Benefits of Using Online Dating Services

By Student Media Copy Editor Keith Wick

I’m a member of three dating websites, and most of the information I post across each site is the same. The only change is in the feel of each website and the user base. Some dating websites just list different users, where others use algorithms to actually calculate match percentages.

Dating has never come easily for me. I’ve never considered bars or clubs my scene, so to meet people I turn to online dating websites as a method for networking.
Dating and social networking websites provide a streamlined atmosphere for meeting like-minded people. I like having access to information without having to commit to a conversation. In a bar, you have to initiate conversation with someone, figure out what common ground you have by wheedling the information from them, and then focus on building some sort of conversational relationship with them.

That’s not to say I don’t enjoy meeting people—I really enjoy chance encounters and random moments with strangers.

I consider myself a social being, but I still have a hard time just walking up to people in a bar and talking to them. That’s due in part to insecurity, but also because I rarely go to bars—I don’t want to waste the time I spend there talking to people I'd normally avoid.

I’m also too nice in person. I have a much easier time turning people down online.
Anonymity is an incredible asset in dating websites, but most users who lurk in the shadows have a difficult time attracting other users who actually take the initiative to put information on their pages.

Unfortunately, if mainstream users find your pictures unattractive, no amount of writing will salvage your potential. A majority of users are incredibly shallow, but that sentiment reflects a tendency among online users to make snap judgments based on initial impressions.

It’s vital to make a solid first impression to generate interest. Even a volume of information telling the most interesting facts will not initially grab attention like a catchy headline or a goofy picture.

Because online dating websites lack nonverbal cues, users are forced to adapt in other ways. Pictures and writing usually become the only form of expression, though some users are able to post videos to profiles to provide a more interactive element.

Maintaining a strong voice or interesting content also generates more interest in online profiles. I’ve had several conversations online that fizzled after a few minutes because the other user had nothing interesting to say, or spelled in shortened text and used an overabundance of LOLs.

Even though a pretty face may attract me to a profile, a crappy conversationalist will quickly lose ground. Writing skills are essential for online dating, and if that's not a strong suit of yours, make sure to festoon your profile with video introductions as a backup.

At least play to your strengths—if you’re a boring person, but a good writer, let users know it. If you’re an exciting person, but a mediocre writer, express your randomness. You’re pitching a sale: yourself. Make it count.