What do you consider “traditional” methods of dating?

Are you using a matchmaker? Are you allowing your family to pick your dates for you?

Are you going to dance clubs to meet women?

Are you putting ads in magazines?

Or are you hitting on women you meet at work or in the street?

Basically, if you are hitting on strange women, you are going to have a staggeringly high rejection rate. And the women you do meet that way will almost all be incompatible with you. After all, they are the sort of women who think it’s a good idea to date total strangers they met in the street.

The great advantage of dating sites is that everyone there is interested in dating. Okay, they might not be interested in dating YOU. but they are there because they are single and want to meet someone.

The other great advantage is that you can filter for what you want. I always filter for kinky, left leaning, atheist, intelligent, non-smoker. Otherwise you can spent a lot of time with someone before you realise they are actually a Trump voting, vaccine denying evangelical.

Yes, if you are very specific about your filters, you’ll have a smaller choice. But you’re more likely to find it a useful one.

Do’s

Embrace specificity. If you’re looking for someone who wants to travel the world with you, say so. If you want to sit on the couch watching ESPN all day, say so. There are both kinds of people out there. Don’t say vague stuff like “I’m funny and I want someone to laugh with.” I’ve rarely read a funny bio.

Don’ts

No physical requirements whatsoever. Zero. Zilch. Nada. You’re already going to be exchanging photos, so don’t risk turning the other person off by stating you’ll only date people ten years younger and below (women do this too), slim, etc. (or tall, muscular). This screams superficial.

Just my two cents:

1. Represent yourself positively but honestly. Use current photos, don’t lie about your hobbies, etc. Misrepresentation might get you some first dates, but probably not any seconds.
2. When messaging someone, take your time to craft a decent message. Your message doesn’t have to be too long, but note something that you liked about their profile (other than their looks) and maybe compliment them on something. Ask a question if you can as that helps generate more conversation.
3. Avoid decision paralysis. Online sites connect you with potentially hundreds of dates. Don’t obsess over which ones to message or respond to. If someone seems interesting and nice, send them a message. You didn’t capture your entire personality in your profile, so do them the courtesy of not assuming they did.
4. Don’t look for someone who ticks every single one of your boxes. As long as there’s a few things you like about them and no big red flags, go for it. If you find yourself wondering whether to message someone or not err on the side of saying “yes”. You’ll go on more dates that are duds, but you’ll have a much better chance of finding a real relationship than if you keep yourself on the shelf waiting for the exact perfect person. You’ve got a much better chance of hitting the bullseye if you take 15 shots instead of trying to hit it in one go!
5. After a few messages, arrange to meet in person. The only dates that count are the ones in meatspace.
6. Coffee dates are “date zero”. The average online first date is going out to a coffee house together for an hour. This is a good practice, as it allows you to screen for threatening or truly awful people without risking much time or putting yourself into an unsafe space. HOWEVER, be aware that an hour of cold conversation over coffee is just about the most boring date that can be imagined. You will NOT get butterflies in your stomach over someone on such a date because you’ve stacked the deck against that happening right from the start.
   
   So don’t treat that first coffee date as the first date, treat it as “date zero”, a little pre-date to get to know the other person. If they’re nice, they put in a little effort, and they don’t come off as actively creepy or dangerous, then go on another date with them! Make it a real date the next time too, something with an activity the two of you can share, even if it’s just eating together or taking a walk in the park. A walk together in the park followed by a meal at a small restaurant is a great first date actually, infinitely more fun and interesting than getting a coffee together.
   
   After that real first date, if you still don’t really like the person, then you can tell them you don’t want to go out again. You’ve avoided the classic online dating mistake of quitting too early. Online dating can fool people into not putting in enough effort into each prospect to see if they’re a decent match. Don’t fall into that trap.
7. Use online dating to meet people, but don’t neglect your friends and your real-world social life. Your real-world social life and your dating life and symbiotic. Spending time with friends is a must for anyone who wants to find a partner. Not only can you meet a lot of people through your friends (friends of friends are great dating prospects), but having friendships also keeps your social skills well-oiled and ready to go. It is very difficult to find a boyfriend or girlfriend if you have no friends.
   
   If you’re searching for online dates, you should also be going out more too. Meeting people is good for you socially, and to do that you have to leave the house and go to events and things like that. I know that this can be hard, especially if you work a lot, but it really is one of the best things you can do to help you find love. Get out of the house. Be social. Meet new people. Use online dating as well.
   
