An Online Dating Blog by Shimrit Elisar

eHarmony discount coupon codes

New eHarmony coupons are here! If you are looking for a discount voucher code for the eHarmony USA or CA site, look no further as I have just been emailed them! eHarmony UK is also offering discounts - up to 40%! Related posts:

Online Dating Profile: keep it friendly

For most people, the online dating profile is a work in progress. It changes as they use the site(s) they're on and it adapts as they get responses and learn more about the type of people who contact them. Sometimes this is a good thing, but all too often I see people, obviously fed up of getting the wrong type of responses (or being in the wrong type of relationships), who decide to address the issue in their profile... with terrible consequences. Related posts:

Match.com big advertising push in the UK

Has anyone else been seeing the Match.com adverts everywhere recently, or is it just me? they are certainly doing a big advertising push right now. Related posts:

Choosing a photo for your online dating profile

If you're here then you probably already know that uploading a picture to your online dating profile is a must. Most people won't even bother looking at your profile without one and many will make snap judgements about you based on the photo you upload. Unless you're comfortable and natural in front of a camera and already know your best side, this will have undoubtedly caused you some concern by now. In general, women tend to overdo it, whereas men are notoriously bad at picking unflattering photos. There are, of course exceptions... Here are some tips for helping you choose the right photo: Related posts:

Parship.co.uk discount

Parship.co.uk have a range of discounts available until the end of the month (June). Related posts:

Online dating sites with video chat

video chat (also known as live chat, webcam chat or camera chat) is one of the most popular features available on dating sites. Its obvious popularity among the more casual daters has given it a bit of a bad reputation, but many big name dating sites catering for serious relationships offer it to their customers. Here is a list of dating sites that specialise in offering quality video chat services. Related posts:

Rejection in online dating

Much has been written about how to handle rejection. Being rejected on the Internet can be just as painful as being rejected in real life. Remember this, because this post is actually not about handling rejection, but about doing the rejecting. Related posts:

Parship free communications weekend - on now!

Are you looking for a Parship free trial? There is a free communications weekend on now - Friday 19th of June until Monday! All you need to do is sign up and take the test. Click here to sign up to Parship now. Parship is a dating site dedicated to people looking for serious relationships and marriage. [...] Related posts:

GirlsDateForFree.com - Homepage makeover but still no quiz

GirlsDateForFree is a UK dating site where (as the name suggests) women don’t pay. This has made it extremely popular, as well as somewhat known for being a bit of a party site great for casual dating (though not exclusively for that). For a while now they’ve been advertising their compatibility quiz on their [...]

Online dating quiz for finding a new dating site

Take the Online Dating Quiz now to find your perfect dating site! Whether you’re just starting out in the online dating world or trying to find a better site than the one you’re on, a good dating site is, to borrow a phrase, hard to find. Well, it can be! But rather than spend [...] Related posts:

Fake profiles - why are they there?

Q: I've been dating online for about a month or so on a couple of different dating sites. When I search, I keep seeing profiles that are obviously fake. Are these put there by the websites to try and get people to join? Does this mean I should find better dating sites that are more honest? Related posts:

What dating sites won’t tell you #2 - the nasty stuff

eHarmony discounts (UK site)

eHarmony UK are cutting down prices from now till the end of June. All subscription prices are reduced between 30%-40%. This is quite a massive discount from a site that’s always been known as rather expensive and proudly so. The new price structure makes the site practically comparable to sites like Match and DatingDirect and [...] Related posts:

Fun singles’ night for charity in London

On the 22nd of April, the Long Acre Bar in central London will host Ree-cycle, a singles’ event with a few great twists. The first twist is the concept: a very Sex and the City-like concept of “recycling” your love life. Each guest is to bring someone in their life they think is a great [...]

To lie or not to lie

It's no secret that many people are put off by online dating because they think so many people on there lie about stuff like marriage/relationship status. While Internet dating players are not any more or less common than their offline counterparts (and then to appear more often than not in the lives of those online daters who turn to attract bad apples wherever they go), it's true that it lends itself to milder cases of people bending the truth.

UK woman loses £10k in online dating scam - Afghanistan soldier

A while back, I warned about a common online dating scam involving an Iraqi soldier. Now news has come out about a British woman who fell victim to a very similar scam, losing £10k in the process. The scammer pretended to be an American soldier serving in Afghanistan. Related posts:

You know a dating site is not right for you when…

Occasionally, I go and check the email account I sign up to sites with when researching them. Sometimes I find useful discounts and offers sent only to registered users to encourage them to subscribe, other times there's notices of people who contact me or dating tips. Occasionally, the site will try to entice me to return by providing me with a list of potentially suitable matches or new users who recently joined and live in "my area". I just logged in and found one of those emails telling me about new people in my area. Unfortunately, this was an American site and their UK membership is obviously rather sparse. The "people in my area" were from places like Manchester and Hull. I live in London. Related posts:

