Common Senior Dating Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Online dating websites are an excellent way for older people to meet other people for friendship, casual dates and even a long term relationship. While online dating is very convenient, it’s also easy to make mistakes when using the Internet to meet people. So, what are the most common senior dating mistakes, and how can you avoid them?

1. Signing up to the Wrong Type of Dating Site

The biggest mistake that seniors make when it comes to online dating is signing up to the wrong type of dating site. If you don’t sign up to the right type of site, your chances of finding a date are lower, and you will be essentially wasting your time.

While regular dating sites, like eHarmony, can be great places to meet people, they are not ideal for seniors. You can search for older members, but some generic sites don’t let over 50’s join.

That’s why sites that cater specifically to senior dating are much better. Sites like Senior Match and Our Time are much better suited to senior daters.

2. Not Being Honest

It can be tempting to lie when it comes to creating your online dating profile or when chatting with other members, but it’s not a good idea. Firstly, it gives other members a false impression of who you are. So, you will attract other users, based on the fake you, which is not what you want. You want people to be interested in you for who you really are. Aside from that, lying is not the way to build a good relationship with someone, as if they find out that you have lied to them it will break their trust.

3. Being Too Negative

No one wants to date a Debbie downer, so make sure that you are always positive in your approach to online dating. Don’t put things like “I’ve tried online dating in the past, but it didn’t work” on your profile or in messages to other members.
While you may have had difficulties dating in the past, you don’t want to bring them up online. Go into online dating with an open mind and a positive attitude, and you will be much more likely to have success.

4. Using the Wrong Type of Photo or No Photo At All

When it comes to online dating, using the right type of photo is so important. Make sure that you use a recent photo of yourself. It may be tempting to use an old photo of yourself, but it’s not a good idea. If you plan to meet up with people that you meet online, you don’t want to deceive them by putting up an old photograph.

Also, make sure that you photo shows you clearly. Using a photo with bad lighting or a low quality photo is not ideal, as people will not be able to see what you look like properly. So, make sure that your photo has good lighting and isn’t grainy. Finally, make sure that you don’t choose a photo where you can’t properly see your face, like one of you wearing sunglasses or a hat.

5. Trying to Rush Things

With online dating, like traditional dating, it can take time to meet someone. While online dating does speed the process up a little, you still need to be patient. Don’t try senior online dating for a few days and then give up if you don’t meet someone. It won’t happen overnight. But, after some time and effort, you will find someone that suits you.

6. Not Being Proactive

It can be tempting to put up a dating profile and then just sit back and wait for people to come to you. But that’s not how online dating works. Realistically, you need to be proactive. You need to take the time to search for other members and initiate contact with them.

7. Giving Away too Much Information

While being a trusting person is a good thing, online you do need to take some precautions. Don’t give away personal information, like where you work, on your dating profile. When talking with people, also be careful not to overshare.

So make sure that you avoid these mistakes and you’ll have a much more successful online dating experience.