   Use the “social action plan” method if you’re not going out enough. Invite someone to do something once per week, and accept all invitations that come your way. That last part is key. Accept all invitations (unless they’re really unreasonable). The friend everybody wants to have is the friend who shows up.
8. Keep at it. Dating success doesn’t happen overnight. It really is worth it in the end though. The right match can be one of the best things you do to improve your happiness in life.

Messaging Ask something specific about her profile. Translation: Show that you actually read her bio. Spellcheck. And no sexual innuendos, ever, ever, ever.

Pictures Limit selfies. Absolutely zero mirror selfies. No shirt off unless you are at the beach and even then, it is iffy. Show pictures with family. Don’t post a picture with a friend that is way more attractive than you.

Bio For heaven’s sake put some thought in to this. Girls care about what is on the inside too. This is your chance to shine.

And that doesn’t mean write the basic, “Looking for the other half to my heart. The one and only. The one who can treat me right.”

yawn

Show some signs of effort. Be creative.

I dug up my old dating bio:

“I am getting better at cooking, although I have shared a meal or two with the local fire department. Oops :/

I'm man enough to admit I get nervous on takeoff sometimes, and by sometimes I mean every time. I’m a big fan of dogs, golden retrievers especially, chihuahuas in dresses, not-especially.

I once got pulled onstage at Cirque du Soleil and had to dance with professionally trained ballerinas, and btw, if you are looking for a man with a knack for ballet, I'm not your guy.

Being an over-30 naturally blonde guy, I sometimes get looked at like I'm a unicorn. No, I'm not Swedish or some surfer dude, but I suppose I do resemble a Ken doll from the right angle.

Don't be afraid to say hi. Cool with just starting as friends."

Just keep it light and fun. No need to spill your soul in your bio.

Also, don’t be a dipshit, ok?

Good luck!

Be clear about what you’re looking for and choose your forum accordingly. Are you looking for love, or to expand your social circle, or for a friend with benefits, or just a one-off hookup? From more focused on the relationship aspect to more interested in sex, there are three broad groupings:

1. most conventional: OKCupid and plentyoffish and rsvp,
2. balance of sex and dating - tinder,
3. totally sex-oriented are sites/apps like adultfriendfinder, fetlife and fling.

For women who are primarily interested in sex, you have a huge numerical advantage in the final category.

Put effort into your profile. This can’t be stressed enough. Be truthful, but put some effort into it. There’s no point lying about who you are or what you’re interested in, because the person reading it will find out the truth when they meet you.

A special word on profile pictures. Lots of people seem to avoid putting pictures on their profile, I think from the misguided view that they’re afraid of rejection. Not putting any pictures on your profile, or just putting pictures of objects, is the number one mistake I see people making.

Of course people want to know what you look like - you’re virtually guaranteed that everybody is going to just flick past your profile if there are no pictures of you on it. If you put pictures of you on it, sure, you may not be many people’s cup of tea, but you are going to be somebody’s - without pics, nobody knows! Even that somebody whose type you are has no chance of finding you without the pictures being there. If people looking at your profile aren’t interested in you, give them the chance to find out now and reject you without you ever even having to know, rather than having to suffer the hurt of having them reject you to your face.

The absolute best strategy is to put some flattering but realistic pictures of you on your profile. Some should be casual and some more dressed-up, so that people see you in a variety of contexts.

Don’t just put group pictures of you with your friends - it can be too confusing for viewers trying to sort through a heap of group photos figuring out who the common person is and which one is the person whose profile it is. Crop group pictures to highlight you.

Back to the profile text! Tell readers about some of your actual hobbies and interests. Not things you wished you did but what you actually do. Tell them things that give an idea about who you really are. If you have dealbreakers, then state what they are and save both of you time. If you have a sense of humour, then show it in your profile.

For example, one of mine includes this paragraph:

‘I don’t do outdoors (maybe if there's awesome WiFi), I don't think motor sports are sports, I prefer not to camp, and I only exercise in the bedroom. I love five star hotels, air-conditioning, intelligent people, social justice, reading and writing, Netflix, and have difficulty turning my brain off.’

It gives the reader a flavour of who I am.