Asian online dating and speed dating sites

If you are looking to meet Asian singles online, you could specify your preference on any big dating site and do pretty well. However, there are also plenty of online dating sites and services catering to Asian singles - Indian, Pakistani, etc. - anywhere in the world. The following sites were particularly set up for the Asian community and so are the best place to meet Asian daters for love, dating or friendship. Related posts:

eHarmony launches gay/lesbian compatibility dating site

It's finally happened! The gay and lesbian dating site from eHarmony has launched. CompatiblePartners offers all the best features of eHarmony ( and eHarmony UK ) for gay and lesbian singles who are looking for serious relationships. The site's launch follows a legal battle, as eHarmony were sued for their refusal to allow non-heterosexual daters on their sites. After losing the battle, they finally decided to invite gays to their compatibility matching party, but decided to keep things separate, possibly to avoid putting off their more conservative members or to appeal to their founder's own conservative views. Either way, the site is now up and running and looks every bit as shiny as its hetero counterparts. Related posts:

Arab and Middle Eastern online dating sites and speed dating

If you are looking for Internet dating sites that offer online dating and matrimonial services for Arab / Middle Eastern singles, here's a quick rundown of the world's most popular Arab dating sites. These sites are all open to people of all countries, so you can sign up to them no matter where in the world you are. Related posts:

True love online - not just for gorillas

I was reading today that a pair of gorillas are celebrating the birth of their first child after being successfully matched by online dating. Someone left a comment on the article, lamenting the so-called death of similar love-focused introduction agencies for humans and claiming online dating is now only used by people who want to make use of the large number of available singles to lead lives full of casual relationships only. But is romance really dead online? Related posts:

eHarmony free communications weekend - March 2009

The eHarmony free communications weekend is back and is on now! From Thursday 26-Sunday 29 March. If you’re curious about trying out the site, now is the time to sign up, get yourself some matches and try out their comms system. Click here to go to eHarmony USA/CA click here to go to eHarmony UK [...] Related posts:

Mobile phone dating - because it’s nice out there!

If you're in the UK, you'll have noticed the gorgeous spring weather. The last thing you want to do when it's brilliantly sunny outside is to be stuck in front of a computer inside. Luckily, plenty of UK sites now offer mobile phone dating, so you can keep track of your online dating activities while you're out and about. Mobile flirting has been popular for a while and is gaining popularity all the time. Sites vary in the form of mobile phone online dating they offer. For some, you'd need a WAP/3G enabled phone (which, let's face it, is not the most useful, unless you have an iPhone), but for others all you need is a reasonable picture phone to be able to get message alerts, upload and view pictures and sometimes even send messages and use other features of the site. Usually this service is not free. Here are some popular sites that make good use of mobile technology: Related posts:

Plentyoffish in paid upgrade shocker!

OK, maybe it's not so shocking to most people, but Plentyoffish made its name by advocating 100% free dating. Now you can pay to get a special "badge of honour" that supposedly marks you as a "serious dater". Most people who are dating online will have come across Plentyoffish, but, frankly, I am yet to personally hear anything particularly good about the experience. I'm sure some people do well there, but on the whole it's a scammer and time-waster magnet, mostly because it's big and free (which is also the reason why most people end up trying it sooner or later). Related posts:

Plentyoffish in the UK

Black / African dating sites - reviews and list

While all dating sites let you search for matches by race, there are plenty of sites out there that cater specifically for those looking for black dating. In the UK, where interracial relationships are quite common and generally socially accepted, dating sites that are aimed only at African and Afro-caribbean daters are not quite as common as in the US. The ones I looked at are often quite small. Luckily, there are some good international black dating sites that cover the UK as well as the US and Africa. Related posts:

GirlsDateForFree now offers a moneyback guarantee (for men)

GirlsDateForFree,the fast-paced dating site where every night is ladies’ night, has started offering a moneyback guarantee, comparable to the Match.com offering. This being a fast-paced site, often known for being a casual dater’s heaven, you don’t need to wait a whole 6 months to get a membership. If you date on the site for 3 [...]

Smile, you’re on a dating site!

If you want to increase the level of responses you get on dating sites, here's a handy tip: make sure you're smiling in your photo! This is especially true for men, but women, too, can give up the whole aloof image thing - it only makes you look silly. Related posts:

The Daily Mail have a new dating site

Seems like a brave step after what happened to their last online dating attempt, but maybe the newspaper link will bring them some more joy this time. Most major newspapers in the UK have their own dating offerings, which are mostly run for them by other companies, using the newspapers’ branding on top (i.e. [...]

