Technology has become a part of our everyday life. Personally, I’m all for it and I’m about to tell you why you should be too. More specifically, I’m going to run you through 7 of the most effective ways you can use tech to make your dating life easier.
Let’s face it, very few of us dare to leave the house these days without our smartphone and for good reason. It’s a phone, a camera, a calculator and, most importantly, a way to stay connected with people around the world in real-time. Just the thought of leaving the house without a smartphone can leave some people feeling anxious all day. Some can’t even go a whole day without checking their social media.
Since using gadgets and apps is so ubiquitous, there’s no reason not to use it to improve your love life!
Technology is perfect for dating, as long as you use it right
Even if you aren’t using the right apps just yet, I guarantee you’ve heard of them often. They’re all mainstream options and for a reason — they’re helpful, reliable and intuitive.
You know what that means? If you aren’t already using these options, you have no excuse because even your grandma could figure them out!
First things first, let’s take a look at your three best options for meeting people if you’re currently living that single life.
Your best technology options to meet new people
Thanks to apps like Tinder and websites like Adult Friend Finder, online dating has become very mainstream these days. There are countless dating apps and websites out there for you to explore and so many simple tools.As WebMD put it in a recent article, “Boomers and Gen-Xers may look at young people staring at their devices and think they’re being antisocial, but who is to say we’re right and they’re wrong? They’re just socializing differently.”
Social media
I say this one with caution and I suggest you use it that way too. Social media can be a fantastic way to get to know new people and offers countless reasons to reach out.
With that said, please don’t be weird. Guys, I’m calling you out here and it needs to be said. Guys do some weird, creepy stuff with Insta DMs and you’re embarrassing us all.
Just so we’re clear, “that beach looks amazing, where is that?” in response to a beach vacation pic: acceptable. “Hey bb, I want you mmm”: Weird, creepy and awkward.
No photos of your junk, no gushing over how hot she is, no “mmm bb”. . . just be normal. If you wouldn’t say it to her in public, don’t say it to her via a comment or DM, it’s that simple.
I digress. Social media can be a fantastic tool because it gives you continual context to start an interaction. People are going to post new and interesting things on their social media. This gives you a glimpse into their life and plenty of reasons to start a conversation.
Dating websites
Believe it or not, dating websites are absolutely still a thing and their user bases are incredible. If for no other reason, exploring this option is helpful from a sheer numbers perspective. There’s plenty of fish in the sea, time to strap on those water wings, and jump in but you should be sure to find some high-quality reviews of different sites before making a selection. We’ve found the top app reviews from Beyond Ages to be a great start in finding the right website for you.
Particularly when it comes to exploring your particular interests, I’ve found websites to be a little better. They tend to offer more engagement and a greater “community” feel compared to apps that move at a faster pace. These communities allow you to build up your profile and establish a name for yourself before you start talking to other singles.
Put it this way. Walking up to someone at a bar and confessing your most unusual desires is a very risky game. Chances are you’ll scare them off (unless they’re into that sort of thing). Stating them in your dating profile, on the other hand, is fair game and exactly what the site is for.
Why wouldn’t you take advantage of that?
Meetup.com
Interested in online dating but aren’t quite ready to commit just yet? Meetup.com can be a fantastic way to ease into it.
As the name would suggest, it’s all about creating meetups with like-minded people. It can be about business, sports, hobbies or pretty much anything (legal) you can think of. You can find meetups for general interests like hiking to more niche interests like Edwardian calligraphy lectures.
Create a Meetup profile, become part of some relevant communities and when you’re comfortable, go meet up with them! It gives you the chance to get to know people before you go meet up with them.
Once you’re comfortable doing that, you’ve already got the building blocks for online dating!
Using technology to communicate
Whether you’re meeting new people or you’re in a long term relationship, technology can help here too. After all, communication is the foundation of all relationships, right?
Let’s take a quick look at your three most popular tech options for communication. While they’re not necessarily for dating, singles also use them to meet new people. So if you haven’t tried them yet, you should.
Starting with the easiest, Instagram is all about presenting an image. That means people posting interesting photos and stories and wanting people to interact.
Since you can look back through their profile at other shots, you get a fair understanding of who they are first. Then, reach out via DMs.
If you meet someone out in the wild but don’t want to exchange phone numbers, Insta handles are acceptable these days too. When that happens, it’s totally acceptable to DM that person the same way you might text.
Snapchat
Snapchat is more about the day to day happenings in everyone’s lives. That fun night of bar hopping with friends might not be interesting enough for an Instagram post, but it sure as hell makes it to Snapchat. That’s because Snapchat posts disappear almost as soon as it’s opened. So it’s something fun and temporary that won’t stay on your profile unless you delete it.
Typically more informal than Instagram, Snapchat is a chill platform that lends itself well to starting a conversation.
Last but not least is WhatsApp. Maybe the first major messaging app that relied on Internet rather than SMS, it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t have it.
Very similar to regular texting, it allows people to communicate equally no matter what kind of phone they have. Well, smartphones anyway.
Linked to a phone number, WhatsApp also has a PC, Mac and Ubuntu application, so you can text from your PC or laptop as well.
Also perfectly geared toward groups, it’s a fantastic way to make plans for upcoming events. Messaging via WhatsApp is very common these days and the app is free. It’s also very intuitive, just in case you struggle with new things.
Dating Apps
Obviously, I couldn’t talk about ways to meet people online without talking about dating apps. From the big names to the smaller, more niche options, there really is an option for everyone.
According to an article from Indiana University, “Today, online dating is the second most popular way for heterosexual couples to meet each other while it’s the first most popular way for LGBT couples to meet.” It’s both normal and popular in 2020. So you really should look into it if you haven’t already.
The thing is, even the most extreme of kinks will have an app for you to use. It’ll be populated with a community looking for just the same thing you are and that’s why technology is so great. Once you find your niche and a welcoming community, finding someone to date is so much easier!
While less common among younger singles, Facebook is still a worthwhile platform to meet new people. By joining events and Facebook groups, you can find people who share your interests. With so many groups to join, there’s bound to be a community that will interest you!
More and more people rely heavily on technology when it comes to socializing. Talking to people via DMs is now even more common than calling and texting, especially among younger singles. So there’s no reason not to take advantage of this and dive into the world of tech dating!