How to use online matchmaking effectively

Online matchmaking is probably the easiest and most effective way to find a large number of single people that you can really connect with.

But you can't just log-in and hope that great singles will find you: you have to be proactive in seeking them out. And that means exploiting matchmaking services to their fullest potential.

How matchmaking services work

The point of matchmaking sites is to bring together people who are most likely to appeal to each other, based on their stated characteristics, interests, and goals.

All of the dating services we review use some form of matchmaking to connect their users. After all, they only make money if you find someone you like, so it's in their own interest that you do so!

Here's a quick guide to making the most of the opportunity provided by the better matchmaking sites:

When you first register, you will be asked several general questions about yourself. They are usually very basic in nature, dealing with your age, gender, and geographic location. The matchmaking system may also ask you about what sort of relationship you are looking for, and what qualities you seek in the singles you're looking for.

Be careful about how you answer these! Be honest, and as specific as the system will allow. Being too general here, or outright inaccurate will hamper your efforts later on.


Some of the better matchmaking services will allow you to answer many more questions, to further describe yourself.

You'll be asked about everything from a detailed physical description, to questions relating to your interests, hobbies, and career, as well as questions designed to help you describe your personality in a way that everyone can understand what you are like in person.

Be sure to take full advantage of every opportunity to tell as much as possible about yourself.


Our top-rated matchmaking sites, Udate and Kiss,allow you to go one step further. They use the most extensive questionnaire to dig deeper into your lifestyle, physical characteristics, and general preferences in order to find the singles that you are most likely to "click" with.

They also allow you to state countless preferences about the men or women that you'll be matched with. You can read the answers to as many as one hundred different questions, to really drill down and find people that you'll be a lock to get along with.


Of course that's not enough (you still have to talk to those singles) but knowing what the other guy or gal is all about will give you the ability to quickly find common ground, and minimize those awkward moments that are bound to occur between two people who've never met.


One last tip: online matchmaking services really do work, but they work even better in conjunction with photos. Sometimes, a picture can tell a thousands words, so if you are serious about having singles knocking on your e-mail door, include a great-looking pic of yourself with your profile.


Read our reviews of the best dating services.