Safety. It’s a different world than when we (probably) last dated 20 years ago! Be aware of the common scams, and keep your wits about you, but don’t be cynical. Yes, there are lots of scams and jerks out there, but there are lots of great people, too. Be aware of the main pitfalls, and always be safe, but don’t get too cynical and miss out on all the potential great dates you could have.

Some things to beware of: Dating & romance

Every time I’m going out on a date, I text the details of the person I’m going out with, their profile name and any other information I have - their phone number or full name or facebook profile and where I’m meeting them etc - to a trusted girlfriend, and what time I expect to be home, and then let her know when I’m home safe.

Plus the safe sex thing: if you’re having sex with multiple people, talk to your primary health care provider, but my general practitioner recommends quarterly full battery of tests for sexually transmitted infections.

Don’t assume single is actually single. Loads of people on online sites are married (or otherwise ‘partnered’) and either in open relationships, or seeking something ‘on the side’ these days. It’s not safe to assume that because they’re on a site, even if their profile lists them as single, that they’re actually single. I always ask early on if they’re single, and to their credit, they usually answer honestly at that point that no, they’re not. But it goes to show that you need to ask if it’s important to you.

Hone your social skills. If you’re interested in somebody, send them something more interesting than “Hey” or “Hello” as an opener. Even “Hi, how are you today?” is better, but better still is something that indicates you’ve read their profile and are interested in them as an individual. So…

“Hi there! I’m a huge fan of The Last Kingdom, too. I really hope they make a Season 3… I’ve heard rumours it’s being filmed in Budapest but nothing firm. Have you heard anything?”

Not only establishes a mutual interest, but the beauty of asking a question is that it instantly gives them something to respond to. They don’t have to think of anything to say because you’ve thought of it for them; they start by answering your question, and the conversation is underway.

Have a goal in mind for the interaction. So you’ve started talking to them - what next? You want to talk for a little while, but just long enough to establish that you’re compatible, but not so long that you become pen friends. Once you think there might be something there, you want to propose stepping things up to your next step, so think what that is. Do you want to propose meeting for a coffee or drink? A meal? A movie? Netflix and chill? Be prepared, and have a date or list of dates ready to propose.

If you follow all of these tips, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t find online dating a lot of fun. There are many, many amazing men and women in their 40s who are online dating and having a lot of fun. You can join us!

Online dating presents a number of amazing opportunities to connect with like-minded people and potential romantic partners. but some seniors may be intimidated by the idea of online dating, the truth is , it’s very easy to get started.😄😄😄

1. If you’re dating, you will need smart, freshly washed clothes, a good haircut, and fresh breath: this assumes you want to succeed.
2. We all have stories, so just don’t let your past story take over.
3. Learning to value yourself even when she/he turns you down. And try to enjoy the dates, even when they lead to nowhere.
4. You may be looking for another settled relationship. Part of being a senior single is staying open to what’s possible, here and now, learning to embrace surprises, and don’t forget to be gracefully flexible.

It takes so little effort to stand out as a man. Ask the women in your life about the profiles and messages they see, most dudes are completely fucking hopeless. From being as interesting as a blank sheet of printer paper to being creepy or even hostile.

You don't have to be rich. You don't have to be a model. You just have to be genuine, polite and funny. I had a video on my Hinge profile of me doing a dance routine to an Nsync song in one of those inflatable T-Rex costumes and I had women messaging me no problem.

To my mind, there are three major questions that somebody will ask themselves before they say yes to a date.

1. Can I have fun with this person? This is where your hobbies and sense of humor shine.
2. Is this the kind of person who sleeps on a bed with no sheets in a room that smells like old beer and sweat? This is where some pride in your appearance and home is important.
3. Am I safe with this person? This is where your red flags are. Anything from sending unwanted dick pics to being really into the Jordan Peterson podcast. If you can be trusted not to be an asshole or a creep.

Those are the questions your profile needs to answer

100% fucking percent the grocery stores…

I’m single and I’m always meeting many different kinds of women while doing groceries.

Back in the summer I met a beautiful 29 year old there and started chatting her up. After getting her number we went on a few dates. She was super fun. Also, back in November I also met a much older woman in her late 40’s and she was pretty cool too. This was just in the past year, I have countless stories.

Never underestimate grocery stores, single people have to eat, remember that.

