6 Ways To Meet Singles Online

Online Dating

6 Ways to Meet Singles Online

C. Price

Written by: C. Price

C. Price

C. Price is part of DatingAdvice.com's content team. She writes advice articles, how-to guides, and studies — all relating to dating, relationships, love, sex, and more.

Edited by: Lillian Castro

Lillian Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro brings more than 30 years of journalism experience to ensure DatingAdvice articles have been edited for overall clarity, accuracy, and reader engagement. She has worked at The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, The Gwinnett Daily News, and The Gainesville Sun covering lifestyle topics.

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Dating can be brutal. Broken hearts and unmet expectations are just a few of the bruises you may endure.

At DatingAdvice.com, we think meeting on a trusted dating site or app can help soften the blow. A quality-driven dating platform gives you a chance to weed out the bad seeds and concentrate on the viable candidates who could be your soul mate.

That’s why we’ve constructed this list of the top six ways to meet someone online.

1. Online dating sites.

There are hundreds of online dating sites – from niche dating sites like ChristianMingle to mainstream dating platforms boasting millions of users likeMatch and eharmony.com.

  • According to Match’s study, 40 million Americans use online dating services. That’s about 40% of our entire U.S. single population. Finding a man or woman through online dating is no longer taboo.
  • What do Charlie Sheen, Jennifer Aniston, Joan Rivers, Orlando Bloom and Halle Berry have in common? They’re all celebrities who have reportedly (as per Complex.com) used online dating sites.
  • Online dating offers a better chance of getting a first date than the bar, where you’re clamoring to get someone’s number before last call. After all, the bar scene is pretty much all about your looks, where as online dating is part physical appearance and a lot of personality.

Finding a man or woman through online dating is no longer looked down on, so sign up, work on a great profile and start searching for your forever.

The world of dating is mostly moving online. It’s about time you joined! Here are our reviews of the best online dating sites.

2. Social media.

Take to Twitter, Instagram, Facebook Dating, and other social media sites to strike up a relationship. The friendly banter associated with quick quips and silly status updates is a great way to meet a new person online.

Just remember not to post monotonous life events, like describing the omelet you had for breakfast this morning.

  • There are niche dating apps that cater specifically to meeting new people through social networks. Check out Snack or Tinder – or perhaps HER or Grindr if you’re looking for a same-sex match. You never know who you’ll find swiping through profiles.

According to blogger Therese Squared, there are online dating tips that can also be used in social media dating:

  • Brand the real version of you.
  • Don’t be a cliche or cyber stalker.
  • Spreading yourself too thin won’t get you far.
  • Make decisions and don’t look back.

“Think about the things in life

you are most passionate about.”

3. Meetup.com.

Self-described as “neighbors getting together to learn something, do something, share something,” Meetup.com is a surefire way to meet like-minded individuals.

  • There are more than 10,000 groups on Meetup.com and more than 3.2 million users in 65 countries. It’s safe to say you’ll meet at least one person you’re interested in through the site.
  • The largest group on the website is the “20s and 30s Going Out Group” in Washington, D.C., with almost 20,000 members.
  • There are groups for everything, from hiking and museum hunting to free movie screenings and foodies.

From paddle board groups to motorcycle enthusiasts, most cities and towns have a plethora of meet-up opportunities to choose from. You just might meet your future life partner.

4. Craigslist.

Yes, most people think of Craigslist when looking to buy a bedroom set or apartment, but did you know it’s also a feasible arena for meeting men and women?

Here’s our Craigslist 101:

  • Go to your city or town’s Craigslist site and search the personals. From strictly platonic to miscellaneous romances, the Web is full of individuals looking for lifelong love or just a one-night stand.
  • Safety is number one.
  • Always arrange to meet someone in a public, crowded and well-lit place.
  • Don’t ever go to a person’s house to meet them, and don’t give out personal information like your last name or home address.

Craigslist officially shut down its personals section a few years ago out of safety concerns, but many singles have continued to use its local pages to meet new people and find ways to connect off the beaten path on the web.

5. Mobile apps.

There are literally hundreds of different dating apps you can use to meet people. Just download them to your Android, iPhone, tablet, smartphone, and away you go.

  • Check out Happn, CoffeeMeetsBagel, Bumble, or Skout. These dating apps use your phone GPS to find individuals in close proximity to you. For a queer, bisexual, or gay man, then it’s got to be Grindr, an app strictly for the gay community with millions of subscribers in 192 countries.

According to Served Fresh Media, “Mobile dating is fast becoming the preferred method to meet potential dates among young people because meetings occur much faster than a traditional online dating site.”

6. Chat areas and forums.

Think about the things in life you are most passionate about – skydiving, organic gardening, blues music – and then research chat rooms and forums online that pertain to that subject.

  • Sign up to become a member of Musicworld1000.com and strike up a conversation. You’ll be surprised at how quickly a quality conversation can turn into a friendship.
  • Be yourself. Once you’ve learned your way around Gardenweb.com, feel free to be yourself and engage in important conversations about fertilizer and snow peas.
  • The best way to meet someone is when you’re being yourself.
  • Check out niche sites like Chat-avenue.com or Spark.com.
  • Also, most online dating sites like eHarmony.com and Match.com have their own sections for chat rooms and online forums.

Billions of people use the internet for connecting with the world, and that includes the dating world. Millions of singles have downloaded apps or created online dating accounts. That’s a lot of potential men and women who just might be your soul mate.

DatingAdvice.com has put together a list of the top six ways to meet someone online. Now it’s up to you. Click to see our reviews for more details on the best dating sites.

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