Archive

For March, 2010

Mar 29

Playing By The Rules…Keeping You Safe

By KerryNo Comments

We all like a bit of excitement in our lives, but sometimes getting it means playing by the rules. Here at Matchmeup there’s nothing more important to us than offering our Members a good time online.

We’ve listened to what you want (NO, not that!) and we’re committed to making Matchmeup a place you want to spend time and know what you’re getting.

Like surprises? Don’t we all, but sometimes we get a nasty shock too. We want to make sure that only likeminded people get to have fun on Matchmeup, so we’re going to be checking every new profile uploaded to make sure it meets the grade. If it doesn’t – you won’t be seeing it!

It’s not a one time thing either, every time a profile is changed or edited – we’ll be watching.

We all like attention, but we’re keen to make sure it’s the right sort of attention you’re getting. So we’re introducing First Message Approval on Matchmeup. All new Members will have their first message approved by us. This will help us weed out 99% of non-genuine Members who are up to no good.

We all use words to help us get what we want – and things are no different here on Matchmeup. But some people use them to deliberately mislead or misrepresent themselves to others. That’s not the sort of activity we want going on within our site. Our new system allows us to monitor profiles, messages and diaries for suspicious or inappropriate activity and put a stop to it!

If you’ve got any further questions about these new features or anything else regarding your membership on Matchmeup please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly Customer Care Team. Simply drop them an e-mail at support@globalpersonals.co.uk with your query and they’ll get back to you within 24 hours. If it can’t wait that long, why not give them a ring on 01753 271286 between 9am and 5pm, 7 days a week.

Playing by the rules doesn’t have to mean taking the fun out of it!

The Matchmeup Team

Mar 11

How to get the best possible profile photo.

By Kerry2 Comments

Striking a pose in front of the camera is fun for many people, but only serious and flattering pictures of yourself should be posted in your online dating profile photo.  Online dating is a fun and worthwhile experience but many singles online don’t even bother to contact other singles unless they first see pictures of them.  Profile photos are so important, that many members will refine their search to only see profiles that have pictures listed.  Since online dating site profile photos increase your chances of getting a date, you need to choose your pictures wisely.

Digital cameras are best to use when taking your profile photo, because they allow you more control over editing your images than non-digital.  Any photos you post of yourself should only contain images of you.  You may feel tempted to post pictures of you with your pet, or you with your niece or nephew, but that’s not a good idea.  The person who stumbles across your profile should not have to question who the other person is in your photo. Your online dating photo also needs to be a recent photo of yourself and it should be a head-shot, not a body shot.  Anyone who posts a dated photo of themselves when they were 50 pounds lighter and wrinkle free will risk being resented when on the first date, the person who contacts you can clearly see that you misrepresented yourself.  A second date might not follow if that is the case.

Pictures where the subject is smiling will get a stronger response than photos where the subject looks overly serious.  If you don’t have flattering teeth, smile with your lips closed together.  Also, even though you are smiling for your photo, make sure that your eyes are fully open and not squinted shut.  Eyes are the first facial feature that most people notice and the gateway to your soul.  Avoid posting pictures showing your profile because if you aren’t facing the camera, others viewing your profile might suspect you are hiding things.  Women should ALWAYS wear makeup in their profile photos, even if it’s just light makeup.  Men need to make sure their beards are neatly trimmed and both genders should be certain their hair is tidy before taking their photos.

Search your wardrobe for something casual yet appealing to wear.  Women should avoid wearing tops with plunging necklines if they expect to be taken seriously.  Play it safe and reveal no cleavage at all for your online dating profile photo.  If you are posting your head-shot, choose clothes with bright colours like red, yellow, and baby blue to help your facial features stand out.  Use your computer’s photo editing system to lighten up your photo and remove red-eye.  A picture is worth a thousand words, and your photo should make you stand out from the rest.  When presented in the right way, the most complimentary word your profile photo should provoke from other profile viewers is “wow”.

Mar 07

5 reasons to try online dating.

By KerryNo Comments

Remember the days when it was weird just to chat online? Well now there’s a whole new scene called online dating that takes chatting to a new level. And it works.

