Have you ever used an online dating site and decided that it just wasn’t working for you? If so, consider the possibility that you might just need to try a different option. If you ask dating platforms, they’ll tell you that they’re pretty much all you need to find your next date; this may be true for some people, but not everyone.
Finding the right dating site is like looking for a car. One person wants a family vehicle, another person wants a sports car. Some people want good mileage, others want speed. If someone ends up with a car that doesn’t check all the boxes, they might feel like they got a bad deal – when they actually just chose the wrong vehicle.
If you want to give online dating a try but don’t know where to start, just look for a dating platform with these 5 features – they’ll take your dating experience from good to great.
1. Timely and supportive customer service
Sticking with the car metaphor, this is your AAA membership – except it’s free. If you ever get locked out of your account, start experiencing glitches, or have any other issues, you’ll want a customer support team that’ll take care of your problem with no time wasted.
Everyone’s dealt with terrible customer service; when a dating platform offers great support for every member, it really stands out. It not only makes your day a little better, but it makes you feel confident about your choice.
2. Extra features to spice up your experience
If you’re looking at joining a dating platform that offers a free account, don’t write them off if they start talking about paid premium features. It’s like getting a free hamburger and paying for the fries – most of what you get doesn’t cost anything, and the small amount you pay for the extras is worth it.
The idea behind most extra features is that you’ll be able to enhance the way you interact with other members. For instance, say that there are several different profiles on your radar, but you don’t know which one you’ll have the best chance with. Then you see that someone liked your profile. If you’ve gotten the extra features, you may be able to see that one of the users you’re interested in is responsible for the like. And just like that, you know exactly who to get things started with.
Another common extra feature is getting read receipts on your messages. If someone’s reading your messages quickly but taking forever to respond, that doesn’t say good things about how enthusiastic they are to talk with you. Just like with any other extra features, it isn’t essential, but it definitely helps you know which direction to go in.
3. Blocking and reporting capabilities for better security
Every dating platform will have a certain number of people who are there for money rather than romance. Online dating scams cost Americans a fortune every year, so it pays to look out for suspicious behavior from potential matches. Many scammers will start out with a hard-luck story; once they start asking for money transfers or gift cards, that’s pretty much all the confirmation you need.
If this ever happens to you, you’ll want to be able to at least block them, and hopefully report them as well. If members have the ability to act as scammer patrols on the website they’re a part of, they can help keep a lid on the problem.
Of course, this isn’t just useful for scammers; sometimes people can also have issues with spam bots, or with people that are simply too aggressive and need to be cut off. Whatever the case, the ability to block someone is key to having a safe and enjoyable experience with online dating.
4. An awesome matching algorithm
Exactly what makes an algorithm awesome will vary, depending on what your goals are. If you have a specific kind of person in mind already, you’ll want the kind of algorithm that can process the right data to make the right matches. It might even keep track of your activity patterns on the dating platform, learning about you as you go. Every message, wink, or like can be registered and used to recommend the most relevant matches.
Then again, what if you wanted to see what’s available in your area before settling on someone? That’s where proximity-based algorithms come in. Aside from keeping matches within a certain distance from you, they’re all totally randomized. It’s like shopping at a store that doesn’t organize anything. If you went in to buy a certain item you’d just be annoyed, but if you like considering all your options before choosing, just walking down all the aisles is an experience in itself.
5. Search tools that help you get the most relevant matches
An accurate matching algorithm is nothing to sneeze at, but search tools can take you to the next level. Not every search tool, though; if you’re considering a certain dating platform and you see that members can search for their own matches, make sure that you find out what you’ll be able to search for. If you are into bodybuilder dating then there are dating sites for you!
It might just be for the basics, like an age range, gender, or proximity. This can be nice, but it isn’t exactly groundbreaking. Or, it could include all kinds of search parameters, like religious beliefs, ethnicities, eye colors, jobs, heights, and more. Imagine how specific you could get with a tool like that. Instead of just telling the algorithm about yourself and hoping that something with potential pops up, you could just directly search for someone who’s 5’ 9”, works as a sommelier, is Latin-American, and lives within 25 miles of you. This way you won’t have to look through endless accounts, wondering what you’re missing.
Bottom Line
If you’re going to look for romance on a dating platform, you want to make sure the platform is doing it right. From CamGo to eharmony, there are loads of options – all you have to do is find the one that’s right for you.
