Ruby McKenzie
If you’re an Asian single and considering entering the world of online dating, there are a few things to know as you prepare to take your first steps on your quest for romance.
From looking at the stats to considering a matchmaker, here’s what you need to be aware of to have the best chance of meeting someone special.
Check Out the Numbers
Before committing to a dating site or app, consider all the options carefully. If you are specifically looking for other Asian singles, your best bet is to either sign up for Asian dating sites that cater specifically to this demographic, such as East Meets East or look for a mainstream site with a high Asian subscriber base.
Taking some time to find a dating platform that’ll suit you best and that you’ll feel the most comfortable using is well worth it: many dating sites offer a free trial period or the ability to look around without committing to signing up to get a feel for how things work.
Completing the Profile Info is Vital
Filling in your dating profile as fully as possible and in a way that conveys your unique, awesome personality is crucial. Including your background, dialects, and languages is essential to find a match who shares your culture and interests.
Finding a Serious Match
While there are many dating sites out there geared toward finding love, plenty are designed to be used by those looking for a fun fling or a summer romance. For many Asian singles, the importance of family is uppermost. They’re looking for a serious relationship leading to long-term commitment, with marriage often the end goal when embarking on dating.
If this is in line with what you’re looking for, then only sign up for sites where you have a good chance of meeting other singles who share your values and are also looking for someone to form a serious relationship with.
Dealing with Stereotypical Views
It’s an unhappy fact that, while most of those you’ll encounter on a dating platform will be decent, open-minded people simply looking for love, you may interact with someone demonstrating prejudicial or stereotypical views. Research has found that a significant number of Asian women active on dating sites have been approached in such a way: being labeled as ‘exotic’ or ‘mysterious,’ yet ‘docile’ is a fairly common complaint.
If you receive any communication on a dating site that makes you uncomfortable, don’t hesitate to cease messaging and, if necessary, block the individual and report them to the platform.
Love Across the Borders
When choosing a dating site, you’ll also need to think about whether you’re looking for love locally or if you’d prefer, or are open to, finding an international match. Some sites that specifically cater to Asian singles have large databases of members living in, for example, Thailand, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines, so consider your preferences in this regard, too.
Considered a Matchmaker?
Finally, before signing up for an online dating app, have you considered the services of an Asian matchmaker? These companies handpick matches for their clients, and the best ones will uphold their clients’ safety by verifying the personal information these potential matches provide.
A matchmaking service will meet with you to get to know you and ask you several questions before seeking the perfect match for you. After the date, a representative will liaise with you and your potential partner to determine if things went well and if a second date should be arranged. If things don’t go well, the feedback provided can be invaluable to future success! This option is worth considering if trawling through large databases of profiles and reams of messages isn’t how you’d prefer to do things.
Tips for Online Dating
You can take a few easy steps to help you find romance on an online dating platform.
Firstly, ensure that you’ve completed every section of your bio as fully as possible and also stipulate, if required, what you are (and aren’t) looking for in a partner. When it comes to your photos, your main profile picture should show your face clearly, and looking at the camera – leave out any arty side-on shots or filters. The other shots should include no more than one group photo (which should definitely not be used as your main pic) and should express your personality and give the viewer a sense of your lifestyle.
When it comes to messaging, make things interesting from the off. Avoid generic intros like ‘hey’ or ‘how are you?’ instead, engage your potential match in a conversation. People love talking about themselves, so read through their profile carefully and ask them something related to the information it contains. For example, if they’ve mentioned that they love to travel, ask them about the country they haven’t yet been to that’s next on their list of places they want to visit.
And finally – keep things in perspective, and enjoy the journey. Online dating can be a frustrating process, but if you maintain an open mind, there’s every chance that romance will find you.