• Own it. I always told people that online dating is awesome because I have this huge selection of people to choose from instead of getting stuck with that one single guy in the office.
• Post, recent, flattering photos that accurately represent what you look like.
• Write a detailed profile that uses good grammar and spelling, shows your interests, and expresses your personality. You may want to consider an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend proofread it if you feel they could do so in your best interest. If not, have your bestie read it over.
• Force yourself to communicate .
• Date outside your box. (No pun intended.)
• If you're female, initiate.
• If you're male, initiate.

Most of all DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY. You will be rejected, and also you will reject.

If you'd like an unbiased opinion of your online profile, please feel free to message me.

Please see Quora User's answer to I'm a reasonably attractive woman. Why have no men sent me messages on my online dating profile?

Online dating is one of the most popular ways for singles to connect. Here are my top tips for online dating based on my experience.

1. Make a wishlist. Develop a strategy before you begin. What, exactly, are you looking for? Part of making your list is defining what you want.
2. Make your portrait clear. Don’t post too many pictures, four or five is the optimum. People can see what you look like. But avoid having pictures with people of the opposite sex. It's very annoying.
   
   People have a short concentration span, so they're want to look at the picture and quickly figure out who you are.
3. Make your preference algorithm. This is basically developing a handcrafted algorithm, just for yourself. Develop a scoring system.
4. Use more than one app. For example Tinder for hookups and 123Date for long-term relationship. It's ok to use two or three sites at a time. Bear in mind that you'll want most of the features activated.
5. Click on the profiles, that match your preferences. The algorithm of app/site in that case would try to match you according to your behaviour.
6. Keep your profile short. It doesn't matter how good looking you are, if you haven't written a single word then people question what the heck you're doing on there. You can write a couple of words about your true interests, and what you do for a living. Anything is better than no words at all.
7. Stay original. Don’t use banal conversation starters. Get inspiration for conversation from profile and photos of a person. Stop writing "hey, how are you"!
8. Do not delay the date after you match. Apps are just an instrument to get to meet in person.

If you do decide going online is a good route there are some options. Online dating in some ways takes away some fear and can allow you to meet a lot more people. I think we all need communication skills.

In my case, I went with the personality and interest as a first. Photos were not a huge part of my reasons to write back. I was surprised to find I found my partner a whole lot more physically attractive after we met in person. Pictures didn’t portray any emotional connection that I got through a date.

I see only one HUGE DISADVANTAGE. Social media, especially dating sites and apps have an overwhelming number of scammers seeking victims.

Many, many persons using these sites have no idea what is happening online regarding scammers and romance scammers.

NOTE: A few years ago I spent 6 months researching this for myself. I tried free dating sites and some requiring paid subscriptions. I also had experience helping scam victims and I knew how to research prospective matches. I paid approximately $50 per month for subscriptions to sites where I could do research about a person.

Bottom line, it wasn't worth the time and effort because there are so many fake profiles being used by scammers.

Seek a traditional method for meeting people in person.

1. if they sound too good to be true, they are. 2) if they sound good, they will be disappointing so don’t expect much. 3) if they don’t sound very good, they may not be that bad, just not desperate to look good. try that one. 3) stick with local people, anyone far away, looks good, sounds great, rich, will ask you for money. it’s a scam. 4) consider the first month practice. unless you are super lucky, you’ll wade through a lot of swamp to get to any crawdads 5) even if you are disappointed, be gracious and finish the date and thank them. try to have fun and keep the sadness off your face. they might have a great cousin they’ll introduce you to! 6) remember that no one who’s a fantastic catch is likely to end up on a dating site, including you and me.

I was about to write an article related to this. Let me share my thoughts.

I had been active on dating sites since I was in my early 20s. There were a lot of dating websites I’ve signed up and each of them has their own features and surprisingly, people in the same feathers flock - those are looking for hook ups and those who are serious ones.

If you want a serious relationship with someone, best way is to go to paid dating sites. (I assume you’re a woman? ) Come to think of it, I wouldn’t want to pay for service that I don’t need, they must be serious about finding the right person.

When you think you find a profile that attracts you, read what they’ve written on their profile. What’s the purpose of the description box? If he or she hasn’t written anything then go away. The person is just looking around for sure or just looking for fun/ hook up. A good profile includes what they want in someone, their hobbies, mostly focus on what they are looking for in a partner.

Be careful with a profile with only one picture. It’s either it’s not them or just again, looking around to have some fun. I tried talking to this guy with one picture which happens to be not him at all and later on told me he has a girlfriend. Apparently, some people are just hiding something so they don’t make effort in showing their true identity.

