Let's Talk Online Dating Tips

Amber Brooks

By: Amber Brooks

Editor: Lillian Castro

Posted:

Online dating places a large and accessible pool of daters at our fingertips. While you can receive messages from all sorts of people, finding the right match is a different story. If you need help adjusting your online dating game, look to our articles below.

Knowing how to date online properly can transform your experience tremendously. And we give you the tips to stand out, so you can avoid being a tiny needle in a massive haystack.

Our articles focus on tips and strategies that daters can leverage to find the right connections online, from building an authentic dating profile to recognizing compatibility.

We aren’t biased or anything. But we offer the best advice on this side of the internet to help any dater feel more confident in today’s fast-paced online dating environment because that’s how we designed our content.

Our content covers a wide range of topics, from writing the perfect conversation starter to setting healthy boundaries. You’ll read about dating safety, compatibility, and red flag awareness, so you can avoid any approaching pitfalls.

Our experts teach you how to break the ice and get to that first date, so you won’t be left swiping endlessly. Maximize your online dating experience and find the right matches with these guides.

1296 Results

What Our Experts Say:

1.
How to Restart Online Dating After a Long Break 
Amie Leadingham

Amie Leadingham

I remember all too well my last devastating breakup that would forever change the way I dated. You know the kind of relationship where you give every part of yourself, thinking that if you could just love him more, things would change? Well, it never did.  I had this exhausting pattern for so many years, and it would lead me to the same result… a dead-end relationship. I wanted to be intentional and...

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2.
How to Protect Your Privacy on Dating Sites 
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

With something as vulnerable as your dating life, safety should always be top of mind. I think we've all encountered suspicious characters online or gotten spam texts that made us want to shut and lock the digital doors to our private lives. Actively protecting your privacy when online dating can be the difference between falling in love and getting scammed. Data breaches, fake profiles, harassment, and...

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3.
How to Write a Poly-Friendly Dating Profile (Step-by-Step Guide)
Sheena Holt

Sheena Holt

A lot goes into a good dating profile. You need to tell potential matches who you are, what you’re trying to find online, and of course, what you look like, all while keeping it fun and flirty.  But when you add unique lifestyle considerations – be they your sobriety, your children, or your interest in non-monogamy – it becomes a little trickier and a lot more important to get the wording right. If you’re...

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4.
How Busy Professionals Can Succeed on Dating Apps
Amie Leadingham

Amie Leadingham

If you’re a busy professional, you know how hard it is to fit in daily life outside of your career. And then adding online dating to the mix? Sometimes it feels impossible to even imagine finding that special someone. Trust me, as a dating coach and someone who has been in your shoes, I’m here to tell you it’s possible. I’ve helped so many singles find their forever relationship online.  We just have to...

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5.
How to Manage Multiple Dating App Conversations (Without Burning Out)
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Love those dating apps! The choices. The choices. The glorious choices in mates. Having the opportunity to meet so many people so easily can be exhilarating! Honestly, with such a buffet of potential partners, sometimes it feels like those dating apps are raining men (or women, for that matter). Swipe. Swipe. Swipe. Match. Match. Match. Love seems to be everywhere. And yet you’re still swiping. What gives? Let...

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6.
Get More Matches on Match.com in 7 Days: An Advanced Strategy
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

When I was in college, a few of my female friends online dated half-heartedly, and they found it easy to get tons of matches. But as we get older, online dating gets more serious, and truly compatible matches can be harder to come by.  The whole swiping process can feel frustrating and superficial if you’re looking for a mature love online. Fortunately, when you're using a serious dating platform like...

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7.
Choosing the Right Dating Site Based on Your Relationship Goals
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

We have to make so many choices to get through the day. “What am I going to watch on Netflix?” I wonder as I scroll through Uber Eats. Then it occurs to me that maybe I should look on Disney+ for a better selection. Or DoorDash. Hours pass without watching or eating anything. That's decision fatigue. It’s a type of mental exhaustion stemming from having to make too many decisions. It's a common pitfall of online...

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8.
Step-by-Step Guide to Starting Conversations as a Gay Man on Match.com
Brian Rzepczynski

Brian Rzepczynski

Starting conversations on Match.com as a gay man requires a different approach than messaging on swipe-based apps. Match is built for relationship seekers, which means your words matter more — and intentional communication goes a long way. Whether you're initiating the first message or responding to a match, this step-by-step guide will show you how to start conversations on Match.com in a way that builds...

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9.
Finding Serious Relationships on Dating Sites (Not Casual Matches)
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Finding a secure attachment through online dating — especially if you’re looking for a serious relationship — can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. But I assure you it’s possible. I know because I met my husband on Bumble. Many people of all genders and sexual orientations know the benefits of thriving within a healthy, long-term, and committed relationship. Many singles are out there looking for...

