10 Online Dating Tips for successful start in new romance

Online dating is not what it used to be. If you were to say you met your husband online 10 years ago, people would probably think you're a lonely, socially-awkward nerd that spent too much time on the internet. But today, almost 80% of people have tried online dating or at least once had an account for it. 

It's hard to just randomly run into your Mr. Right on the street. Online dating platforms provide you with the best chance to meet someone that's a perfect fit for you as you can clearly state what you are looking for! No time-waster!

Still, approaching someone on the internet is different than if you could present yourself in real. Being nervous is just normal. Now we will give you the 10 best tips when it comes to online dating so you don't have to worry about saying the most awkward thing when you feel the butterflies in your stomach!

Let me get this perfectly clear, this is by no means asking you to be someone you are not by approaching the one you like! You should always be who you are but you should also remember that when you are talking to someone new, it's a courtesy to try to make them feel as comfortable as possible.

If you are talking to someone super academic and elegant, starting off the conversation with a hobo joke might not be the best idea even though you think dark humor is your strongest trait. You definitely would want to ease it in so the person can discover and appreciate your beauty instead of just scaring them away.

Know your audience. If you can see that he/she posts a lot of outdoorsy stuff or is always cheery, try starting the conversation by asking her if she has tried a certain type of sports! If the person is very much into music or guitar, ask him/her what's their favorite Pink Floyd album! 

Online dating is easier and harder than real-life blind dating because it could really go both ways. You have one chance to win the person's heart. If you say something wrong, they could just easily ignore you and not reply. But at least you can have all the time you need to construct the heart-capturing first line!
 
See what you two have in common is very important. It's always a good conversation-starter. Ask them what their favorite type of mushrooms is if you both love spending time in nature! Finding someone to appreciate your interests isn't that easy, especially if you are into someone niche or just not mainstream. Besides, it's also nice to know that someone shares your love and you can just spend the whole night talking about it! 

Starting the conversation with funny jokes is outdated! The new way is to ask a funny yet serious question. The question you ask may make the person laugh, yet at the same time, the person probably doesn't know the answer to the question too! It will arouse the person's curiousity in finding the answer and at the same time want to know the person that asked the question more!

"What is the difference between pepperoni and salami?" That's a question that I've been asking for many years now. I choose not to Google it because I do want to see if someone knows the answer with high certainty. And I can tell you, after 5 years, I haven't met one single person that can say for sure what that difference is, or they realised that their answer was wrong.

This may be a silly humour but hey, it's a genuine question and maybe you two will be the one to figure out the answer!

First dates can be nerve-wracking. You don't know what to expect. You don't know how to behave. You don't even know what you should truly be doing on your first date. First dates are different for everyone so to be fair, no one single rule can apply to all. It's the first time you will meet in life. Anything can happen.
 
But that doesn't mean there's nothing you can prepare for that special first date of you and your potential future partner in life. Here are some great tips that you should read about before going on your date!

A lot of people think the movie theatre is a good first date because it's dark and romantic. It's the first time you meet, do you really want to spend 2 hours in a dark room where both of you have to be silent? You barely know each other and you probably will just end up wondering if you should give some reaction during the whole movie.

The point of meeting up for the first time is to get to know each other better to see if you are truly compatible! If you have to spend the whole date not talking to each other, might as well just go home and text! 

Go out and talk to your date. Go for a hike if you are both nature-enthusiast or walk around a book fair if you both share an interest in words. Always go for a date where you can actually talk and get to know each other. You don't want to end the date night learning nothing more about that person you just went out with!

Depending on what you will be doing on your first date, choosing the right outfit is very important. You can be a sloppy person and believe that this is your charisma and the person should like you for it. This is, of course, true, in the end, they may love you for who you are. However, you have to know where you are right now.

If the person invites you to a classy opera in downtown and you show up in baggy jeans and hoodie with a cap, that's not about being who you are anymore, that's just disrespectful, period. Know what you will be doing is really important. You need to show your date that you respect yourself, and of course him/her.

You don't have to dress like you are going to a Christmas ball, but definitely know where you are doing and what you will be doing before deciding what to wear on that special night!

Something as small as a rose can go a long way. It's a nice gesture that everyone loves and most certainly will add more brownie points for you! You don't have to get something super fancy or expensive as you don't want to look like you are trying to buy your date and a nice gesture shouldn't cost you your house!

Homemade chocolate is always a good idea. It's thoughtful and sweet and it will most definitely bring up a smile on your date's face! 

After you have decided what to do on your first date, you will need to think about the opening line when you meet each other for the first time. Should I start it off with a joke? Or should I ask about their day? There's always the uncertainty.

Here we will give you some ideas on what to talk about to wow your date away! 

You don't want to spend the night of just you or your date talking. You want to bring up the atmosphere! Tell your date the best part about your life, something that will make you smile then let them talk about theirs! 

Some people just love arguing, it's understandable. But rarely do people like a ''know-it-all''. If your date has something to share but you don't agree with, instead of going straight at it and tell them they are wrong. Try to package it like you have heard it different elsewhere and would like to hear more on why your date believes in a certain way. 

Respect is important. You barely know your date so you certainly don't want to make them feel stupid because for all you know, maybe they are the smart one!

There're always questions that are better to ask before you two become official because then, you are just chatting, no responsibility, no pressure!

Ask them how their previous relationships ended and why. What do they find important and how do they see relationships? Be understanding when you ask these questions. Your date will see that you truly see something in them instead just having them around to pass time. You can create an image of yourself that you can be committed and do want something from it if you find the right one. That's very important if both of you are looking for something serious.

You don't have to know what you will be doing in 10 years but everyone has a dream. Share that! It's all about being personal and sensitive when you are on a date! You share and talk about your life!

Tell your date what you want to be doing in the next 5 years and your dreams. Opening yourself up is the key to let someone in. This will help your date to feel closer to you and create the bond between you.

Online dating begins with talking to strangers, people that you have never met in life. The key thing is to stay positive and not let people bring you down even when they're being rude or just ignore you. You meet all kinds of different people in real life, just like on the internet.

Always be nice to people you talk to because even if you don't end up dating, maybe you will end up finding a good friend in life! 

If you are still scared about going for an online date, just remember that each day, more and more people out there are enjoying the most romantic time of their life, thanks to online dating! It's never easy to meet someone you don't know. It can be overwhelming as you just don't have a clue what to expect.

These 10 tips are definitely a good start for you to think about how you want to present yourself and who you want to be with your date. Get out there and make someone as happy as you are! Good luck!