To be successful out there, know what you want in a partner so you know what you’re looking for and you won’t end up with fake profiles or people who’s not in the same page with you. Hope this helps and good luck!

all online dating sites are potentially dangerous. a copper friend told me that up to 70% of men on dating sites are offenders. pretty shocking.

just use good judgement. never give anyone personal information until after you meet up with them and they seem normal enough. try and get their full name and do a background check on them, or ask police to run a check to see if they have a history - police should do this if you request.

and never show pictures of your kids, ever. i can’t believe people who do this. never show where you live, never show the front of your house, or even your car, or the road you live in. don’t give anyone any idea where you live or what you drive, especially your number plate. pay attention to the background of the photos you post.

and when you put your area or postcode in your profile, lie. put a postcode that’s at least a few miles from where you actually live.

and of course when you do meet up with them, always meet up in a public place and always make sure they don’t try to follow you home in their own car. if you think they’re following you, detour towards the local police station but do not drive home.

but yeah, be careful of ALL of the sites.

Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t hesitate to blacklist an online dating site after I’ve carried out a detailed investigation into the site’s reputation, safety, cost, services, user-friendliness, and more.

And unfortunately, there isn’t just one big shark (aka dating platform) I can tell you to stay away from. There are many.

With many more new online dating sites and apps popping up now and again, and with romance scams increasing by the minute and more than $550 million being swindled by scammers, you’ve gotta be careful.

Here are some of the worst sites you’ve gotta watch out for when dating online:

• JollyRomance
• LoveSwans
• AmourFactory
• RomanceTale
• RoseBrides
• VictoriaBrides
• VictoriaHearts
• AnastasiaDate
• AmourFeel
• Jump4Love (j4l)
• TheLuckyDate
• EasternHoneys

These are by no means an exhaustive list of online dating sites you should avoid. There are clever scammers on Tinder, Bumble, and other platforms too.

You always need to be careful, no matter the dating platform you choose to sign up to.

Don't send a generic message ('Hi', 'How is it going?', 'Great profile, wanna chat?'). Don't call the girl sweetie or any other form of endearment. Don't comment on the picture(s) and don't flatter her. Or if you want to, don't make it the main point of the message.

Comment or ask about something that she lists in her interests, show that you looked at her profile, not just her photo.
Show her that you are interested in talking to her, not just any woman who would respond.

Send a message to a woman who you would actually be interested in talking to, so when she gets your message and looks up your profile she will see you have certain things in common and she will reply.

Good luck.

While I don't have specific information about DateGlows as my training data includes information up to January 2022, I can provide general tips for creating an engaging profile on dating platforms. Adjust these suggestions based on the specific features and guidelines of DateGlows:

1. **Choose an Attractive Profile Picture:**

- Use a clear, recent photo where you look your best.

- Smile and make eye contact with the camera.

- Avoid group photos; your main profile picture should be of you.

2. **Write a Captivating Bio:**

- Be genuine and showcase your personality.

- Highlight your interests, hobbies, and what makes you unique.

- Use humor if appropriate; it can make your profile more memorable.

3. **Be Honest:**

- Represent yourself truthfully to attract like-minded individuals.

- Clearly state your preferences and what you're looking for in a potential match.

4. **Add Details:**

- Fill out all relevant sections of your profile.

- Include details about your job, education, and lifestyle to provide a comprehensive overview.

5. **Showcase Your Passions:**

- Share your favorite activities and passions to connect with those who have similar interests.

- This helps initiate conversations and find common ground.

6. **Be Positive:**

- Use positive language in your profile.

- Focus on what you enjoy and what you're looking forward to.

7. **Ask Questions:**

- Include conversation starters in your profile to make it easy for others to engage with you.

- This can also give potential matches an idea of what to talk about.

8. **Use Proper Grammar and Spelling:**

- A well-written profile reflects positively on your communication skills.

- Avoid using excessive abbreviations or unclear language.

9. **Regularly Update Your Profile:**

- Keep your profile fresh by updating information and photos periodically.

- This shows that you are actively engaged on the platform.

10. **Respect Privacy:**

- While sharing details, be mindful of your privacy.

- Avoid sharing sensitive information or personal details too soon.

Remember that creating an engaging profile is about presenting your authentic self and making it easy for others to connect with you. Adjust these tips based on the specific features and atmosphere of the DateGlows platform.