What You Need To Know About Online Dating

What You Need To Know About Online Dating

Winter might be that time of year when all you want to do is hibernate at home with a bowl of comfort food. But it's actually the perfect time to try online dating! Dr Gian Gonzaga, senior director of research and development at eHarmony.com.au says: "It’s the perfect time to give it a try; you can search for and get to know your potential partner without taking off your ugg boots!" And come spring, you may have found someone to enjoy the warm weather with!

Dr Gonzaga top tips to make online dating work for you this winter and beyond:

1. Represent yourself fairly
While it’s easy to misrepresent yourself online, you’re far more likely to achieve relationship success if you’re open and honest about who you really are. You won’t do yourself any favours in the long term by deceiving a potential partner. Instead, celebrate who you are and show your deserving match how to appreciate you – even if you have put on a few extra kilos over the winter months!

2. Don’t share too much too soon
It’s essential during the getting-to-know-you phase to be open and friendly while still maintaining a sense of mystery. Keep profile answers succinct, and when responding to your match via email use two or three sentence responses. After drafting an email, save it, and then walk away from the computer. Return an hour later to make any edits with a fresh mind and, only when satisfied, send!

3. Don’t lead someone on
If you’re not interested in someone, be honest as soon as possible. If someone contacts you and you’re not interested, be respectful enough to send a short and thoughtful note to let them know. If you start communicating with someone only to discover that you lose interest, that person also deserves to be let down politely. Most people would agree that a considerate “thanks but no thanks” is better than being simply ignored.

4. Brave the cold and initiate a face-to-face meeting
When dating online, it’s easy to be lulled into a passive email exchange where both parties are too nervous to arrange a face-to-face meeting. Once a comfortable rapport has been established, it’s time to take your online courtship into reality. It’s the only way to see if it has what it takes to last the distance. To ease any first date anxiety, opt for a casual afternoon coffee, rather than a night-time activity. That way, if things go well, you have a longer second date to look forward to! And if things fizzle, you haven’t invested too much time and effort.

Have you tried online dating? Success or disaster?