Social Media Can Help You Find Love

The season of Cupid, Valentine's and all things lovey-dovey is upon us. As February the 14th draws near, people in the social media world are online and showing their love for family, friends, partners, pets and the suchlike. The pressure of the romantic season can get a bit much for some, who use the event as an excuse to set up a dating profile or locate an ex of some sort on their Facebook accounts. In this day and age, online dating is no longer taboo, and people proudly announce their love was first ignited on a dating website. The UK is home to 15 million British singletons, according to dating site parship, and online dating is an easy and exciting way for many of them to find love or companionship. Online dating websites have grown so much in the last few years, that competition between them is quite high. Nowadays, there's something for everyone; be it normal, niche or naughty. The digital dating world knows no bounds, free or at a cost, and there's no reason why you can't find your perfect partner on the internet.

Source: sasstag.com

Last year, USA Today reported that more than one-third of new marriages started online. But the industry is changing, and people aren't just looking for a potential life partner, they want to experiment with networking and connecting on social media as well. There are various ways to find that future someone, and however you go about it, there's a good chance it will end in success. However, with all good things, there can be a negative side, and your fairytale love story could also become a nightmare. As profiles and online personalities are created behind a screen, there's no knowing if the person you are talking to are who they really say they are. For this reason, dating networking sites are growing in popularity; giving people the reassurance of mutual friends or open profiles. Privacy is an issue that worries social media users in general, but there is no reason why this should get in the way of finding love online. The rule applies to all forms of social networking; stay safe and be aware of giving out too much information too soon. With various dating sites and apps popping up everywhere, there is no reason why, with a little caution, you can't find something that you are comfortable with using.

If you are bored with the awkward chat-up lines, weirdos in bars or the whole to-make-eye-contact-or-not-to-make-eye-contact, then online dating may be for you. There are various ways to enter into the virtual dating world, depending on what you're looking for, your age, or your interests. Some people choose to stick with what's comfortable, and use their Facebook or Twitter accounts. Facebook and similar networking sites are all about maintaining relationships and reconnecting you with old friends or mutual friends. Based more upon who you already know, some people prefer the idea of staying in a limbo between their online/offline social circles. After the release of the recent MTV Match Machine, finding your perfect match on Facebook could be a lot more possible.

Not to be forgotten, there are countless traditional online dating websites, all boasting very high match success rates. One in five relationships now start online, and the industry has become so successful that it has recently been valued at more than £2 billion. Traditional dating websites are generally focused on forming relationships between two people, and many people who frequent the sites are normally looking for love or marriage. Sites like eHarmony, match.com or cupid.com, (to name but a few), have all experienced huge growth in recent years, and their success rates just seem to keep growing.

Despite this, many people are looking for a more unique online dating experience. Others would prefer a platform similar to their everyday social media usage; something mobile friendly, or quick and fun to use. These new dating apps blend elements of social networking and traditional dating websites together, to create something much more unique and personalised for singles. There are various methodologies to these dating apps: MySingleFriend is composed of blurbs about potential partners, written by their bessie mates; Veggie Romance is aimed at Vegan and Vegetarian singletons; Tastebuds matches you on your music taste; Flirt.com for people looking for something a bit cheeky; there are religious dating websites; foodie dating site or ones aimed at single parents.

Source: sodahead.com

For younger audiences, there are lots of apps that link to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or similar, incorporating online dating into their everyday lives, and making love online a current trend. There are currently 4.5 million matches a day on Tinder, a sort of modern day hot-or-not app, whose main demographic is 18-24 year-olds.

Source: huffingtonpost.com

There are tons of quirkier sites online, too. If you're into clowns, for example, then just head on over to clowndating. People in uniforms more your thing? Then why not join Uniform Dating. If rich, older men are more your type, then visit SugarDaddy (men are required to pay subscription, women join free). Whatever you're looking for, it's pretty much a certainty that you'll find it. So in the spirit of Valentine's, why not try it out, even if it is just for a bit of fun.

Charlotte Callaghan

Charlotte is a trainee journalist, who loves writing about anything and everything. Currently an intern at Social Media Frontiers, you can follow her @charlotteatsmf and @CharlotteR_4

Contact us on Twitter, on Facebook, or leave your comments below. To find out about social media training or management why not take a look at our website for more info http://socialmediacambridge.co.uk/