Written by socialhype

According to the latest research, 17 percent of married couples met online and one in five American singles have dated someone they met online. Needless to say, online dating is a booming industry. As people become more consumed by their work, kids, friends, bills, and whatever else they have going on, they turn to online dating sites to maximize their time. In fact, the online dating industry is now worth an estimated $4 billion worldwide. Wow.

Unfortunately, there is a stigma attached to online dating. People ‘hide’ behind their computers, use pictures that are unrealistically flattering or dated, and flat-out misrepresent themselves so they can gain someone’s trust and romantic interest.

But not everyone online is shady. Some are genuinely interested in seeing what is available and using online dating sites to augment their lives. These top ten online dating tips are for those brave souls who aren’t afraid of honesty, being receptive to new people, and being themselves on the internet.

1. Honesty is still the best policy

Being transparent about who you are, what you represent, what you like to do and what is important to you is sexy. Even if a potential mate disagrees with you, they should respect you at the very least for keeping it real. Maintaining an honest discourse about your good and even some of your bad traits is admirable. We’re all adults and we all have BS-detectors so don’t think you can smooth-talk your way into someone’s heart without reaping what you sow.

2. Know what you’re looking for

Not ready for something serious? Not looking for Mr. Right? Only comfortable if you’re taking things slowly? Say so and don’t be afraid to ask the other person. You aren’t meeting this person in an elevator; you’re both on an online dating site so there is some interest in something whether it’s a new friend or a new hook-up. There’s no need to dwell on small talk in an introductory conversation. Ask why a person joined the site or what they hope to gain from the experience.  And if you can’t answer these questions, it’s important to look inside yourself and figure it out.

3. Read their profile, all of it

What a concept, right? Of course, many people are visual and physical attraction is an important facet of a relationship. If you see a pretty girl, there’s no harm in telling her that she is attractive in a respectful way, but then what? Attraction can only take you so far and inevitably, you must talk to a person and engage with them on a deeper level. Find out what they have to share about themselves. How a person describes themselves says a lot about their personality. Take the time to learn as much as you can before making that first contact.

4. Send a unique message when contacting someone new

Save the corny one-liners and lame icebreakers. Even if you think they’re great, most other people don’t.  Briefly introduce yourself and explain why you decided to contact someone. Do NOT come up with one generic message and then copy and paste it to every person on the site. When writing your note, focus on common interests or something you found interesting when reading their profile.

5. Use ‘organic’ pictures, not self-shot mirror pics

If all your pictures are taken by yourself, alone in a poorly lit room off of your webcam, then you’re probably not sending out the right vibe. You don’t need to flaunt your social life or all the great places you’ve traveled to, but use organic pictures of real-life experiences that accent your lifestyle. If you love to travel and have great pictures in locations around the world, use them. But be sure to show some diversity in your selection. If you have pictures from last Halloween, show them off but let’s try to maintain some level of self-respect and not post anything where you’re drunk, sloppy or dressed up like some bloody, brain-consuming zombie. There’s nothing wrong with having fun but let’s not get too carried away.

6. If you’ve got it, you don’t have to flaunt it

Have some self-respect and if you do want to show some skin, keep it subtle. And please gentlemen, while we know you are your junk’s #1 fan, keep your bromance in your pants.

7. Don’t forget, there is a world beyond the world-wide web

There’s no reason to limit yourself into one method of meeting new people. There are a ton of activities, clubs, groups, hangouts, and places to meet like-minded people who share the same passions that you do.  At the very least, by staying active offline, you’ll have more to share with a new match you’ve met online.

8. Gramer iz immpotent

Language is a beautiful gift. With it, we can convey the full tapestry of human emotions and experiences. We can figuratively dive into our intellectual depths and further explore ourselves and each other. How we use language becomes a representation of how we see ourselves and how we want others to see us. So if u b typin lyk dis, u look dumb yo. so lyk, juss don do dis ight. no1 ova da age 17 talk lyk diz 4real. u look hella stupid lol.

9. Don’t talk about politics or religion

Just don’t. Everyone has opinions and that is your right. But very few people are interested in learning this about you right off the bat. Unless the person makes it very clear that they enjoy these sorts of conversations and you are too, it’s not worth the potential frustration.

10. Are you really ready?

Our natural inclination after a break-up is to sometimes jump right back in the dating game. And to an extent, that is a great approach. It’s important to dust yourself off and move on in a new, healthy direction. But are you ready? This is something you’ll have to figure out for yourself. But if you still have an ex in your life who wants you back or who you still have feelings for, tread carefully. Sometimes people end up making their biggest mistakes when they’re on the rebound so figure out if you’re ready for someone new in your life.

Bonus: She kind of has a point.