Choosing Matchmaking Sites
The ancient practice of matchmaking has entered the 21st century via the Internet. Finding your soul mate can happen through chat rooms, IMs, social network sites and email. With hundreds of online sites, we offer information to help you choose the one that fits your needs.
Classic matchmaking techniques take in the whole person when matching personalities, lifestyles, values, special interests and hobbies to pair up people for lasting relationships. A reputable site like adultfrienedfinder will offer you compatible matches, in-depth profiles and safe and anonymous communication.
Service Fees – There are sites that offer online compatibility profiles for free by earning from their advertising space; but as they say, “you get what you pay for.” Then there are mid-range sites that ask a minimal fee, only if you use additional space for photos or pages or for links in your profile. Full member fees usually allow ample space for your profile and pictures; members also have access to powerful search tools, advice and support. Most matchmaking services charge between $20 and $25 a month per subscription.
Payment Options – Establish a budget before choosing matchmaking service. Some sites charge a one-time membership fees and others require a monthly charge to your credit card. Most services accept money orders and checks, as well as credit cards. Look for discounts when paying for multiple months.
Reputation and Security – By working with an established online site, many of the possible problems that can happen with a new site have been resolved and there will be a greater number of registered members than a new service. Not only will your profile include personal information, you will also be sharing financial information when you become a member and must be confident in the legitimacy of the service and security of your personal information. Also, for the most part, well-established matchmaking services have the best personality tests because they have more resources to put into their design.
Compatibility Points – Sites that offer a wide range of compatibility criteria will provide a much more exacting match. eHarmony and Match are two of the more popular sites that offer a diverse and extensive degree of matching points. Others, like Lavalife, make life a little easier by having separate communities within their sites for different types of relationship.
On the flip side, if you’re looking for a specific characteristic in a potential match, i.e. religious, ethnicity, political, body type, lifestyle, etc. you have the option of joining a specialized site geared toward that quality. The advantage of choosing a matchmaking site that is dedicated to a particular type of relation-ship is that everyone is on exactly the same page in terms of intentions.
Matchmaking Searches – With most paid memberships you have access to search tools ranging from simple profile and wish lists to more sophisticated tools that are based on personality and other tests that result in more detailed information in the profiles and wish lists. Opt for an automatic search and you will receive new match details by email on a regular basis.
Photo Opportunities – While most matchmaking services offer the option of uploading your photographs, you must understand the policy of the site before agreeing to join. The more options you have to include a variety of photos the more opportunities you will have to put your best foot forward and offer a clear picture of who you are to those who preview your online profile.
Personality Testing – Almost all personality tests are free to take and usually go hand-in-hand with matchmaking tools to help search for compatible people. By taking several tests and judging the results, you can find out which site will do the best job of helping you find your perfect match. If the results are a true reflection, they’ll be a true reflection of potential matches, too.
Test Run – One of the great options that some matchmakings sites offer is a ‘trial’ period allowing access to all the full-subscriber features and profiles before committing to a subscription. However, they may limit how many contacts you can make. But it is a great way to get your feet wet.
Matchmaking Service – A more serious option is to hire a matchmaking service. With a stricter selection process, this service is usually geared toward those looking for a serious long-term relationship. Typically you’ll receive just a handful of potential partners over a length of time. For example, eHarmony advises clients not to expect more than one or two matches a month. If you choose to enlist a Matchmaking service, you will need to allow the “experts” complete control over who is right for you and who is not.
Personal Recommendations – Talk to friends, colleagues and family to get feedback on their positive or negative experiences with matchmaking sites. Personal referrals may offer the most successful suggestions because the people closest to you have the advantage of knowing the real you.
Don’t hesitate to change to another matchmaking site midstream or to be active in multiple services. If a particular site doesn’t meet your expectations, move on before you’ve invested too much time or money into the effort.