Dating is hard – even for millennials. With a new app on the market, Facebook Dating, it can be even more daunting to figure out how to date. Unlike Tinder where people swipe left or right on profiles, Facebook Dating matches you with people you have friends in common with or who are in your extended network.
See: Facebook dating safety tips
This is good because it prevents the every-man-for-himself mentality of Tinder. It also means that chatting with someone before meeting them probably won’t happen—unless you’re both looking for a relationship and not just a hook up.
There are some things to keep in mind while using this new app, so here’s a guide to help you avoid some pitfalls and have a successful experience using Facebook Dating!
The Pros and Cons of Facebook Dating
If you’re considering Facebook Dating, there are some pros and cons to be aware of.
On the pro side, not everyone on dating apps is there to find a hook up. In fact, research from Pew shows that over half of Americans who have used a dating app have been looking for a relationship. This is great news for people who want to date seriously!
The downside of Facebook Dating is that you’ll have a lot less information about your potential match before meeting them in person. Customer reviews for online dating sites show how important it’s been to date someone in person before accepting or rejecting them.
On these sites, people often found out that photos can be misleading when viewed from an angle or that their dates were much older than they expected. With Facebook Dating, there’s no opportunity to see what someone looks like until you meet them face-to-face.
Setting Up Your Profile for Success
Alright, it’s time to set up your profile. You might be thinking, “How do I make this look like me?” It’s tempting to go with the safe route and put up a stock photo of you smiling in front of your BMW. But please don’t do that.
Even if you’re not photogenic, take some photos of yourself using your phone camera. Try different poses and facial expressions—it will help you come across as more genuine than just posing for a snapshot in one pose.
Another thing to keep in mind is what you write about yourself. Sure, it’s nice to mention that you love skiing and traveling, but don’t forget about the things that are more relatable to people on Facebook Dating who are looking for something long-term. Try talking about how you love watching Game of Thrones or how much you want children someday.
It may seem like oversharing at first glance, but these personal facts can help attract potential partners who share your interests. And hey—if it works out well, maybe they’ll even move near where you live!
What to Do When You Get Matched
One of the first things to do once you’ve been matched with someone on the app is to send a message. Remember, just because two people have been matched doesn’t mean they’re going to chat with each other. You’ll want to initiate a conversation as soon as possible if you want to keep your potential match.
Some people may even be put off by silence from a new “friend.” It’s not rude or weird either – it’s just how some people are wired. If you don’t reach out after being matched, then your match will most likely swipe on and find a new match before they return back to messaging you again.
If you’re not sure what to say, reach out and offer something general like asking about their day or an article they posted recently. A few days later, try going for more personal topics like what their favorite movie is or what they studied in college. Chatting about these types of things can help break the ice and foster a connection between two people who don’t know much about one another yet.
Making the Most of Your Matches
If you’re like most people, you want to make the most of your Facebook Dating experience. This means getting the date (or hook up) that you really want. To help ensure that happens, there are a few things to keep in mind when using the app.
First, be specific about what you’re looking for. If you’re not interested in chatting with someone who is just looking for a hookup, don’t waste their time by swiping right on their profile! You can also adjust your preferences so potential matches only see your photos or posts if they share similar interests.
Second, avoid being too picky about who you match with. The more people you swipe right on and show interest in, the higher chance of finding someone who shares your interests and wants to meet up with you!
Third, it’s important to know what kind of relationship you’re looking for before using Facebook Dating. Whether it’s just a hook up or something more – it’s always better if both parties are on the same page.
How to Stay Safe on Facebook Dating
This is the most important tip for using Facebook Dating. The app is designed to link you up with people in your extended network, but that doesn’t mean they’re all safe people.
If you’re meeting someone new, always tell a friend where you are going and what you’ll be doing. You can also use apps like Life360 or Google Maps to track your location. It’s even better if you have the person’s phone number so they can track you too!
Another way to stay safe is by talking on the phone before meeting someone in person. This will help ensure that this person isn’t a potential stalker or criminal. You can use services like Skype or FaceTime so there is no confusion about who you are talking to.
The last tip for staying safe on Facebook Dating is don’t meet at night unless it’s daytime where they live! This will ensure that it’s light out and if anything goes wrong, there are other people around who can help.
If you want to do some research on this person before meeting them, Facebook has an option called “Checkpoint” which allows users to see photos of that person and their friends, among other things like shared interests and mutual friends.
How to have a successful experience on Facebook Dating
Don’t bother with the app if you’re only looking for a hook up—only people looking for relationships will be matched.
Only accept friend requests from people you actually know. Accepting friend requests from other users on Facebook Dating can put your personal information at risk, so don’t give into that temptation.
Make sure your profile is complete and up-to-date before diving in! Some people may feel like they don’t need to work on their profiles because they’re only using the app to find dates, but it’s better to complete your profile with accurate information than to make it appear incomplete or inaccurate.
Be genuine! Don’t create a fake identity or lie about who you are on Facebook Dating; can come back to bite you later on. This means not making yourself out to be more attractive than you are, too! For example, if you’re not attractive, don’t pretend that you are by adding flattering photos of yourself where none exist. Instead, focus on the qualities that make you attractive and interesting; not just physical ones.
Double check your settings! Make sure that your posts on Facebook live feed aren’t set to public, because only friends of friends would see them otherwise.
How does Facebook Dating work?
Facebook Dating works differently from other dating apps because it doesn’t let you swipe through profiles. Instead, you will see people in your extended network and those whom you have friends in common with.
Secondly, Facebook Dating’s algorithm isn’t based on the number of times you match or chat with someone. Rather, it is based on how long you actually spend talking to someone before meeting them offline. When you open up the app and log in, you will see a few potential matches at a time—and the more people you talk to and meet offline, the more matches will appear for you.
This means that chatting with someone before meeting them might not happen—unless both parties are looking for a relationship and not just a hookup. However, this also means that there won’t be any awkward conversations like “What are we?” as soon as an encounter ends because if either party isn’t interested in progressing beyond online chat, they won’t pursue to meet offline.
Why should you use it?
Facebook Dating is a new way to meet potential partners. It’s different than other dating sites which make you pay before you can chat with anyone. Facebook Dating lets you sign up without paying anything, but it does require that you have a Facebook account—so if you’re not on the social media site, this app isn’t for you.
When using Facebook Dating, it’s important to remember that this is real life. You should be aware of what information you are putting out there and who might see it. This app has many privacy settings so remember to check them all!
Facebook Dating also has some safety features in place, but they aren’t foolproof. Make sure your location is set to ‘only me’ so no one can see where you are at all times.
What to do before you start using Facebook Dating
Before diving right into Facebook Dating, you should take some time to think about what you’re looking for in a date. Remember, this is not like Tinder where you swipe left or right on profiles to find someone. You’ll be getting matches based on who your friends are and who is in your extended network.
So, take some time to determine what you want. Do you want a casual relationship? Maybe something serious? Or maybe you’re looking for the love of your life? Whatever it is, set a goal before you start using Facebook Dating so that when someone comes along who seems perfect, you don’t get stuck trying to figure out what’s next.
What not to do on Facebook Dating
- Don’t send a generic message. Instead, be creative and interesting.
- Don’t send your photo right away. Give them time to message you first before sending a photo of yourself.
- Don’t be overly sexual or crude in your messages.
- Don’t forget to read the other person’s profile! You should know their interests before you start talking to them.
That is it on The Ultimate Guide to Facebook Dating for Single Millennials. I hope this article was helpful. Kindly share it with your friends and loved ones so that they will also get to learn about it.
