Free online guide for Dating Sites
Find all you need to know about Dating Sites to get started or improve your chances of success.
Types of Dating Sites
Sites for serious relationships
Known as matchmaking sites, these dating sites are focused on bringing together people with compatible personalities, interests. In general, they involve a more complex profiling process, with lengthy questionnaires and scientifically developed personality tests. They can indicate affinity among their members automatically, by means of algorithms, or manually, through search engines. Ideal for people seeking long-term relationships.
Casual dating sites
These sites are best suited for those interested in non-exclusive relationships than for those seeking commitment. While some interactions may result in more serious relationships, the members of these sites are just looking for fun. On such a site, both the member profiles and the selection criteria are generally more focused on physical attributes. The search for affinity between personalities and the identification of common interests take a back seat.
Erotic encounters
In this category of sites there is no room for hesitation or doubt. The objective is very clear: finding someone to fuck, i.e. casual sex. The registration questionnaires are more focused on physical characteristics and erotic desires. The focus is always on ‘adult fun’ with discretion and confidentiality. These sites are designed both for singles looking for casual sex and for married people who wish to escape the routine. They are an option both for people who wish to realize their most secret fantasies and for those who seek only to live new experiences.
How do Dating Sites work?
Paid vs. Free Dating Sites
Free dating sites
- Freemium account
- Higher number of members
- Limited matching results
- Low quality profiles
- Higher security risks
- No barrrier for prankers
Paid dating sites
- Quality profiles with lots of details
- Effective matching system
- Better security
- Higher privacy levels
- Can be expensive
- Limited number of members
Why do people use Dating Sites?
The search for a partner for a romantic relationship, whether casual or long-term, can become a real odyssey. Meeting people outside our circle involves a considerable investment of time and money. Going to bars, shows, parties, going out at night is expensive.
While it’s nice to have a good time at a club, when it comes to meeting special people, this may not be the best strategy. After all, it’s not every day that you meet someone with your personality or interests.
These days, social networking sites have emerged as a very advantageous alternative. When you know what you want and what you are looking for, these sites help you avoid frustration and waste of time. Here are five good reasons online dating services can offer you:
5 reasons to use dating sites
Each dating site has its particular focus. Among the various options, there is always one that is best suited for the type of relationship you are looking for, whether it is dating or a casual encounter.
Most sites have matching features that allow you to approach people with similar profiles and personal interests, increasing your chances of success.
As the initial contacts happen only online, through messaging systems, you have the chance to interact and get to know people better before a phone call or meeting someone in person.
Each time you sign up for a dating site, you expand your range of possibilities. By expanding your options beyond your current circle of friendships, you greatly increase your chances of finding someone you want.
Meeting new people face-to-face can be challenging for many people at first. By connecting online, getting closer becomes easier and more uncomplicated, especially for the shy ones.
Are Dating Sites the modern cupid?
Recent research shows that an increasing number of couples are getting to know each other through dating and relationship websites.
According to Stanford University, online dating services have been most responsible for forming new couples in the United States during the last decade.
This type of dating has now surpassed other more traditionally adopted social activities for meeting people, such as being introduced to mutual friends or meeting at a bar.
Between 2009 and 2017, the percentage of couples who met through dating sites has grown exponentially, from 22% to 39% of the total.
In a fast-paced, connected world, these dating platforms help more and more people find each other and get closer. Today, dating sites are the form of social interaction that contributes most to bringing singles together and forming new couples in the United States.
Although the data refers specifically to that country, it is possible to see a similar evolution worldwide. Research published by Statista indicates that “over 440 million individuals will be using online dating services by 2027″.
Couples who met online (2009-2017)
A global phenomenon: online dating revolution
If technology has transformed the world around us, online dating and social networking sites have transformed how we approach other people. Meeting new people and, more than that, finding someone like you has never been easier and faster, thanks to technology.
More than 20 years have passed since the first online dating service appeared. Today these sites have come of age and have become a very useful tool in the search for both a long-lasting relationship and a one-night stand. It is estimated that more than 384 million people today use online dating services to find partners.
From young adults to more experienced people, social networking sites attract more and more people willing to connect, be it to flirt, make new friends, or even find love.
How to use Dating Sites: step-by-step to meet someone online
1. Registration and profile creation on dating sites
As with social networks, when you sign up for a new platform, you must create a personal profile. Typically, each profile includes the most diverse information, from physical attributes such as height and eye color to personal preferences and interests.
The level of detail in the profile varies from site to site and depends on the type of relationship prioritized and the compatibility or selection system used. Generally, sites that work with personality tests demand more information to complete the profile.
2. Description of the ideal person
During the creation of your personal page, most of the time, you will also have the possibility to indicate the profile of the partner you are looking for. It may seem a bit tiring since you will answer the same questions again, but now they are about the person you want to meet. The effort is obviously worth it in the end.
3. Cross-checking data and compatibility indicators
In possession of this information, the dating site cross-references the profiles and interests of the entire member base in order to indicate potential partners for each member. This can happen automatically, through algorithms (robots), or manually, through search engines with filters and direct viewing of user profiles.
4. Contact and approach
From there, you will have a list of people selected according to your preferences, with whom you can get in touch and initiate an approach. Each platform has its own range of communication channels, so you can connect with the people you are interested in and build closer relationships if things go well.
Usually, contacts start with notifications and a chat, e-mail exchanges, until they evolve into phone calls and finally face-to-face meetings.
5. First meeting
If everything goes well during the first contact on the website, it is likely that you will want to meet the potential partner in person. It is natural that after a series of contacts in your own way and in your own time, you already know the person you have been talking to better and already know if you want to meet him/her.
The key here is to follow the basic rules for this kind of dating, available for consultation on all good dating sites and, of course, on DatingSquire’s safe dating guide.