Facebook is a useful tool for meeting new people and staying in contact with old friends. Since its launch, Facebook users have been able to link their profile to their university or high school as part of their bio.
But recently, another feature was introduced: Facebook Dating. If you’re a single person looking to meet new people and find that special someone, then you might want to know more about the pros and cons of using dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, or OKCupid.
Even though these are all different dating apps with different features and user audiences, they all have one thing in common: They’re all powered by Facebook.
That’s because millions of people already use these apps on a regular basis; creating an opportunity for them to also integrate their account with the same email address they link to Facebook.
It’s not secret that dating apps are a popular way to meet new people and possibly find someone special. However, not everyone uses dating apps. In fact, many people have reservations about using them, which is partly why their usage has dropped in the last couple of years.
But whether you’re comfortable with the idea or not, Facebook has launched a new dating feature within its app. While there are plenty of dating apps out there, creating your own within the framework of one of the largest social networks on the planet is perhaps one of the most ingenious ideas we’ve seen yet.
This article will give you 19 tips on how to use Facebook’s Dating feature if you’re single and interested in meeting other like-minded people.
1. Decide Which Gender You Want to Date Beforehand
While Facebook Dating is open to all genders, you should decide beforehand which gender you want to date. This is largely because the feature is designed around mutual friends, and if you’re only interested in dating people of one gender, you’ll eliminate a large chunk of potential matches.
It’s also important to note that people can select a gender that doesn’t correspond with their own. This means that if you only want to date women, you should likely set your preferences to “women” instead of “men.”
There’s no reason to limit yourself to dating just one gender, but it’s important to at least make a conscious decision about what you’re looking for. This can help to streamline a lot of the dating process and ensure that you’re only meeting people who are interested in dating you as well.
2. Turn On Location Services
While you don’t need to tell Facebook that you’re interested in dating so that you can start using the dating feature, you do need to turn on location services. This means that you’ll let Facebook know that you’re interested in dating people in your area.
While you can still swipe right on people who are in other areas and still talk to them, you won’t be shown any potential matches who are outside of your location.
If you want to find people in your area, you need to turn on location services. This can be done through your phone’s settings, and you don’t even need to turn it on for the rest of your phone’s apps — just Facebook.
3. Be Choosing Your Own Dates and Meet-ups
While you can swipe right and find people who are interested in dating you as well as people who have swiped right on you, you have to actually select the potential dates that you want to go on.
This means that you’re in control of who you talk to and actually meet up with. While this is also the case with dating apps, it’s much more difficult to screen people on dating apps. This is because you’ll only see photos, names, and maybe some short bios when you first encounter someone — and you can’t be picky with who you talk to.
On Facebook Dating, you can select the people you want to talk with and have a seemingly limitless number of potential dates from which to choose.
4. Remember: This is Facebook, Not the Dark Web!
Facebook is one of the most popular social networks in the world. In fact, Facebook Dating is built within the framework of the main Facebook app, making it accessible for everyone.
While you can’t see who else is using Facebook Dating unless they message or “like” you, there’s no reason to be worried about meeting people from the dark web. There’s no reason to be nervous or feel like you’re being fooled.
All of the people you’ll meet on Facebook Dating are real people who are active on Facebook. There are plenty of ways to find people on dating apps, but Facebook Dating is perhaps the most reliable.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Turn People Down
If you’ve turned on location services and are only selecting the people you want to talk with, you don’t have to be afraid to turn people down. If someone doesn’t interest you, don’t feel pressured to talk to them or go on a date with them.
If you don’t want to talk to someone or go on a date with them, there’s no need to feel guilty about it. You don’t owe anyone anything, and if you don’t feel comfortable talking to someone, you don’t have to. That’s the beauty of being in control of who you talk to and meet up with.
6. Use Facebook to Build Confidence Before Dating Apps
If you’re nervous about using dating apps, you don’t have to jump right into Facebook Dating. You can slowly ease yourself into the dating world by first using Facebook. This can be done simply by joining groups based around dating, posting on forums, and even just talking to people in your daily life.
While you may not be talking to people in the way that you would be on dating apps, this can help you ease into being more open to meeting new people and dating. This can help you build the confidence you need to use dating apps and meet new people.
After you’ve done this, you can then slowly ease into Facebook Dating and meet people in a more controlled environment.
7. Know the basics of Facebook Dating before you start
There are a few key things that you should know about Facebook Dating before you start. First, the dating feature is currently only available in a few countries. You can check to see if your country is one of them by clicking on the blue button on the bottom left corner of your Facebook page.
This is likely due to the fact that Facebook Dating requires people to have a Facebook account and be over 18 years old, so you’re only meeting real people. Secondly, people can’t send you a message unless you’ve swiped right on them.
This means that you’re in control of who you talk to, and you don’t have to worry about spam or fake messages. Finally, once you’re active on Facebook Dating, your friends will be able to see that you’ve used the feature.
8. Don’t always believe what you see on the surface
One of the biggest challenges when meeting people online is that you don’t always know what they look like. While there are ways to get around this, such as using dating apps with video functions, you don’t always get the full picture of who you’re talking to.
This is perhaps even more relevant with Facebook Dating since you’re meeting people from your existing social network. You might be tempted to believe that someone is a certain way or has a certain background, but it’s important not to jump to conclusions based on what you see on the surface.
You don’t know everything about someone just because you see them every day at school or work.
9. Be aware of the etiquette
With any social setting, there are what can be referred to as dating “etiquette rules” – things that are expected from people when they’re in the dating scene. Before diving in, be sure to familiarize yourself with the dating etiquette that applies to this setting.