Long gone are the days where the creepy guy in the bathrobe sits behind his computer and pretends to be a young stud with millions. Now you can actually see their face and talk to them online before having to meet them to find that out.

But what other reasons are there to try online dating?

1. You can take your time to find the one you like. No more pressure to find a date before the bar closes or party ends. You can sift through tons of profiles to find someone who meets your requirements in looks and in interests. Than if you feel like it you can send them a message or talk to them online. You can even have a video chat on some sites.

2. There’s never any pressure to get the number or to see them again. If you end up talking to them and find that they are really not your type then you just look for someone else who is. You haven’t invested face to face time with them which takes a lot of those feelings of guilt out of the equation.

3. You can look morning, noon, and night. You can even look from work if you want. No more limiting yourself to the evening to try and find that person of your dreams. Messages can be sent any time of the day without looking like a stalker.

4. It cost less money than going out to find someone. Most online dating sites charge you for 1 month, 3 months, or 6 months. The more months you get the cheaper it becomes per month. Even if it costs £15 to £25 a month that still works out to less than a pound a day for twenty four hour online access. Compare that to four hours at the bar and £50 worth of drinks later.

5. Your chances of finding someone go up drastically. Online dating has millions of people on it. There will always be someone in your area or close to you looking for someone like you! In a crowd of people you may pass the perfect partner without even knowing it but online you get to sift through profiles at your leisure and have more of a chance of finding that person without passing them by.

So if you’re single and looking for love why not give Matchmeup.co.uk a go. Even if you don’t believe me it’s still worth a try. But trust me you’ll love it

Mar 04

Reasons to avoid free dating sites.

By Kerry11 Comments

100 percent free online dating sites have both pros and cons. Everyone has heard of these dating sites by now, and how they can benefit those who seek a friend, a companion, a short term sexual encounter or a long term romance and marriage. Some 100 percent free online dating sites don’t do enough, however, to screen out the predators, and often welcome or turn their back on their knowledge that there are married people and other undesirables posing as singles looking for dates. Some 100 percent free online dating sites are specifically designed with cheating spouses in mind.

Online dating, whether 100 percent free dating sites or not, can offer the shy, the busy, the newly unattached, and those who can’t easily travel to public gathering places the opportunity to meet potential partners in a less threatening and more focused environment. Those are the pros. The cons are that online dating, especially the 100 percent free dating sites, give predators and undesirables the opportunity to disguise their identities and their less than honest intentions behind the anonymous wall of the Internet.

100 percent free online dating sites are much more prevalent than they were five or ten years ago, and as happens with any service or product, once the competition sets in the price goes down and the offer enhances. Many online dating sites, even the 100 percent free ones, now provide not only profiles and photos of others looking for that special someone, but also guide you through defining your personality, your perfect mate, and then bring the two of you together in a regimented format of anonymity, email with identification, phone conversation and then finally face to face meeting, if and when the time seems right.

Geography is no longer an obstacle to romance with online dating sites. Many online daters search for their mates this way because they travel so often and are so seldom in one place. They search for others who are in like situations or able to tolerate such frequently long distance partnerships.

Paying is not necessarily bad – depending on the cost, of course. In some ways the fact that an online dating site is 100 percent free can actually be a con rather than a pro. While free can increase the volume, it also increases the likelihood of dishonest predators and married people hiding their marital status. It also increases the likelihood that business people will join only for the opportunity to sell you their book on dating, or their sexy lingerie and so forth.

Like anything else, if it’s free it will attract more unsavoury folks than similar products for which there is a charge.

Mar 01

First Date Do’s and Don’ts.

