Once upon a time, the idea of meeting someone online, falling madly in love with them, and one day marrying them was, well, laughable.

But, guess who’s laughing now?

According to a poll that was done just last year, almost 20% of prospective brides revealed that they met their soon-to-be spouses on the internet, either through dating apps or social media.

All of this means that, if you want to find love in 2018, you need to learn how to date online. Otherwise, you could potentially be fighting a losing battle by looking for love in “real life.”

If you’re interested in finding love online and settling down, it’s not as difficult as you might think. Here are seven helpful tips that will show you how to date online successfully.

1. Figure Out What You Want Before You Start Dating Online

Are you sure that you’re ready for a relationship right now?

You should ask yourself that question and do some soul-searching to find the answer before you start learning about how to date online. The last thing you want to do is invest a bunch of time and money into dating people you meet online because you think it’s a great option, only to realize that you’re not actually ready for a long-term relationship.

There’s nothing wrong with saying you’re not ready for love! According to Dating Advisor NZ, there are plenty of people out there who would prefer a physical connection over an emotional one right now.

If you fall into that category, that’s OK. But you should hold off on dating those who are looking for love if that’s the case.

2. Sign Up for Online Dating Services or Apps

If you spend some time thinking about it and decide that you are, in fact, ready to date, there are lots of ways to go about doing it.

There are some people who use social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to connect with others for dates. There are others who find success talking to others in dating chat rooms.

But the majority of people turn to online dating services and dating apps to land dates these days. There are dozens of them out there, including everything from mainstream dating websites to niche apps that cater to a specific type of crowd.

Find the right dating service or dating app for you and sign up for it. By taking this step, you’ll officially be an online dater.

3. Create an Eyecatching Dating Profile (and Tell the Truth in It!)

Regardless of whether you sign up for an online dating service, a dating app, or some combination of both, you’re going to need to put together at least one dating profile for yourself.

Depending on the service or app that you choose, your profile might be incredibly detailed and feature just about every possible thing about you. Or it might be pretty straightforward and feature little more than a photo.

Either way, you should try to create an eye-catching profile by using a great photo of yourself. You should also tell the truth in your profile while including interesting information about yourself that will appeal to others.

4. Learn How to Search for Potential Love Interests

After you have your online dating profile all set up, it’ll be time to get out there and try to meet your match.

Some dating services and apps will ask you to click through the profiles of other people and select the ones you would like to speak with if given the chance. Others will set you up with people they think would be a good fit for you and encourage you to chat online.

Both of these methods can help you connect with new people and find dates. Get comfortable with the idea of talking to people you’ve never met before online and work on coming up with some good icebreakers so that you have easy ways to start conversations with people.

5. Open Yourself Up to Dating All Kinds of Different People

Do you have a “type” that you usually date?

If so, there’s nothing wrong with sticking with that type when you begin dating online if that’s what you want to do. But one of the best parts about looking for love on the internet is that it can open you up to so many new kinds of people.

You’re going to be able to meet people of different nationalities, races, religions, and more. Embrace the diversity that you’ll find out there in the world and consider dating someone who is different from what you’re used to.

Who knows? It might just lead to love and prove that your “type” isn’t really your type at all.

6. Don’t Get Discouraged If Your First Few Dates Are Disasters

Yes, there are millions of people getting married in America every year after finding love online.

But guess what? Most of them didn’t meet the loves of their lives on their very first online date. Many of them probably dated online for months, if not years, before coming across the person they tied the knot with.

If your first few online dates are total duds, don’t get too down about it. Pick yourself up off the ground and get back out there on the online dating scene. Make your dates fun so that you continue to enjoy yourself even if you don’t find love immediately.

7. Stick With It Until You Find “The One”!

Using dating services and dating apps is, hands down, the easiest way to find people to date in 2018. If you stick with it long enough, you’re eventually going to stumble upon “The One.”

It might not happen today, tomorrow, or even next month. But it’s only a matter of time before you match with “The One” and start your very own online dating fairy tale.

Knowing How to Date Online Can Help You Find Love

If you don’t know how to date online, it can be frustrating at first. You won’t know where to look for love online or how to form real connections with people through a computer or smartphone screen.

But as you learn how to date online, you’ll gradually get more and more comfortable doing it. Before long, you’ll be going on dates on a regular basis and increasing the chances of you walking down the aisle sometime soon.

Would you like some more tips on online dating? Check out our blog to find out other ways to meet your match digitally.