Do you need a love life? Zuckerberg has it all figured out. He’s engaged to his longtime love Priscilla Chan, has a stable of girlfriends, and recently announced that he’s dating a grad student from his university. If you’ve been looking for a blueprint on how to date on Facebook, look no further than Mark Zuckerberg.
The trick? Be yourself. As the co-founder and CEO of Facebook, Zuckerberg has the perfect vantage point from which to understand the social network. And by leveraging his personal experiences, he’s able to offer some insight into how to make dating on Facebook work for you. Here are a few of his best tips.
Make Your Facebook Profile Shine
You’ve likely spent a lot of time creating your Facebook profile, so it’s important to make it shine. Create a visually appealing profile that will catch the eye of potential matches and give people a good first impression of you.
- Your cover photo – This is the photo that people will see when they look at your profile. It should be clear, simple, and capture your face in a way that makes you look attractive.
- Your profile picture – This is the photo that appears in your timeline, the events tab, and search results when people use your name. It should be clear, simple, and professional.
- Your location – Let people know where you’re located so that they can find you.
- Your education – Let people know what you’ve studied so that they can get a sense of your interests and values.
Don’t Be Too Upfront
When people first start using online dating platforms and apps, they often feel the need to come on too strong. They write detailed descriptions, post tons of photos, and make their profiles as detailed and open-ended as possible in the hopes that matches will come rolling in. While this might work well on Tinder, where you only get one chance to make a good first impression, it’s not the best strategy on Facebook.
First of all, you only get to show your best self to other people on Facebook. So, don’t try to be someone you’re not—you’ll only end up looking fake. Instead, be yourself. If you want to be more open, add details or links to your other social media profiles, but try to leave room for specificity so that people have a better understanding of who you are.
Use Facebook Events
Facebook events are a great way to meet people from different walks of life in a relaxed and non-pressure environment. Whether you’re looking for friends, dates, casual meetups, or something more serious, events are a low-key way to meet people.
Facebook events are organized activities run by the community, for the community. People host events like movie screenings, house parties, and dating events. You can search through upcoming events on Facebook and RSVP “yes” to let people know that you’ll be there.
Facebook events are an excellent way to make friends and meet people in your area. If you don’t have anyone to go to an event with, you can also host your own event—it’s a great way to meet people.
Be Genuine
When people go online to meet someone, they want to meet a real person, not a robot. Make sure that everything you post is coming from your true self.
Be Communicative
Communication is key in any relationship, online or off. It doesn’t matter if you’re meeting a friend for coffee or someone special—if you don’t respond to their messages, they’ll get frustrated and move on.
While messaging is the most common way to communicate on Facebook, you can also use the messaging feature on Instagram and Twitter. This lets you keep your friends and followers in one place, rather than having them messaging you individually.
Use What Zuckerberg calls “Facebook Dating Basics”
Zuckerberg calls these “ Facebook dating basics ”: Be yourself. Do not impersonate anyone else. Be patient. Work hard. Play harder. Be kind. And most importantly, have fun.
While these sound like basic life skills, they’re especially important when it comes to dating online. People online want to meet someone who is genuine, so don’t try to be someone else. Also, be patient. The right person will come along, and when he or she does, you’ll be ready.
Don’t Forget About Instagram and Messenger
If you’re looking to beef up your dating life on Facebook, you should also check out Instagram and Messenger. These platforms are especially useful for dating (and hooking up) online.
You can use Instagram to let people know what you’re up to (e.g., going to an event, going on a date, etc.). You can also use it to post photos and videos of yourself and your friends, which will make it a lot easier to meet people in your area.
See: Tips on staying safe on facebook dating
You can also use Facebook Messenger to chat with potential hookups and dates. This is especially helpful if you’re looking for something casual. You can set up a static message that automatically pops up when someone sends you a message so that you don’t have to keep opening the app to respond.
Make your dating profile photo stand out
Your dating profile photo is the first thing that people will see when they look at your profile. This is your chance to make a good first impression, so make sure it reflects who you are and sets the right tone for your dating profile.
You want your dating profile photo to be clear, simple, and professional. This will help people understand what kind of person you are and set expectations for your relationship with the photos that follow.
Make your profile summary match your dating profile
Your dating summary is the brief bio that appears above your dating profile. For your dating profile, make your summary reflect who you are and what you’re looking for.
For example, if you’re looking for a long-term relationship, include details about your goals and expectations for the relationship in your dating summary. Make it clear from the get-go that you are looking for a serious relationship.
Do a few Facebook swap-and-befriend events
Swap events are fun, casual get-togethers where you and your friends meet up with others and exchange partners. You can host your own swap event or join an existing one.
Here’s how it works: When people RSVP “yes” to your event, they’ll be put on a wait list. When someone else signs up as a friend, you’ll be notified and be able to switch places with them. This is a great way to make friends and meet new people at the same time.
Don’t Forget About Fb-Exchange
If you want to make your dating life on Facebook especially active, try Fb-Exchange. This is a site where you can get paid to take surveys and complete short surveys. You can earn points that you can redeem for gift cards or redeem them to skip the queue when someone else signs up for your event as a friend.
Conclusion
Facebook dating can be difficult, but with a few tips and tricks, you’ll be able to meet new people and start dating on Facebook. Don’t be afraid to be yourself, be patient, and have fun!