The Australian online dating industry grew by 5 per cent last year and is expected to grow by a further 5 to 10 per cent this year so what’s stopping you from putting your heart on the line?
Model turned author Tara Moss wrote in her blog about her recent experiences with online dating and how she met her now husband on a popular dating site. Once a stigma, online dating is seen as the intelligent way of searching for a partner. Each of the major Australian dating websites have in excess of a million members. So if it’s good enough for Tara Moss, could it be enough for you take the plunge and see if you click with someone online?
What online dating website should I join?
One of the most popular websites is RSVP but the online dating website you join will ultimately depend on how narrow or wide you want to cast your net. There are websites that cater for people looking for specific criteria; whether you are looking for people who are a specific culture or religion, have interests such as fitness, you’re looking for a casual or serious relationship or even looking for a millionaire.
If you’re too scared to join up to an online dating site, you may want to dip your toe in the water and add Zoosk to your Facebook account. Zoosk is an application integrated with social networking websites like Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, and Hi5. Facebook has over 400 million active users and Zoosk is a popular tool which has been added by over 8 million Facebook members and has 924,346 fans.
How do online dating websites work?
With most traditional websites, you create a profile on the site which generally includes your photo, a small blurb about yourself and what you are looking for in a partner and your hobbies and interests. The profiles are approved by the moderator of the website to make sure they are appropriate for the website ie no profanity or indecent pictures.
Usually, you will get a far better response (3 to 10 times better!) with a posted picture than without. If you’re worried about privacy, some sites even let you password protect your photo and only allow members you select to view it. After your profile is approved, you are free to search through the list of members and contact any members that catch your eye.
Some recently launched websites in Australia such as eHarmony and MyType (owned by the same company as RSVP) match people based on their psychological profiles. Unlike other conventional online websites, your profile will only be sent to people who are considered a compatible match for you. This may be based on core values like character, intellect, sense of humour, spiritual beliefs, passion, and other factors so don’t lie on in your test!
How much will it cost to join an online dating website?
Most online websites do not charge a fee for you to join the online website but may charge a subscription or one off fee for contacting members. Monthly fees may vary so investigate the cost of membership before you join. You don’t want to meet the love of your life and be unable to contact him or her due to financial constraints!
There are far and few free online dating services to choose from and be wary that if a site may be free such as Craiglist, it may not be managed as well and as safe. One free online dating service you may want to try is Oasis Active which claims to be a 100% free dating service for singles. Members can create profiles and contact other members for free.
So what are the rules for online dating?
There are certain precautions to take when finding a potential mate online. The Craigslist killer springs easily to mind! Experts suggest that if you are serious about finding a relationship online that you do not spend weeks on end talking to a potential match and meet up in the first few weeks.
This is good for two reasons; you can rule out the tyre kickers who are just interested in cyber chats and maybe more and you can see whether you have chemistry face to face beyond a pixelated image. Be careful not to create a false intimacy with someone you haven’t met and may not be attracted to in real life.
Make sure you meet in a public place during the day and give a good friend or relative the details of your meeting place, who you are meeting and their contact details. Arrange a backup plan for your friend to ring you so if the date isn’t proceeding as you wish, you can make an excuse and leave quickly.
Online dating not your thing?
If you are working in a high-profile position or you are just simply afraid to put your profile online, you may want to try an executive dating agency instead. These boutique agencies will charge higher fees from $1,600 – $6,000 depending on the individual agency and the level of package you choose.
However you will be afforded a higher level of discretion and confidentiality than an online dating website and your potential matches will be vetoed by your agency who may even do a full security check on whether they have had any previous convictions, their marital status and whether they have been bankrupt and their financial status.
Agencies you may want to try are Blue Label Life which claims to have an unrivalled 92% success rate based on a scientifically proven CQ Test to measure compatibility. Elite Introductions is also a very popular agency with offices in Sydney and Melbourne. Trudy Gilbert, the Trudy Gilbert, the Director and Founder is a regular guest on the Today Show.
So what are you waiting for? Put your profile and heart on the line … and join an online dating website. Remember it’s a numbers game so the more people you meet, the closer you are to finding your perfect match. Whether you’re just testing the waters or plunged right into the online dating pool, having all these people pay attention to you may be the ego boost you need to get out of your dating rut.