in person, I suggest you plan a date in a public restaurant or venue. You want to make sure that you feel safe and comfortable.
In addition, stay away from accepting rides in the beginning in order to keep your home address private.
I know that can sound extra, but honestly, that is my number one tip for single women dating in general.
7. Tell a friend about your date
If you are totally new to the online dating world (welcome!) and don’t feel 100% safe going out with someone you never saw in person, then I suggest you let someone in your circle know about the date.
Inform your best friend or sister and text them the name of the restaurant, the name of the guy and if possible his license plate lol.
Really, whatever makes you and your friend feel good about the situation, do it. Best is to check in with her throughout the date as well.
Online Dating Profile Tips:
8. Choose nice pictures
Fact is, men (and women) are visual people. And we all are more inclined to swipe right on a person that looks attractive on their profile picture. And yes I agree, ‘love is blind’, ‘beauty isn’t everything’ and so on.
But when pictures are all you have to make a decision and can’t tell if he is funny, smart or socially conscious, then a nice profile picture really helps.
That’s why you need to optimize your online dating profile by choosing pictures that will attract interest.
- Choose a picture in which you slightly laugh or smile. Research shows that people are more drawn to people that look ‘friendly’
- Include a full-body size picture as the second or third picture. Show the real you rather than using a deceiving selfie angle.
- Less is more. Don’t reveal all your body parts in your pictures, but look tasteful and ‘cute’.
- Share something about yourself. Make it easy for a man to start a conversation by including personal information like your pets, favorite football team, or most recent vacation destination.
The best way to improve online dating success is by creating an online dating profile that draws men’s attention while being true to who you are.
9. Be authentic
The goal in online dating is to minimize the amount of time you waste on conversing with the wrong match. Why? Because online dating can get exhausting and boring quick.
You want to make sure that you are not annoyed with the App and the conversations before you meet a nice person. So find a way to show the other person who you are with a few clear pictures and a precise bio.
If you are a fitness geek, mention it in your bio. If you love to dance, post a picture of you at a salsa class or use the lovely dance emoji. Whatever allows potential matches to find out more about you then the fact that you are beautiful.
10. Be unapologetically you
Luckily, nowadays you can share a few important facts about yourself in the little space below your pictures. Name, age, hobbies, and things that are important to you.
Trust me when I tell you that I surely include ‘love Jesus’, ‘believer’, ‘Christ follower’ etc. in my bio. Why? Because I want to scare off the people that aren’t right for me anyway.
I prefer someone swiping left because they categorize me as a ‘church girl’ rather than wasting my time for a few days.
So do yourself a favor and be unapologetically you.
I hope that these 10 Online Dating Tips for Women help you navigate the online space well. However, remember that online dating does not promise success, but it surely increases the potential of it.
Do you have any other online dating tips for women? Share BELOW!