Most people who have tried it will say that internet dating is a lot of fun. But internet dating is still dating... and no matter how you do it --in person, with ads, or online-- dating can be frustrating. And while in most cases dating online means a lot less frustration than, say, surfing the bar scene, there are times when the process of reading profiles, replying to emails, and going on unsuccessful dates makes you want to scream.
Except for being lucky enough to find your perfect match quickly, there's no way to avoid dating frustration entirely. But there are ways to reduce the number of frustrating situations you have to deal with when internet dating. All you have to do is go about things correctly and with care.
Write your profile carefully - When starting with internet dating, many people sign up for several free sites, cobble a profile and some photos together, and wait for love to come. But if you do things this way, you're basically begging to waste your time with unsuitable dates-- and to give in to dating frustration.
One of the most important elements to successful internet dating is a good profile. Don't spend just a quick half-hour writing down what you do and how old you are. Instead, compose your profile as a whole. Determine what kind of person you'd like it to attract, and how best to attract those people. Then do it to the best of your abilities, editing as you go along to improve anything that doesn't work. This cuts down on internet dating frustration in a couple of ways. First, the better your profile, the better your chances of finding a partner quickly. Also, a more specific and appropriate profile will prevent you from wasting time with people who would never be right for you-- because they won't be attracted to your profile.
Value your time - When you first start internet dating, the tendency is to stretch yourself quite thin. You try to respond to as many people as you can (as long as they're vaguely interesting). You start up conversations, and then find it difficult to end them when your interest wanes. Don't let yourself do this. Instead, follow your instincts about who works and who doesn't. If you can tell after 5 minutes that somebody you're speaking to won't work for you, cut off contact immediately. Don't spend an hour chatting just to be nice unless you want to tear your hair out after two weeks of searching.
Listen to cue - When you meet somebody interesting, it can be easy to jump the gun a bit. But you need to watch for cues that somebody you're chatting with isn't interested. Because even if he or she seems super attractive to you, you're wasting your time if your interest isn't reciprocated.
Search effectively - Some people --especially women-- tend to just sit back and let the responses to their internet dating profiles come in instead of actively searching. And while it's possible to meet somebody doing things this way, it's not as effective as taking control yourself. Decide what you want in a partner, and search profiles yourself. Don't wait for them to come to you.
Chat efficiently - One of the things that makes internet dating so effective and attractive is the ability to get to know somebody online before ever seeing them in person. But with the wrong person, it can also be a way to waste a lot of time. If you find somebody you think you could like, don't spend too much time chatting online. Instead, move your conversation to the phone, and quickly to an in-person meeting. If you work too slowly through your list of potential dates, you risk spending too much time on the ones that may never be suitable.
