Online Dating For Love Or..?

The relatively new phenomenon for online dating has caused a revolution in the way we think about and form romantic attachments. It has opened up levels of communication enormously, making it possible for us to form bonds with people on the other side of the world, track down our soul mate or just go for a couple of drinks with a new friend. But where does the true value of this service lie? Is it just an easy way to meet new people on a casual basis or can true love really be found in this way?

Like-minded people

Well, first and foremost, online dating creates a platform for people to declare ‘I’m looking for a date and I’m not afraid to shout about it’. There’s no umming and ahing where you waste hours in a bar trying to catch the eye of someone who might not be looking for anything. It therefore sidesteps that initial awkward meeting moment and cuts right to the truth. This means that quite often people on a dating site are looking for more serious relationships as they have made the effort to go somewhere where they can find like-minded relationship-seeking people. It would be much easier to go to a bar to find something casual than go through the lengthy progress of signing up to a dating site. This, therefore, suggests that online dating is populated by more serious people than time-wasters.

Niche sites

Even if a few people are just looking for no-strings-attached flings online, niche sites help to separate out the different groups and direct traffic in the right direction. For example, there are online dating sites specifically for casual relationships and even ones for extra-marital affairs. The existence of sites like these means less of this clientele sign-up for the normal sites. Also, there are niche sites on the opposite end of the spectrum designed for those looking for committed, long-term attachments. These even go so far as to call themselves ‘relationship sites.’ So, whatever you’re looking for, by going to the right place and the right niche, you’re bound to find it. Online dating can be whatever you want it to be by using these hugely varying niche sites.

Compatibility matcher

Some people might consider online dating as a rather shallow experience. Profile pictures and vague information showing age, location, hobbies etc are after all one of the first things you look at when you click on a match. However, this is no different to a face-to-face dating situation where the initial attraction is of course generated on mainly physical terms. But, some online dating services let you get a bit further under the surface before a picture even appears. The ‘compatibility matcher’ is a feature on many online dating sites which takes your credentials, favorite pastimes and all other information and attempts to match you with someone who compliments your profile. Although the detail involved in this varies, some websites ask an extensive number of questions in a lengthy personality survey, really trying to capture your full personality profile. This way, the only people who come up as your ‘matches’ – and therefore the only people you make potentially shallow judgments on in terms of photos and age etc – will already have a personality and a lifestyle and moral values that sit close to your own. This tool certainly makes online dating the place to meet your soul mate rather than a casual short-term date.

So whether you’re in Bristol or in London online dating, finding love on the web is a definite possibility. Just make sure you’re on the right site and using the time-saving soul-mate-finding compatibility matcher!