Getting replies to your online dating messages

Even if you put the effort in and message people, getting people to reply to your messages on online dating sites is not always easy. Men, especially, have to contend with plenty of competition online and can sometimes struggle to get noticed. Here are a few ways you can make yourself stand out from the crowd: Related posts:

How to increase your online dating chances and save money

Here's a handy tip if you want to increase your chances of finding someone to love (or date) online. You probably already know that it's worth trying out a few sites before deciding which one to sign up and pay for. But once you've chosen one or two you think are definitely worth your time and money, there's no reason why you shouldn't add your profile to some other sites as well. It's a more effective way to date online and the closest thing you can get to being in more than one place at the same time. Related posts:

Online dating for professionals - high calibre online dating

We all want to find people who are similar to us, so if you're well educated, professional or well off, you may well want to use an online dating site that caters to people of your high calibre and/or high standards. This post is about exactly such dating sites. Some aim to actively make their membership exclusive, while others have just ended up that way. Some are for very rich people, while others are geared towards graduates and professionals of a more regular variety. The sites covered in this post are (full reviews below): Related posts:

There’s no room for wall flowers in online dating

Real life dating is not always fun. Depending on the sort of person you are and your state of mind, it can be frustrating, depressing and confusing. Sure, it can also be fun and exciting, but many people shy away from having to go out there, meet new people and kiss many frogs. Such people might turn to online dating as an alternative, hoping to be able to just sit back and find "the one" without any conscious effort on their part. Bzzzzt WRONG! A bit harsh, I know, but the truth must be told. Related posts:

Muslim dating sites - reviews and list

Muslim dating sites and sites that cater predominantly for Muslim daters are a great way to meet people who share your religious values. Even though you can search by religion on almost any dating site nowadays, it helps to know you are dating on a site that understands your needs, surrounded by people who all believe in the same things you do. Here are some sites that cater specifically to Muslims or have a large Islamic community: Related posts:

eHarmony free communications weekend

eHarmony UK , the UK site from the world’s most famous compatibility testing site will be offering free communications to all registered users on the Valentine’s day weekend. That’s from Friday the 13th- Sunday the 15th. If you register on the site between now and then you will be able to send and receive messages [...] Related posts:

Compare the biggest online dating sites in the UK

If you're in the UK and are looking for a big, reputable dating site to try, there are a few much publicised options. Everyone's heard of Match.com because of the TV adverts and it's definitely a very well-designed, easy to use site. But is it the best site for you? How does it compare to other similar UK sites? Below is a quick table I knocked up, showing how the top rated sites in the UK* compare on the feature front. They are all extremely popular sites with hundreds of thousands (or millions) of members. Depending on the features you want in a site, some sites might be more suitable for you than others. Just remember that the most important thing is the people on the site and not just the features! Related posts:

Two great offers from eHarmony USA/CA

eHarmony is back with two great discount offers for February. These discount coupons knock off a significant amount off the longer subscriptions, so if you’re in it for the longhaul, now’s the time to save with this eHarmony sale. eHarmony is designed for people who prefer a slower, more cautious dating experience with a [...] Related posts:

Valentine’s day singles’ parties

If you're single and still looking for something to do on the Valentine's day weekend, you can always try speed dating or a lock & key party. I already wrote in this blog about singles' events companies in the UK, but I thought I'd also point out that as of today's date, there are quite a few singles' parties scheduled for Valentine's day that still have places. Prices vary but are usually around the £20 mark, although they do vary can go down to £10 per ticket (or go up to about £25). If you've never tried this sort of thing before, this could be a good time to give it a go. Especially, if you like going out but want to make sure you meet eligible singles while you're partying. Speed dating was written about quite a lot in the past when journalists thought it was new and exciting, but it has now sort of disappeared from view (apart from the occasional return on the lead up to V-day). It's still, however, a good way of meeting people and it does work for quite a few people. Here are the events I know of that still have spaces: Related posts:

Christian dating sites reviews and list

If you're a Christian and your religion is important to you, you may well want to choose a dating site that upholds the same values and/or attracts people who share your faith. While most dating sites nowadays allow you to limit your search to those people who share your religious values, specialist Christian dating sites go that extra mile to attract the sort of people you're likely to want to meet. In my first of a few posts about religious online dating, I will cover Christian dating. There are plenty of sites out there that offer online dating for Christians. The ones below are well established and considered by many to be the biggest and the best. Related posts:

Lavalife 7 days free trial

Lavalife.com are offering a 7 day free trial. That’s 100% free use of the site when you sign up before the 15th of February. Yup, it’s a Valentine’s offer! Lavalife are well-established and huge in the US/CA/Australia. They have a growing membership elsewhere, including the UK. The site is designed to appeal to [...] Related posts:

OKCupid going downhill?

OKCupid is considered one of the best free dating sites around and its compatibility matching system is known throughout the industry as being one of the best on any site, free or otherwise. Recently, though, it seems to have gone a bit wonky. I’ve had reports from users about funny things going with the algorithm [...]

