If you’re reading this, it probably means you have a fear of online dating. It can be scary when you put so much personal information out there for the world to see. Luckily, there are many sites that make it easier than ever to meet new people without having to put yourself directly in the line of fire.
Even though Facebook may be one of the most popular social networking sites on the web, it’s not exactly ideal for meeting new people. However, with these tips, you can overcome your fear and start using Facebook as a tool for dating instead of just another way to keep in touch with old friends.
Finding love again after losing it can be difficult. But thankfully, we now live in an age where online dating apps have become more accessible than ever before. No longer do prospective partners need to subscribe to printed magazines or sign up for membership at exclusive dating sites if they want to find love online.
It’s no secret that Facebook has become one of the most popular dating sites in recent years. There are currently more than 200 million users on Facebook across the globe, with an estimated 60% of them using their real first names as their profile names, which makes it easy to find potential partners in a short amount of time.
Many people have found love on Facebook, and some relationships have even blossomed because of this social network. If you’re single and ready to mingle, why not make use of your social media account to your advantage?
It might feel like a bit of a risk at first but once you get past your initial anxieties about meeting new people and putting yourself out there again, you’ll see just how beneficial it can be. Here are 10 tips to help you overcome your fear of dating on Facebook:
1. Set up your profile
Just like you would when you’re creating a dating profile in person, you want to make sure that you set up your Facebook profile to reflect who you are as a person and what you’re looking for. This will help potential dates get to know you better and show that you’re serious about meeting someone.
You can share more detail about yourself by putting up pictures, videos, and posts, and you can also list the things that you’re interested in to give your potential matches more insight on who you are. Organize your profile so that it’s easy for people to navigate, and keep it up to date.
Don’t forget to include a short and sweet biography about who you are and what you’re looking for in your dating life. You can also include your relationship status if you’re single.
2. Don’t be afraid to show off a bit
Social media is all about the image you present to the world and it’s all about the way you come across, so don’t be afraid to put your best foot forward and show off a bit. Show your potential partners what you’re made of by putting up pictures that are fun and lively.
You don’t have to be in posed and perfect photos – in fact, you can even just post photos that you took during an interesting or fun experience in life. Be yourself and don’t try too hard to put up a facade just because you’re on the internet.
If you put up too many staged photos, people are going to see right through that and you’ll lose all your potential matches in the blink of an eye.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask questions
Beyond the photos you post, you can also ask questions to get to know your potential matches better and see if there’s a connection between the two of you. You can ask questions about their job, their views on certain topics, their passions, and so on. You might be surprised at what you can learn about your potential matches just by asking a few questions.
You can also ask questions that might help you get to know yourself better and determine if you’re truly ready to date again. For example, if you’re still in the process of healing from a breakup or a divorce, you can ask yourself if you’re ready to date again and if you’re truly ready to let someone into your life again.
4. While you’re at it, look for friends too
While you’re at it, you might as well look for friends first and see how things go from there. You never know when you might meet your best friend through Facebook and life is more enjoyable when you have someone you can hang out with and go on adventures with.
If you’re only looking for a date, you might be closing yourself off to a lot of potential matches that aren’t necessarily interested in dating you but may be interested in being your friend nonetheless.
5. Just dive in and start talking to people.
You’ll never know if there’s a connection between the two of you unless you actually talk to your matches. You don’t have to send a long, drawn-out message that’ll make you sound like a stalker – just send a simple message to start a conversation.
You can use canned messages if you’re not sure what to say, but once you get the hang of it you’ll be able to come up with your own creative and personal messages. It’s probably best to avoid sending a message to someone if you’ve only recently added them as a friend or if you’ve only recently liked one of their posts. It’s also best to avoid sending lengthy messages as they might lose interest and just click away.
6. Don’t get discouraged – it gets easier over time
At first, you might feel like you’re not getting anywhere and that no one is interested in you. Don’t get too discouraged though, because even the most popular dating sites with the most users have their fair share of people who aren’t getting any matches.
It might take a while to find your dating match, but don’t give up just because it’s taking longer than you expected. Sometimes, you just have to keep going and be patient. If you’re still finding it difficult to find matches and start conversations, try changing up your posts and your profile a bit and see if that helps.
7. Network and go to events
If you’re still having a hard time finding people to date, you can also try going out and actively looking for people who share the same passions as you. You can join and attend events where people with the same interests as you gather and network with others.
You can also look for Facebook groups that are related to your passions and interests and maybe find new people to date there. If you find yourself still unable to meet people and find a dating partner, you can also try going out on blind dates.
Blind dates are dates where you set up a date with someone but you don’t tell them who you are until you meet up. You can find someone to set you up with by using an app or website like Pheromone or MeetMe and you can also reach out to your friends and see if they know anyone who’d be interested in dating you.
8. Take a break if you need one
If the dating scene just isn’t for you and you’ve tried everything you can but you’re still unable to find a dating partner, don’t be too hard on yourself. Take a break from actively looking for dates and just focus on yourself for a bit. You might not be ready for dating yet and it’s okay if you’re not.
The important thing is that you’re happy with yourself and that you’re okay regardless of whether or not you’re in a relationship. You don’t have to be in a relationship to be happy and fulfilled. You can be happy and fulfilled even when you’re single and dating just might not be right for you right now.
9. Stay actively engaged
Don’t just sit back and hope that dates will come to you. Stay actively engaged with friends and family and with your potential dates. You can do this by commenting on your friends’ posts or posts that you find interesting, and you can also like or comment on your potential dates’ posts.
It’s a good way to show that you’re interested in them without coming across as too forward or stalker-like. You can also regularly post on your own posts to keep them at the top of your friends’ feeds and keep your potential dates interested in you.
10. Be proud of who you are
As you go through the dating process, remember to be proud of who you are. Dating after a divorce is hard enough as it is, and you don’t need added self-pressure and negative self-talk.
Remember that dating is supposed to be fun and enjoyable, and you don’t have to be online dating perfection. You just have to be you and be proud of who you are. Dating after a divorce is hard enough as it is, so don’t add to the stress by being too hard on yourself.
