Although developers of dating apps try to involve users in every possible way and actively implement gamification elements into their services, these efforts do not always bear fruit. A person’s attempts to get acquainted with the application may turn into a tiresome routine and cause nothing but irritation. Endless swipes left and right, the same user profiles, absolutely identical matchmaking algorithms — all these have long become boring. Faced with the fact that today, about 17% of all marriages begin with online dating, millions of people prefer to get acquainted in the real world. Simply put it this way; they don’t know how to do it right.
Today, as a result, we will talk about why traditional online dating is going through a period of crisis, how contemporaries are trying to return to offline dating, and why the best way out of this situation is a combination of online and offline dating.
Using online video chat — dating at the intersection of online and offline
Let’s get straight to the point! Technically, video chat is online dating, it’s impossible to argue about that. You meet and communicate with people on the Web. However, from the point of view of psychology and perception, this dating format is as close as possible to offline dating for several reasons:
- Dating is always random: Imagine that you are walking down the street and a random passer-by decides to talk to you. You cannot predict who it will be, what he will want to talk about, and what your acquaintance will eventually become. Everything is the same in random video chats!
- You see the interlocutor in front of you: Moreover, you hear their voice, watch facial expressions and gestures, and read intonations and body language. It feels almost like in real life.
- Each acquaintance in a video chat is like a first date: You and your interlocutor get to know each other, look for common interests and topics for conversation, show sympathy, etc. The dating process is much faster than in any classic dating app.
At the same time, you should not assume that online video chat is always random. Most modern video chats allow you to use the basic settings to search for interlocutors: geolocation, gender, age, list of interests, and more. You can “direct” the algorithm with whom you would like to communicate and in turn, will try to select the most suitable interlocutors for you. The algorithm is very simple and quite effective at the same time.
Omegle was one of the first video chats in history. There was no gender filter, but it had a search by interests. It was the first platform to offer a completely new format of online dating. It randomly connected users around the world, providing the opportunity to communicate in real-time via video. Problems with content moderation on Omegle grew every year and in 2023 Omegle management announced the closure of the platform.
We suggest you pay attention to the following webcam chats:
- CooMeet: This is Omegle 18+ alternative that primarily grabs attention with its flawless gender filter. When registering, the ladies must confirm the account data, thanks to which fakes and bots are not hidden behind female profiles. Additionally, the system can connect men exclusively with ladies without making mistakes due to such verification. In addition, CooMeet has great apps for iOS and Android, a built-in message translator, and a good customer support team.
- Bazoocam: This is a slightly outdated but very popular Omegle alternative. There are practically no settings for searching for interlocutors, but there are online mini-games and a built-in video streaming platform. If you’re looking for variety and aren’t too picky, then Bazoocam might be a good option for you.
- Azar: This is a pretty good mix of random video chat and functional messenger. Azar can be recommended to those who want to meet new people and conveniently keep in touch with those they already know.
Certainly, we named only a small part of popular random video chat apps. You can find dozens of other options, among which there are sure to be many interesting and functional ones. However, to begin with, we recommend paying attention to the listed random chats. They cover most of the requirements of the modern user.
Tips for those who still prefer dating exclusively offline
- Tip #1. Get away from your phone more often
Most likely, being on the street, in the queue, in the subway, and other places, you practically do not tear yourself away from the phone. Ultimately, you will not notice the people around you and miss out on real chances to meet someone very interesting. You don’t have to try to strike up a conversation with everyone you find attractive. Nonetheless, taking your eyes off your smartphone, looking around, and at least smiling at another person is not difficult. Maybe something will come out of such an attempt.
- Tip #2. Attend offline events
All kinds of concerts, exhibitions, hobby groups, and nightclubs — all this opens up great opportunities for you to meet new people. Most importantly, it will be people with the same interests as you. This means that it will be much easier to find common topics for conversation and the right points of contact.
- Tip #3. Try speed dating and blind dates
During the Covid-19 pandemic, this format of offline dating almost died since people preferred not to contact strangers without special needs and not put their health at risk. Now, the situation is far from being so critical, and such events are gradually being revived. Yes, this is also far from an ideal dating format, but it may well turn out to be fruitful just for you.
- Tip #4. Practice Small Talks
A short conversation on abstract topics with other people is a very simple but effective tactic for finding interesting acquaintances. Nothing prevents you from exchanging a few words with a person in line for coffee or asking a person next to you on the subway what book they are currently reading and if they can recommend it. In general, the ability to conduct Small Talk is an extremely useful skill in life that will help you in so many spheres of life, not excluding finding a soulmate or new friends.
- Tip #5. Spend more time with friends and friends of friends
The circle of acquaintances of one person is rather limited — it’s true. However, when you spend time with friends and relatives, one way or another, you will get into their circle of friends. This means you are expanding your own circle of friends. Today, dating through mutual friends is one of the easiest ways to expand your own circle of acquaintances and communicate with people you might not talk to under other circumstances.
Conclusion
Finally, we would like to say that it is not worth dismissing offline dating in the 21st century. Yes, we have become much less likely to get acquainted in real life. Trying to start a conversation with someone on the street can be perceived ambiguously. Nonetheless, this is not a reason to completely abandon the idea of meeting your love outside the Internet.
We sincerely hope that our advice will help you in your search. Also, we believe that your future acquaintances will be very promising. We wish you good luck, interesting meetings, and vivid impressions from new acquaintances. Never stop making friends, your luck might be around the corner!