How to tell if he / she is married?

Fact: a significant number of people who use online dating are already married or otherwise attached. MSNBC claimed recently that up to a third of those dating online in the US are married already. I don't have the figures in the UK, but I would assume they're not far off. As much as I disagree with this form of premeditated cheating (to clarify: I see all forms of cheating as inadvisable, but it's one thing to be swept away by someone you met at random and a totally different one to go actively looking), I do approve of cheater sites and sites that let you display the "married/in a relationship" option. Why? Because this way less people get lied to and less people get hurt. There are people out there who don't mind seeing married people, so let them dig their own grave. Unfortunately, some people don't bother telling you, so you have to figure it out yourself.

Adult dating sites (that’s right, the sexy stuff!) - info and list

Sex dating sites er..sprung up (no pun intended) almost as soon as online dating started. It's not hard (no pun intended) to see why. Sexual dating sites are designed for sexually liberated adults who want to have fun with no strings attached. They cater for both singles and couples, swingers and the just curious who are into anything from straight up sex to more alternative practices,one night stands to ongoing affairs. As the saying goes, if you can imagine it, someone's already put it on the Internet, and there's a fan club. But are sex dating sites for real? Do real people hang out there who are looking to get laid? Related posts:

The problem with online dating site reviews

When you're trying to decide whether or not to sign up to a particular dating site, the natural thing to do is to scout the Internet for reviews. After all, you don't want to spend money on a site that might turn out to be a waste of time. Unfortunately, it's very hard to accurately review dating sites. Some things, are easy and obvious. If a site has hardly any people dating on it, for example, it would be easy for any reviewer to pick up on it and warn potential members. Listing a site's ethos, list of features, design and ease of use are also easy to discuss, as well as any entry requirements for members. It's also often possible to discuss whether a site is particularly full of scammers and spammers. Beyond that, though, is where it gets a bit more difficult. Related posts:

Parship.co.uk discount - 40% off any subscription in January

Looking for Parship UK discount or special offers? The 40% off coupon is not working at the moment. I’m sure there will be more soon. Parship are a UK serious dating site providing online dating for people looking for serious relationships. They have what is probably the most detailed personality/compatibility test I’ve ever seen and believe [...] Related posts:

Single on Valentine’s day? Oh my!

This is a public service announcement. If you want to get yourself a date for Valentine's day, now is when you should be starting to really make an effort. If you haven't signed up to a dating site yet, you'll need to hurry up and do it, set up a profile, upload a picture and start contacting people as soon as. Related posts:

Online dating for single parents

Loopylove has had a mini makeover

Loopylove.com used to be one of the most popular dating sites in the UK. It used to be known as one of the best Internet dating sites for people new to dating online, with a simple, unassuming design and a nice collection of useful features. Then it got sold and had rather an ill-advised botched [...] Related posts:

GirlsDateForFree.com - Homepage makeover but still no quiz

What should the first date be like?

Q: I've met someone I like on a dating site and I think we are ready to meet up in person. What is the best thing to do on a first date? Is a romantic dinner the way to go? Related posts:

Urban dating sites and online dating with singles’ events

Urban dating sites (Internet dating sites for those who live in cities) have picked up in popularity in recent years, as more and more busy professionals decided they wanted to go out and socialise, yet meet suitable singles at the same time. Even if you live in a really big city and are incredibly outgoing and sociable, you might still struggle to find eligible singles. On the other hand, with a whole city around you full of exciting places to go out to, do you really want to spend all your time at home in front of a computer? The sites below offer options for metropolitan socialites. Some are companies that offer singles' events to get you out of the house, while others are just predisposed to a more fasy-paced environment, suitable for people who want to spend minimal time online and maximum time partying and meeting new people. Related posts:

7 days free trial on eHarmony UK

eHarmony UK are now officially promoting their 7 day free trial. eHarmony is a serious dating site and one of the first to offer compatibility testing. The UK version has been especially adapted for the UK market by a team of Oxfordian experts (apparently), to make it more suitable for UK daters (as opposed to American ones). Related posts:

Free dating sites - no credit card needed Internet dating

Free online dating sites have spiked in popularity recently, but it's important to note that not all sites that describe themselves as free are actually free. Most Internet dating sites allow some form of free registration, so you can run some searches, maybe complete a personality profile and generally have a look around and see what sort of members hang out on the site. To actually contact anyone, you will need to get your credit card out and pay. Many sites hide that fact until you're ready to make contact and then front you with the bill. Ouch. Most people nowadays expect this sort of tactic when searching for a free site, but there are, however, some dating sites that are completely free. Some of them are actually not bad, although to be honest, all free dating sites are by nature more prone to problems like spammers, scammers, timewasters and freaks than their paid counterparts. Be sure to pay close attention to online dating safety tips when using free dating sites (though, really, you should be doing that anyway!). The most popular 100% free dating sites are without doubt: Related posts:

Lovestruck.com free 3 day trial in the UK (or totally free dating)

Lovestruck.com are currently offering a 72 hour trial for their London site. All their other UK city sites are actually 100% free right now anyway, so definitely worth a look. The stylish Lovestruck.com is an urban dating site that lets you search for local singles who live or work near you. They market themselves to busy [...] Related posts:

Serious dating sites: marriage sites, matchmaking sites

Recognising the need for dating sites that cater specifically for people who are serious about finding love, dating companies started coming up with the goods. But what is it that makes these matchmaking sites different? Related posts:

20% off eHarmony subscription (USA/Canada)

the 20% off 6 month eHarmony subscription offer is back so now you can save money on your eHarmony subscription again. eHarmony memberships are not cheap, so any money off coupons are a blessing if you want to use the site! Click here to save 20% off 6-month eHarmony subscription (and use coupon code: CJSPRINGPROMOGGHH) There [...] Related posts:

What dating sites won’t tell you #2 - the nasty stuff

Online dating is big business and there are always people out there who'd take advantage of people who are willing to pay. Online dating companies have a whole arsenal of tricks up their sleeves aimed at getting people to pay and stay on their sites. Here are a few secrets of the trade you may have not been aware of. Related posts:

Metrodate is now a 100% free online dating site

Great news for cosmopolitan, metropolitan daters everywhere! Metrodate.com, the world’s largest urban dating site is now totally free to use (as in, “no credit card needed ever” free, rather than “sign up free but pay for messages”). Instead of charging for membership, they will sell locally targeted ad space on the site to cover [...] Related posts:

DatingDirect Affinity 7 day free trial

The 7 days full free memberhip on DatingDirectAffinity is now over, but I will update this page as soon as they do another one. As far as I know, they are not promoting the free week trial anywhere on on the Internet. If you're looking for a comparable offer from another serious relationship site, you can try the eHarmony UK 7 day free trial instead. You can read my short review of the site here. Related posts:

Online dating profile help

Struggling to come up with the right stuff to put in your personal description? Need someone to help you pick a good profile picture? I am now offering personal online dating help by email. This is your chance to get your profile checked out by someone who’s seen thousands and thousands of dating profiles and [...] Related posts:

Online dating for single parents

Internet dating as a single parent can be tough. Nowadays, more and more dating sites let you specify whether or not you have or want children, but also whether you're open to dating people who already have children. Unfortunately, on a standard dating site, many people will either choose not to be shown profiles of people with children in the first place, or be put off when they find out someone has children. Related posts:

Does online dating work?

Happy new year, everyone! If you're looking for love and have made it your resolution for this year, I wish you all the best. As this is a time of new beginnings, I thought I'd tackle the question so many people ask when considering whether to use online dating for the first time: does online dating work? Related posts:

The problem with online dating site reviews

Casual online dating: flirting sites, casual dating sites

Casual online dating is extremely popular. People turn to Internet dating not only to find true love, but also to enhance their social life and love life by meeting and flirting with new friends. Online dating is great for flirting and casual dating because it gives you the chance to meet thousands of new people instantly. How you interact with them is up to you: you can message and chat online or meet up quickly for an active social life. Most people find it easier to find and date people when they're not looking for a serious relationship - this is because the standards you expect from the potential mother/father of your children are likely to be far higher than those you'd like to see in a one night stand or a short-term fling. Related posts:

Dear comment spammers

Please stop trying to post useless comments that are only aimed at pushing your own sites. Comments on this blog are moderated and I just won't approve any of your comments. Related posts:

Social networking Vs dating sites

What dating site subscription should I get?

Online dating site subscriptions come in many shapes and sizes (and prices!). Knowing which one is the best for you can be as confusing as choosing the right site. If you're struggling to make a decision, your troubles are over! Take my quiz below to find out which type of online dating site membership suits your lifestyle best. Related posts:

20% off eHarmony subscription (USA/Canada)

What dating sites don’t tell you #1

OK, there's actually a lot of stuff that dating sites won't tell you, hence I marked this post as #1 of many. But rather than talk about the shadier side of things, I want to talk about something totally different, that is actually quite positive in its own way. Dating sites always advertise themselves as the way to find the right person for you and encourage you to keep dating on the site and meeting new people. But in reality, many people who date on dating sites end up finding someone in completely different ways, once they've been dating online for a while. In many cases, it is the online dating experience that made this possible, albeit indirectly. Related posts:

Dating site wishlist - your personal checklist

Christmas is a time for making lists, so I thought I'd use this opportunity to talk about the makings of a good dating sites. Whenever I review a dating site, I look for particular features to determine how good it is. When you evaluate a site in terms of whether it's a good place to go and spend your money (and/or your time) it's good to have an understanding of what you can expect from a good site so you can make a more informed decision. Here's a checklist of things you should look out for. Good dating sites will offer you all these and more. Related posts:

Match.com discount - 20% off full membership (USA)

Looking for a Match.com discount? Here’s a link that will get you 20% off any Match.com (USA) membership: 20% off any Match.com subscription The match.com discount code is apparently valid for a limited time only, so if you want your discount - grab it before they switch it off. If you’re looking for UK match.com offers [...] Related posts:

Online dating and the credit crunch

The current financial crisis has done nothing to deter people from searching for love, but if you want to use online dating during these hard times, you'll want to make sure you're doing it within your budget. It's not as hard as you might think to save money while dating online, all it takes is a bit of planning and a bit of a changed mindset. Here are some handy tips to help you save money while looking for Mr or Mrs right (or right now) on the Internet. Related posts:

Online dating as a Christmas present?

It's a well known fact in the online dating industry that Christmas is the busiest time of year on online dating sites. Why is it that the Christmas spike beats even Valentine's day when it comes to people rushing to the sites to find love? Christmas is one of those times of year when being alone can, frankly, really suck. All those images of happy families everywhere are bad enough, so couple that with the pressures of spending time with your family and the miserable weather and it might account for some of the reasons behind the traditional rush. Also, with people being off work, there's plenty of free time to be spent alone wishing someone else was there with them.

Safe online dating: keeping your phone numbers private

When you've met someone online who seems normal, it stands to reason that you'll want to speak to them on the phone sooner or later. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want just any person to have my mobile number and I sure wouldn't want them to have my landline number unless I had good reason to believe that person isn't a freak. Related posts:

Allegran sold again?

Looks like the online dating company I used to work for has been sold for a second time, having sacked 70% of its employees only recently. I understand it's been sold to Easydate. It's a real shame that a company that used to be so successful went downhill so quickly to the point where it was apparently bleeding money on a daily basis. It used to be one of the most lucrative companies of its kind. This sad ending a long way away from the happy-go-lucky start up Allegran was when I started working there, staffed by brilliant people, many of whom I still call my friends today.

Match 7 day free trial is back

Are you looking for the Match.com free trial? You can now try Match for a whole week, absolutely free! Here’s how to get your free trial on Match.com: Use this link to go to Match.com and sign up for a free account You’ll then be prompted to subscribe to the free trial You’ll need to put your [...] Related posts:

New online dating scam to watch out for: Iraq soldier

This one is new to me, but has apparently been around for a while. A friend of a friend was communicating with someone on a big free dating site who claimed to be a soldier based in Iraq.His profile picture had him wearing a uniform and holding a gun, but he described himself as “shy”. [...] Related posts:

An even better offer from Match.com

Are you looking for the UK Match.com 7 day free trial offer or other Match.com discounts? The Match free trial offer is not currently actively promoted anywhere on the Internet, so you might think it’s all over (I did!). Here’s, the good news, though: you can still get this Match.com promotional offer just like [...] Related posts:

Match.com - Free 72 hour trial

Looking for the Match.com free trial? Here’s how to get it. They are now offering a 7 day free trial, rather than 72 hours free trial. Here’s how to get your Match free trial: Click here to go to Match.com Sign up with your details You will then be prompted to sign up to the free trial You [...] Related posts:

Lavalife Discount Coupon Code

I’ve managed to get my hands on a promotional discount code for Lavalife. I’m going to be collecting discount codes/special offers for various online dating sites on this blog from now on. Lavalife is huge in the US/Canada and is now big in Australia too. They claim to have over 15 million members worldwide. They’ve handily [...] Related posts:

My book - in Polish?

Apparently a Polish company wants to buy the translation rights for my book. I never thought I’d get translated into another language, so this is quite exciting. Related posts:The book is almost ready! Related posts:

The book is almost ready!

Please help my friend

A very close friend of mine has been wrongfully arrested and detained in Dubai since the 26th of January. So far, without being officially charged. 31-year-old Cat Le-Huy, Head of Technology at Endemol UK, was detained and arrested during a tourist visit to Dubai for carrying melatonin, an over-the-counter jet lag aid. Though once in [...]

Who should pay for the first date?