You’ll save yourself a lot of confusion and awkwardness if you’re aware of the norms that exist. One such norm is that you’re not allowed to start a conversation with someone if they are in a relationship (unless they are in an open relationship).
You can only send a connection request to someone you’ve been friends with on Facebook for at least three days.
10. Don’t share too much information
When creating your profile and posting photos, be discerning as to what information you share. Of course, you want to be open about who you are, but this isn’t the time to tell the world about your deepest, darkest secrets. Instead, try and give out a light, positive vibe, while still being true to who you are.
You don’t want to scare people away with overly personal information, and you also don’t want to be judged for being too open with your past. Likewise, your photos should be carefully selected.
You want to show people who you are as a person, but you don’t want to be too staged or inauthentic. There’s a fine line between showing who you are and putting your best foot forward.
11. Be discerning when selecting matches
Before you start swiping left and right like a maniac, decide how discerning you want to be when selecting your matches. You can be as discerning as you want: only choosing people who are within 5 miles of your location, who have a high education level, and a specific job. Or you can be less discerning and select all of the options.
It’s up to you and your specific goals with the app. Whatever you decide, be true to yourself. If you want to be more discerning, it’s best to be upfront about it before matching with someone.
You don’t want someone to get excited about a potential match and then find out that you selected the most basic matching criteria available.
12. Be cautious with whom you meet up
As you start to receive connection requests from potential matches, be cautious with whom you choose to meet up with. Sure, you know their basic information and you can see their profile photo, but as we know, appearances can be deceiving.
While you can read up on someone and see if you have any mutual friends or interests, nothing can replace meeting in person. You can ask the person questions about their profession, family life, and dreams, but you don’t know if they’re being honest.
If you sense anything off, don’t feel bad about leaving the date early. Just make sure you’re safe and that you have someone with you, just in case.
13. Don’t Be Scared of Facebook’s Dating Blind Date
So far we’ve been talking about meeting up with people you’ve already been matched with, but there is also the option to go on a “blind date.” Just like it sounds, the feature allows you to go on a blind date with someone you don’t know. All you know is that the person has the same interests as you.
To be honest, this is one of the most exciting features of Facebook Dating. You don’t know what the person looks like, so you have to judge them based on their personality. This is an excellent way to meet someone new and exciting.
If you’re nervous about going on a blind date, you can always make a joke about it. Say something like, “Hopefully things go well because I don’t know what this person looks like.” Your date will likely laugh and the conversation can move on from there.
14. Don’t Only Focus on Looks
This is one of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to dating. While it’s true that you need to find someone that you’re attracted to, don’t only focus on looks. After all, looks fade, but personality lasts forever.
You have no idea what someone’s personality is like. You might be attracted to them, but they could be a nightmare to be around. Even if they look great on paper and you like their photos, keep in mind that you don’t know anything about them.
You don’t know if they’re being honest, if they are a good person, or if they’re even compatible with you.
15. Don’t Forget to Use the “Nearby” Feature
One of the most exciting features of Facebook Dating is the “Nearby” feature. With this feature, you can see a list of people who are near you, how far away they are, and what their relationship status is.
You can then decide whether or not you’d like to message them or not. This feature is especially helpful if you’re shy and don’t want to send the first message. It’s also helpful if you’re having a bad day and don’t have the energy to initiate a conversation.
However, be careful with this feature because you don’t know who you’re messaging. If you don’t initiate a conversation face-to-face, you don’t know who you’re talking to.
16. Be Clear About Your Intentions
Before diving into the dating scene and swiping left and right like a maniac, be clear about your intentions. Are you trying to find a serious relationship or are you just trying to meet new people? Are you interested in dating multiple people at the same time? These are questions you need to ask yourself before you start swiping.
If you want to find someone serious, you need to be up front about it and select the appropriate matching criteria. You also need to remember that other people are looking for serious relationships as well. So if you’re not serious about dating, you can inadvertently mislead people into thinking that you are.
17. Meet in Public Places
When it comes time to actually go out with someone you’ve been matched with, meet in a public place. Don’t invite them over to your house or go to their place. This may sound like common sense, but you’d be surprised how often this doesn’t happen.
You don’t know who this person is, so why invite them into a private space? Instead, pick a public location. This could be a coffee shop, restaurant, museum, or library. It doesn’t matter where you go, but it needs to be somewhere public.
If they are interested in you, they’ll be happy to take you to a public place. If they refuse to meet you in public, it’s a clear sign that something is off.
18. Don’t Shave Years Off Your Age
Another common mistake people make when on dating apps is shaving years off their age. While it’s true that younger people have an advantage over older people in the dating world, don’t try and trick people into thinking that you’re younger than you are. This is a red flag to potential partners and you’ll likely find yourself getting ghost.
19. Don’t Use Facebook Dating Until You’re Hooked
Just like you wouldn’t post a dating ad on Craigslist before you’ve actually fallen in love, you shouldn’t use Facebook Dating until you’re actually interested in dating. This can be a challenge, especially with Facebook Dating’s “auto-swipe” feature that lets you swipe right on every potential match.
It’s important to remember that just because Facebook Dating shows you two people who are interested in dating you doesn’t mean that you necessarily want to date them. This is especially important with Facebook Dating because the only thing that you know about the person at first glance is their name, age, and picture.
While you can view their job, education, and other details once you start talking with them, there’s nothing to suggest that you should swipe right or left on a potential match. You should only use Facebook Dating once you’re actually interested in dating and have met one or more potential people.
