Online dating is fast becoming the most popular way to meet new people, with technology making dating faster, more efficient and more convenient. It’s estimated that around 300 million people used online dating services in 2021, and this number is growing each year. However, while meeting people online is easier than traditional dating, there’s no doubt that it can be challenging to get your personality across. To make connections with the people you match with, it’s important to be able to flirt and show your fun side.

Whether you’re looking for love or simply trying to meet people that are interesting to you, being able to date online is essential. In this article, we’ll share some tips for online flirting, helping you improve your game and show off to your future matches.

The First Step

Making the first move is always the hardest, but it’s at least easier when it comes to online dating. You have the person’s entire profile in front of you, which should hopefully include lots of pictures and some information about their interests and hobbies. In addition, it’s a lot less nerve-wracking to approach online, and you have all the time in the world to come up with your message.

Still, you need to craft a message that will grab the attention, preferably by referencing something about their profile. Avoid sending a simple “hey”, as this is pretty uninspiring and certainly not flirty. Instead, make a joke about a common interest, or compliment one of her pictures. The key to a successful first step is to send something original, but it doesn’t have to be ground-breaking, so don’t devote too much time to it.

Maintaining Interest

Once you have their attention, you have to build on it as much as you can. Once again, don’t try and force it, and try to be yourself. Flirting should be fun and natural while allowing you to get to know the other person. Ask them about their interests and try to find more to go on here. Don’t just ask basic questions, you should be looking to get to know them and who they are.

Sometimes, there’s nothing there, and things won’t click between you. However, you shouldn’t lose hope. There are plenty of other matches out there and provided you’re being yourself, you’ll still find the right person for you.

Build Tension

Just as you would build tension when flirting in real life, you can build tension when talking to your online match. Give them subtle yet clear indications of your interest, keeping it light and flirty rather than being too forward too soon. You may find this hard at first, but once you find a rhythm it gets a lot easier. Eventually, you’ll find the right way to do it, where you can keep building tension over time.

When building tension, you’ll realise that there are no shortcuts and nothing should be rushed. It’s good to arrange to meet in person, but it doesn’t have to be as soon as there’s a connection. Continue building that tension until you’re both desperate to meet one another.

Arranging Your Date

While online dating is fun, the ultimate goal should be to meet in person and create a real relationship. When it comes to arranging your date, you want to choose somewhere that allows you to continue the flirting. This should include physical contact and eye contact, allowing you to continue building that tension that you’ve already worked for.

Don’t be afraid to introduce physical contact during the date, but be sure to always be respectful and considerate of their feelings. If you find that things aren’t going well, you can back off and readjust.

Main image: charlesdeluvio