By KerryNo Comments

When you start dating, following a few rules of thumb will help you be more successful. It’s tempting to avoid restating the basics, but the truth is, we all forget them from time to time. Dating is about two people coming together to get to know one another and find out whether they are compatible, then enjoying each other’s company and eventually forming a close bond. During this process, there are some important guidelines you should remember:

  • Dating should always be fun, and it’s as much your responsibility as it is your partner’s to ensure that it is. When you’re dating, make sure you do everything you can to make the time you spend together enjoyable.
  • Eye contact is crucial, and it’s good etiquette to give your date as much of your attention as possible. They should feel like they are the only person in the room. Do not use a date as an excuse for general partying.
  • Always be courteous and complimentary. Your date has made an effort to look nice for you, and your negative opinions and comments are unwelcome at this stage.
  • Never ogle your date. It’s rude, and it proves that all you care about is the other person’s physical appearance. This will turn a woman off faster than almost anything else.
  • Always show up for a date, unless you’ve given notice and let the other person know you have to cancel. Standing someone up is not acceptable, and it shows contempt for your prospective date by wasting their time. That kind of arrogance is detestable.
  • Always be on time, and never keep your date waiting. If your transportation is unreliable, plan ahead and leave early so you can be there when the other person arrives. Being late shows a lack of respect for your date and illustrates how disorganized you are.
  • Never be flashy or extravagant. There’s no need to attempt to impress your partner with your wealth and importance. It shows no taste whatsoever to throw your credit card around and order expensive champagne, unless you’re only after cheap thrills and do not care how it makes you look in front of the person you’re trying to get to know.
  • Smoking excessively during a date is bad form, unless your partner also enjoys chain-smoking. In general, smoking in a restaurant will do nothing for your image and shows crass disregard for others.
  • Don’t be arrogant on your date, and try to avoid talking about politics and/or religion in the early stages. You may be very opinionated on certain topics, but that does not mean you’re right, or that your opinions won’t offend the person you’re with. Arrogance makes most people feel uncomfortable, so avoid it at all costs.
  • Never argue or be rude to others during your date — it simply is unacceptable. You’re trying to show the other person your best qualities, so arguing about the tip or whether the wine is chilled enough will make you look like a fool.
  • Be a good listener, and don’t talk your date to death. Listening shows interest and the ability to compromise. If your idea of a date is talking about yourself and your opinions all night, then do the world a favour and stay at home alone.
  • Dress well. In this day and age, there is absolutely no excuse for looking shabby. Dressing poorly shows laziness and will do nothing to make you look good. Furthermore, it shows a lack of respect for your date, who has more than likely made an effort to dress nicely.
  • Make an effort to be clean and smell good. Make sure you’re clean-shaven (where applicable), freshly showered and smell nice. It costs you nothing except a bottle of good perfume/cologne and some soap.
  • Never swear or use bad language. It will make you sound like an idiot. If you want to find the person of your dreams, you must treat them with respect.
  • Never discuss your other dates or how many people you’ve slept with. It’s rude and shows you have no class.
  • Even if you don’t like your date, don’t be quick to give them a hard time. Your partner is human and, like you, deserves to always to be treated with respect. You can still have a good time hanging out with someone you’re not attracted to, so treating them badly just because they’re not your type is unacceptable. Rudeness is not allowed.
  • Never tell lies on a date to get someone into bed or to try to make yourself sound good. You will be found out, and then you will be rejected. Tell the truth, or avoid a subject if necessary.
  • The man should pick up the dinner tab on the first date, and it’s probably a bad idea to discuss money at all at this stage. Many people feel that financial discussions are crass and lack sophistication.
  • Make sure your date feels comfortable at all times, and never do anything that might make them uncomfortable. Also, a man should always make sure his date gets home safely in a cab or by other means.
  • Never try to sleep with someone on the first date. Sex comes later. If you sleep together too early, chances are it will be over before it began.
  • Be as entertaining and witty as possible, and never rely on getting drunk as a fall-back plan. Drinking too much on a date shows that you have no respect for your partner and makes a mockery of the whole situation.
  • Call when you say you’ll call, and never leave someone hanging. If you didn’t have a good time on your date, don’t falsely promise anything or leave the door open. Doing so shows great disrespect for the other person and it’s much easier for everyone if you’re honest about how you feel.
  • Never pretend to be single when you’re not. Telling your companion late in the game that you’re taken is very inconsiderate. Date only when you are single.
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