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10.
Navigating eharmony Compatibility for Gay Couples: What to Answer and Why
Nathan Serrato

Nathan Serrato

When singles ask me which dating app I recommend, I always ask them right back, “Well, what are you looking for?” It really depends on them. If you’re dreaming about a long-term relationship and willing to invest in the dating experience, then eharmony is about as good as it gets. It’s proven effective since its launch in 2000. eharmony has a complex matching algorithm that considers 32 dimensions of...

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11.
10 Tips for Recovering from Online Dating Burnout
Hayley Hurst

Hayley Hurst

This is a fun topic for me because I believe I have more online dating experience than most people do. It has been over five years of swiping almost every single day and meeting a multitude of people on all the most poplar platforms.  So I know exactly how much energy it takes to maintain an active dating profile. And I get that it can be easy to burn out. I hear that from my clients all the time. But...

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12.
How to Screen Dating Matches Before the First Date (Safety Tips & Scripts)
Damona Hoffman

Damona Hoffman

It’s a match! Now what? In today’s app-obsessed world, the match is just the beginning. Online daters also need to develop messaging and screening skills to get from the match to an actual date. Catchy pickup lines that once worked in a bar fall flat every time on an app, and escaping the trap of go-nowhere “good morning” texts leaves many people too exhausted to date in the first place.  As fewer people...

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13.
How to Find Quality Matches Without Paying for Premium[updated_month_year before=" (" after=")"]
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

After an evening of swiping with no luck, you see a profile on your dating app that checks all of your boxes. But when you try to like their profile, a notification pops up: you’ve used up all your likes for the day. Pay for premium, or wait until tomorrow.  Dating apps can make a convincing argument as to why users should pay for premium. In a world where finding dates on the apps is increasingly the norm,...

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14.
How to Turn Online Dating Conversations Into Real Dates (Step-by-Step Scripts)
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

I think this is the biggest trap that online daters fall in. So many profiles to swipe on. So many “hey” messages sent. But nothing comes out of it. Zero actual dates get on the calendar. It’s all aimless small talk and a one-way ticket to online dating burnout. How do you up your conversion rate and make all that time spent on the dating apps worth it? I’ve got some suggestions based on my experience reviewing...

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15.
Am I Being Catfished? 8 Red Flags to Look For
Damona Hoffman

Damona Hoffman

Spotting a catfish in today’s world of AI chatbots and photo filters can be tricky. Scammers and con artists cost Americans nearly $12.5 billion in 2024 alone. Many dating apps are adopting more vigorous verification features to combat rampant lying.  First, it’s important to recognize what kind of catfish you’re dealing with. There are two kinds. The first one I call a “Deceiver” and the other more sinister...

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16.
6 Online Dating Strategies That Spell Success
Amie Leadingham

Amie Leadingham

I’ve been a dating coach for over a decade. In that time, I've perused thousands of dating profiles. Let me tell you, some profiles fail miserably and don't get any matches because they aren't making any effort at all. To me, that is time and money wasted on a dating app. Think of your dating profile as a marketing ad. To attract your ideal client, you must be intentional in what you include. I’ve come up with six...

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17.
5 Reasons Why Online Dating Doesn’t Suck: A Matchmaker’s Perspective
Hayley Hurst

Hayley Hurst

Lately in the press I’ve seen a trend of negativity surrounding online dating. Numerous articles discuss the decline of online dating, the burnout surrounding it, and the theory that the platforms are working more to get signups and subscriptions than success stories. I feel passionate about offering a counter perspective.  My matchmaking career started by being an online dating concierge on behalf of...

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18.
Online Dating Icebreakers: 4 Tips From a Dating Coach
Damona Hoffman

Damona Hoffman

Everyone has felt that dread well up inside when trying to think of something clever or cute to say to their online match and coming up empty…or worse yet, cringey.  While it’s true that you can’t say the wrong thing to the right person, it doesn’t hurt to stack the deck in your favor by using some online dating icebreakers that will get you noticed and spark conversation. Remember, this could be your future...

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19.
What Does Oneitis Mean?
Hunt Ethridge

Hunt Ethridge

Dating can be a whole lot of mixed messaging. Is it “metrosexual” or “lumbersexual?” Dad bod or gym bod? Act aloof like you don’t care or chase her for all she’s worth? How many questions should I ask? Should I smile at everything she says? Of all the things that get confusing, one of the biggest is, well, “the one.”  Sometimes it’s the belief that there’s a soul mate out there. Or that there is the “one...

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20.
3 Dating Tips for LGBTQ+ Singles in Rural Areas
Ashayla Blakely

Ashayla Blakely

Let’s be real for a second — dating can be exhausting at times. And if you’re living in a small town, the options are limited, and there isn’t always an obvious solution.  Swiping on the same four people over and over would leave anyone feeling discouraged. Trust me, I know. I have been there! I spent my single years wondering, “Is there a secret handbook out there that will help me find my person?” If you're...

