Dating via social media: Facebook, Instagram & Co

If you are looking for true love online, there are numerous dating websites that can help with your search. There are large, global dating sites and smaller dating sites with a more regional focus. If you don’t want to use websites or just can’t find the right partner on them, there are alternatives to the conventional dating sites. A new relationship can also be found on social media. At first this might sound strange and finding a new relationship on social media is probably harder than on a traditional dating site.

Not every profile you come across and contact will result in a conversation or date to build a relationship. In some cases, larger efforts may be necessary to find a relationship on social media. However, thanks to different groups and hashtags, similar interests can be found and a conversation started. Social media providers, such as Facebook, also offer separate dating platforms on their apps and websites. The following article will shed more light on how social channels can be used for new contacts and maybe even true love.

First contact

Anyone deciding to look for a new relationship or new contacts via social media should first take a closer look at the platforms and their functions. Hashtags are omnipresent on almost all social media platforms. They are basically keywords used to search for anything on the platforms. On Facebook, for example, we see corresponding posts or groups with hashtags. On Instagram you get suggested images that match the hashtags. This makes it easier to find people with similar interests.

Dating sites usually do not offer such comprehensive search options, this is an advantage of social media. Also, you will find significantly more active users on these platforms compared to many dating sites. However, it is important to remember that people on social media platforms are not necessarily looking for a new relationship. That’s where you will have to put in more work compared to dating sites to identify who is not already in a relationship. On Facebook most people list their relationship status on their profile. On Instagram you will have to go through the pictures to get clues.

Friendly conversations

Once you do find a suitable person/profile, you can then move on to establishing initial contact. You might not want to lead with the fact that you are looking for a new relationship, that might be too pushy for many people and scare them off. Rather engage in regular conversation to build trust and discover whether there are common interests. Social media is not primarily about dating and requires a different approach than on dating sites.

When you do get an interesting conversation going and your interests and values match, you can then focus on and bring up the topic of relationships and love. Many social media platforms now offer free video chats allowing you to get to know your potential partner even better. However, not everybody does like video chat. You should never force it but address it depending on the dynamics of the conversation. If the person you’re talking to isn’t interested in a relationship, maybe you can at least remain friends and widen your social circle.

Long-distance love

Most dating sites allow you to search for potential partners within a certain radius. This way you can meet people in your vicinity. However, social channels do not offer that option. You can try searching for people close by using hashtags, but it is not a very accurate tool, and you are not guaranteed to find a match close by. As such you need to ask yourself – would I be open to a long-distance relationship?

Long-distance relationships can be in the same country but may also extend far beyond national borders. If you choose to date via social media, you should be ready for a long-distance relationship. Thanks to our digital world, such a relationship is not too difficult these days. Nevertheless, trust and communication play a much more important role in such a relationship. This makes finding a relationship through social platforms much more difficult.

Dating via Facebook

With over 2 billion users, Facebook is still the most important social media today. However, not all users are looking for a new relationship and are not always a match due to age or lack of common interests. Still, Facebook can be one of the best social platforms for finding a new relationship.

Searching on Facebook is very well designed. If you search for a hashtag or a term of interest, you will find many relevant posts and groups. In addition, you can also search for the city you live in or the surrounding area. And if you include “dating” or “relationship” in the search, you will find suggested groups that deal with the search for a relationship and possibly suitable conversation partners also looking for true love.

Facebook dating

Besides the general search for a partner on Facebook there is also Facebook Dating. By introducing Facebook Dating, the site operators want to help us find new relationships. As on regular dating websites, you can make new contacts here and maybe even find true love. It is solely dedicated to dating, giving people with the same goal an extra platform to meet each other.

Once logged in, Facebook takes a closer look at your groups, interests and events you have participated in. Some possible partners will then be suggested based on that. Due to the very large number of users on Facebook, dating with this feature is a good alternative to traditional dating sites. Facebook Dating also allows you to be more specific in what you’re looking for giving you more opportunities to find a suitable partner.

Conclusion to dating via social media – is it worth it?

Finding true love via social media is by no means easy. Regular dating sites have a clear outset, both parties want the same thing. On social platforms however, it’s usually more about friendships and not true love. So, if you’re looking for a new relationship via social media, you’ll probably have to put in more effort, the search here could take longer. In addition, you should also be open for a long-distance relationship. Without precise search options, our potential partner could live far away.

However, searching for a relationship via social media is certainly possible. You can find new contacts and start conversations here, especially through shared interests. Through Facebook Dating, for example, we are also given a different platform by the operator when looking for a new relationship. Due to the high number of members, social media does have one advantage compared to normal dating sites.