About 40% of couples meet online – the question is how to do it right and get results

The idea of looking across of a room and your eyes locking is romantic, but it happening less now thanks to your phone. According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, about 39% of heterosexual couples and 65% of same-sex couples.  Approaching someone on a dating app give you some guidance, you are both there to meet someone at the very least.  But meeting on other general sites can be a bit tougher, so you need the best tips to slide into someone’s DMs right.

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Whether Reddit or Instagram, people go online for a variety of meetings, and while meeting the love of your life sounds great – some people just want to post about the amazing ice cream they just enjoyed.  So finding the right way is key.  And it is best to think of it as fishing, lots of patience and not very many bites on the hook.

Don’t overthink or overplay the approach

Many people spend more time worrying, or worse, fantasizing about what happens after the send the text. It is easy to live through many scenarios in your mind, but it doesn’t really get you anywhere.  Make the move quickly and keep in respectful and light. Until you know each other and things seems to be moving the same general direction, don’t romanticize it, you will trip yourself up if you two are not in sync with expectations.

Keep your social media profile looking good

Contacting a stranger through DM has a two-part plan for success: your message and your profile. Keep your profile up to date, post things that you’re interested in, and have some nice profile pictures at your disposal. Avoid having TV or movie characters and memes as profile photos, since these make people think you’re a troll. Also, work hard on trying to have a unique voice online. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.

Get to know them through their profile

Do your research and message them about something that they like. And whatever you do, avoid sending a DM that just says “you’re hot.” If you’re trying to reach someone on Twitter, reply to one of their tweets with something smart or interesting, maybe a funny gif if you’re that type of person. If you’re DMing on Instagram, avoid commenting creepily on their photos from two years ago. Reply to one of their stories or most recent photos instead.

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Be aware that your odds of success are low

Social media has basically given us carte blanche to thirst over strangers and interact with them, even if we don’t have thousands of followers. If you want your DM to survive the masses and be special, it’s best to be nice about it and avoid pestering people. It’s that simple.