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21.
How to Be a Present Father & Single Man – Advice from Laterras R. Whitfield
Sheena Holt

Sheena Holt

For most of my early childhood, my dad was a single father. My mother passed away when I was a baby, and so it fell to my dad (and our extended family; it really does take a village) to raise me. I know that being a single dad was tough at times, but the years when it was just the two of us created an extremely deep bond between my father and me. One thing I give my dad major props for is the way that he...

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22.
What Are the Rules for Dating in 2025? A Luxury Matchmaker Spills the Tea
Sheena Holt

Sheena Holt

There have always been generational differences in how we date. When I started dating as a 2010s teenager, my mom lamented that my high school romance was a boy asking if I wanted to “hang out,” not go on a formal date. But these days, it feels like the changes in dating aren’t just decade-by-decade, they’re year-by-year. For daters of any age, it can be tough to keep up. That’s why we asked Lisa Goodman, Vice...

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23.
5 Hidden Dating App Hacks From a Professional
Damona Hoffman

Damona Hoffman

“Dating apps suck.” That’s the #1 declaration I hear from my clients and Dates & Mates podcast listeners.  It’s true, online dating today can be discouraging, but after spending 18 years coaching singles and also working behind the scenes at many dating apps including OkCupid, Bumble, and Match, I can tell you that the dating app is not the problem, the real issue is how you’re using it.  There’s...

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24.
How I Met My Husband on Bumble (7 Expert Strategies & Tips)
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

I had been reading about, thinking about, and writing about the science of love for a few decades. I’d written three books on relationships and wrote a dissertation on Attachment Theory. Yet, despite all of this, I was single.  Well, I wasn’t really single. I was securely attached to two fabulous little people who lived in my home — my daughters.  I’d made a vow to devote everything I had to them, and...

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25.
7 Self-Sabotaging Behaviors to Avoid in Dating
Amie Leadingham

Amie Leadingham

I used to have a reputation among my friends as a serial dater. It was like my second job, which explains why I eventually became a dating coach! After years of doing the self-reflection work and guiding singles to finding lasting love through my Conscious Dating process, I've discovered several self-sabotaging behaviors that can ruin even the most promising dates. I'm happily married now, but I've been guilty...

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26.
Dating Coach Connell Barrett Says Sober Dates Are the Way to Go
Sheena Holt

Sheena Holt

A growing number of people are sober or looking to drink less, and young people are leading the charge. According to one study, 19% of Gen Zers do not drink alcohol at all.  An even larger number of people of all generations are looking to cut back on their drinking, and nonalcoholic options — like mocktails or THC drinks — are skyrocketing in popularity. Dating coach Connell Barrett Significantly, most...

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27.
What Is Floodlighting? Two Psychologists Weigh In
Jamie Ballard

Jamie Ballard

You might have heard of dating terms like "gaslighting" or "breadcrumbing." Now, there's "floodlighting." The term, which was coined by author and researcher Brené Brown, generally refers to oversharing deeply personal information as a way to create a false sense of intimacy or test a relationship.  People on TikTok and Reddit are talking about their experiences with floodlighters and why it's a problem in...

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28.
5 Toxic Online Dating Behaviors That Sabotage Real Connection 
Amie Leadingham

Amie Leadingham

Finding my husband online wasn't a straight path. After 13 wonderful years of marriage, I can look back at my online dating days and laugh at the bad dates and mistakes made along the way. Hindsight is 20/20, right? I encountered some truly perplexing characters on the apps. As a dating coach, I’m all about self-improvement and growth, so I want you to learn from my mistakes. I’m going to detail the most toxic...

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29.
5 Green Flags That Lead to Lasting Love
Amie Leadingham

Amie Leadingham

I've noticed something fascinating in my years of coaching singles: we’re absolutely obsessed with red flags! When I ask singles what they want in a relationship, they usually give me a list full of qualities they don’t want in a relationship, but quickly go completely blank when I ask what they're actually looking for. I might ask, "What do you want in a partner?" I typically hear: "Well, I don't want someone...

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30.
What Is Dry Dating: How This New Trend Is Impacting Date Nights
Ashayla Blakely

Ashayla Blakely

Many first dates take place at a bar where the casual atmosphere encourages casual conversation over drinks. Some say after a couple of shots of tequila, their first-date jitters die down. Some daters feel comfortable letting their guard down after a drink, and the alcohol carries the night for them. But what happens when you live a sober lifestyle? That’s where dry dating comes in. Dry dating has grown in...

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Amber Brooks

By: Amber Brooks

Editor-in-Chief

Amber Brooks is the Editor-in-Chief at DatingAdvice.com. When she was growing up, her family teased her for being "boy crazy," but she preferred to think of herself as a budding dating and relationship expert. As an English major at the University of Florida, Amber honed her communication skills to write clearly, knowledgeably, and passionately about a variety of subjects. Now with over 1,800 lifestyle articles to her name, Amber brings her tireless wit and relatable experiences to DatingAdvice.com. She has been quoted by the Washington Times, Cosmopolitan, The New York Post, and AskMen, among others.

See Amber's full bio »

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