This morning I had the dubious pleasure of having to wake up much earlier than normal to be interviewed on the radio. The matter at hand was the age old question: who should pay for the meal when dating? I followed a bitter-sounding man who said women should pay for their half because "men end up paying for everything once they are married". The presenter asked me whether I thought the matter of who pays for the meal at the beginning can be an indication of how things will pan out during the rest of the relationship. I said yes and that if a man is problematic about paying for a date with a woman at the beginning of the relationship, it does not bode well, although many women prefer to split the bill to avoid feeling indebted to a man they have only started seeing. Related posts:

The best online dating site

One question I keep getting asked is "what is the best dating site?" The short answer is, of course: there is no such thing. Where is the best place to meet the love of your life? Ask any person who's happily married and they'll tell you the place where they met their husband/wife. This could be a particular club, the supermarket, the chess club, a resort in Ibiza, or practically anywhere else in the world. If you went to the same place as person X, would you meet the love of your life too? Who knows? There is absolutely no guarantee. All we have going for us are statistics: increasing our chances of success. Sure, you may well meet the love of your life on the bus or on the beach, but you are far more likely to meet him/her somewhere a bit less random. While miracles obviously do happen, you can't live your whole life sitting at home, passively waiting for one to happen for you. So the first step is to put yourself out there, go out, date online, etc. Doing this increases your chances already, so how do you increase them further? Related posts:

Asian online dating and speed dating sites

Online dating profile: don’t assume prior knowledge

Looking for help with writing your online dating profile? I am now offering personalised profile writing help by email. Click here for more details. This may seem obvious, I know from my own experience how hard it is sometimes to forget that you are writing to an audience that may not know anything about [...] Related posts:

Just realised I haven’t written anything in a while

You know you’re working too hard when you have to take a break from your own blog. Normal service will resume shortly.

Why the story of The Little Mermaid should be taught to every single child

(No. Not the horrible Disney version. The original version: Andersen's at a push, but he probably ripped it off from a cautionary tale mothers used to tell their daughters before bedtime. Andersen's version is on Wikipedia, complete with a fairly Christian spin.) In my recent column for Gorgeous Dating I wrote about the Seinfeld Dating Syndrome and how people often subconsciously turn insignificant faults into deal-breakers and ruin their own chances of happiness. To compare and contrast, I briefly touched upon the subject of how we are often willing to sacrifice our own happiness for the illusion that a bad relationship with an inconsiderate person could turn around and be a "happily ever after" affair after all.

Dating site age verification gone wrong

Here’s a seemingly rather shocking case: an American man dating on a sex site met up and slept with a girl whose profile said she was 18, only to discover later (when police surrounded his house) that he’d slept with a 14 year old girl. Said guy sued said site for damages and lost, [...]

What we can learn from dancing

Last week, I went to a tango class for the first time in a while. It was a new class with an entirely new crowd of people I'd never danced with before. having danced with about 10 different guys throughout the class, I was suddenly struck by how much can be learnt about people from this type of physical, non-sexual interaction. Couples' dances are a form of conversation. There is a leader and a follower, it requires clarity and attentiveness on both parts to create a flow of movement and create something beautiful together. I can't think of a better metaphor for relationships. In fact, I am pretty certain you can learn a lot about the way people are in their relationships by observing the way they interact with each other while dancing. Related posts:

Online dating sites - they’re not all the same

I run into a lot of people who tell me they tried online dating and it didn’t work for them. When I ask for more details and get the full story, it usually turns out they’d tried one dating site and when it didn’t meet their expectations assumed all dating sites are the same [...]

Shimrit on BBC world news

Super-short notice but I will be on BBC World News’ “The world today” at about 7pm UK time, which is in about half an hour or so. I will be commenting on this news story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6943616.stm

Online Dating Blog Carnival - August 8, 2007

Welcome to the August 8, 2007 edition of online dating blog carnival.

When I decided to experiment with the whole blog carnival thing last month, I wasn't sure exactly what was going to happen. There didn't seem to be much interest to begin with, making me think that maybe the whole thing was a waste of time. Luckily, after the rather modest beginning in July (thanks to all those that contributed!) it seems things are starting to pick up for this carnival. This month sees a broader range of topics covered with an interesting choice of topics. So here we go... Related posts:

Question: How do I find advertisers for my new dating site?

Advertising can be an important source of revenue and, for free sites, the only source of revenue. We all know about Markus and his plentyoffish Adwords empire (we do, don't we?) but we also know that things are usually not as straightforward as that.

Buy my book - get some awesome gifts

I teamed up with Topdreamdates.com and Gorgeousdating.com for a prize giveaway. We’re giving away some Green&Black’s gift boxes and tickets to Amora London. If you live in the UK and are over 18, it’s worth taking a look. For the full details, visit: http://www.gorgeousdating.com/?region=19&article=5602

Is online dating killing romance? Going beyond dating sites

Over the last few weeks, I've been in and out of London, enjoying the Great British Festival scene. As a result, I've had a chance to speak to a lot of new people from all over the country about "the whole online dating thing". I had a number of very interesting conversations with people who all raised the same problem they have with online dating. They all felt that dating sites made the whole process of introduction seem too much like a job application, making it unromantic. They all preferred the old method of going out there and running into people by chance, trusting their heart (or "fate") to make the right decision for them. I know online dating professionals often like to talk about how superior the online method is to traditional dating exactly because of the fact that it's focused and involves making decisions with your head first and then the heart, but personally I feel that this is a matter of personal preference. Some people are always going to be ruled by their heads, while some are more intuitive by nature. Throughout the centuries, people have found love using both of these methods, so I don't care to fault either one. Related posts:

Writing a good personal description

If you are not used to writing about yourself (which, let's face it, most people aren't), the thought of writing a personal description can be pretty scary. What I've discovered, though, is that there is no need to be a professional or even a particularly skilled writer to come up with a personal description that would make people want to get to know you. After all, you want your profile to be a good representation of who you are, not a novel or an epic poem. Some of the best profiles I've seen in the line of my work were written by people who were obviously not professional writers but had simply sat down and written from the heart. Rather than think too hard and try to be overly clever, there are a few simple things you can do that can make your personality show through. Related posts:

Away again

I have decided to take a break from my 7-day weeks over the last few weeks and have actually been getting out of London a bit and trying to enjoy “summer”. This weekend I will be out of town and away from phones/emails until Monday at the very earliest.

Online Dating Blog Carnival #1

Welcome to the July 16, 2007 edition of the Online Dating Blog Carnival. After some unexpected downtime, this edition (which happens to be the first) is finally happening. I've had an interesting range of submissions and tried to keep the content fairly diverse.

Here is what people have come up with.

Good morning Humberside!

My interview has finally been rescheduled. I will be on BBC Radio Humberside tomorrow at 9.40am UK time. Am still unclear as to exactly what they want to talk about, but I am guessing it’s something to do with online dating and the book

Online Dating Tips: Beware of feature madness

There is a huge difference between dating sites in terms of the features they offer. Some are pretty basic, while others offer a whole array of impressive-sounding features like video-chat, automatic matching, gift-giving, etc. The important thing to remember when choosing a site, is that the most important thing the site could ever offer you is the person you will fall in love with. The people dating on the site are the most important feature and should come above all else. Related posts:

Online dating tip: Are you still wasting your time with ice breakers?

Most online dating sites offer some feature or other meant to make contacting people "easier". The generic term for these is icebreakers and they are known on individual sites as winks, pokes, kisses, flirts, etc. These features are generally free to use, making them the preferred method of communication by people who have not yet decided whether they want to subscribe to a site. They are also favoured by people who want to contact as many people as possible without putting any actual effort into it. Is it worth it? You can probably guess from the title of this page that I think they are pretty much a waste of time. Here's why: Related posts:

Are you setting your standards too high?

When meeting people in real life, it’s possible to be wowed by a person, even though on paper he or she would have looked not quite right for us. Online, on the other hand, we often only meet people based on a very specific set of characteristics. A woman might think she is only interested [...] Related posts:

My interview is cancelled today

Seeing as most of the north of England is covered in water. It will apparently be rescheduled.

Introducing the Online Dating Blog Carnival

I’ve just joined Blog Carnival and I am setting up an online dating carnival. Blog carnivals are blog-hosted columns that collect expert-written articles on a particular topic. Sort of like a little news aggregators hosted on a blog. It’s a good way to forge links with other blogs and get stuff out [...] Related posts:

Creating effective banner ads for dating sites

If you own a dating site and want to run an ad campaign that will get you actual, immediate results (i.e. people signing up to your site) as opposed to branding, you're far better off running an ad campaign online rather than offline. Online, the people you are trying to sell your services to are only a few clicks away from your site and everything is trackable, allowing you to see exactly how your campaign is performing. Online banners are interactive, giving you more options to play with compared to , say, a newspaper ad. This is not always good, though, as it seems to make some advertisers and designers lose their heads and forget the whole purpose of this exercise (i.e. getting people to sign up to the site). Manyof the world's biggest dating sites got big not because of branding but because of direct marketing campaigns designed to bring in as many customers as possible. Direct marketing is everything branding isn't and people who come from one discipline often find it very hard to get into the mindset. I sometimes look at other people's campaigns and think to myself "there is no way that site is making any money from this campaign". My campaigns, on the other hand, generally worked :) Here are a few things I learned while marketing 5 of the UK's busiest dating sites in this particular way: Related posts:

Free dating sites - no credit card needed Internet dating

Radio Appearances & latest book news

I was on U105 in Belfast this Tuesday on the lunchtime show, which was cool. My mom listened in from Israel via their website and I was being interviewed from my bedroom in London (it’s the most quiet room in the house). I felt very 21st century. We talked about the book, online [...] Related posts:

When worlds collide

*** Please note, the website below no longer works. I had a look to see if there are any others and found this one, which claims to be free to use (and I just love the front page image!). In the UK, Lovestruck.com, the chic international urban dating site, were recently offering poker night singles’s [...] Related posts: