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How Men Should Set Their eharmony Filters
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A dating coach walks men through eharmony's free filters, like kids, age and height, and the paid ones worth buying, like religion and income.
• Read More »Let's Talk Online Dating Tips
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Online dating places a large and accessible pool of daters at our fingertips. While you can receive messages from all sorts of people, finding the right match is a different story. If you need help adjusting your online dating game, look to our articles below.
Knowing how to date online properly can transform your experience tremendously. And we give you the tips to stand out, so you can avoid being a tiny needle in a massive haystack.
Our articles focus on tips and strategies that daters can leverage to find the right connections online, from building an authentic dating profile to recognizing compatibility.
We aren’t biased or anything. But we offer the best advice on this side of the internet to help any dater feel more confident in today’s fast-paced online dating environment because that’s how we designed our content.
Our content covers a wide range of topics, from writing the perfect conversation starter to setting healthy boundaries. You’ll read about dating safety, compatibility, and red flag awareness, so you can avoid any approaching pitfalls.
Our experts teach you how to break the ice and get to that first date, so you won’t be left swiping endlessly. Maximize your online dating experience and find the right matches with these guides.
What Our Experts Say:
What Our Experts Say:
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OurTime for Gay Men Over 50: Where to Put Your Effort First
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A lesbian matchmaker shows gay men over 50 how to use OurTime: finish your profile, set filters, spot quality matches and decide if premium is worth it.
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Do Lesbians Have a Harder Time With Online Dating?
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Why can dating apps feel tougher for lesbians? H4M Matchmaking founder Tammy Shaklee walks through four challenges, like a smaller pool, and how to ease them.
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Match.com for Men: How to Message, One Step at a Time
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On Match, your words do the work. Men get a four-step plan: prep 5 strong photos, send a first message that stands out, keep chatting and ask her out.
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Men’s Guide to Taking the Chat Off the App: When and How, Step by Step
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Men, here's when and how to move a match off the app: brainstorm date ideas, skip time wasters, make a quick call and lock in the date, step by step.
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Using Dating Sites to Find Love Again After Divorce
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Ready to date after divorce? Pick the right site, heal from your ex, write a profile that leads with life, not loss, and know when to mention the divorce.
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Dating App Filters: Get Better Matches in Less Time (2026)
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With 60 million people on Tinder each month, filters save time. Start broad, prioritize dealbreakers, avoid common mistakes and see filters on top apps.
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Getting Back Into Online Dating After Time Away
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Returning to online dating after a break? Ease in with one app, craft a solid profile, filter by your non-negotiables and ask the right questions early.
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Keeping Your Privacy Safe on Dating Sites
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Protect your privacy on dating sites: what apps collect and share, how to read privacy policies, which apps guard data best and red flags of a scam.
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Writing a Dating Profile That’s Poly-Friendly: A Step-by-Step Guide
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How to write a poly-friendly dating profile, step by step: pick the right platform, be clear about your relationship structure and say what you want.
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Dating Apps for Busy Professionals: How to Make Them Work
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Short on time? A dating coach shares how busy professionals can pick the right app, build a strong profile, schedule swiping and get to dates sooner.
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A 7-Day Advanced Plan for More Matches on Match.com
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A seven-day plan for more matches on Match.com: diagnose what's holding you back, reset your profile and bio, optimize photos and target the right people.
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Pick a Dating Site That Fits What You Want From a Relationship
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Nearly 80% of app users feel burned out. Pick a site that fits your relationship goal by weighing user base, safety, cost and messaging features.
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Gay Men on Match.com: How to Open a Conversation, Step by Step
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Ten steps for gay men opening chats on Match.com, from building a profile and setting boundaries to good-vibes messaging and keeping the talk flowing.
• Read More »15.
How to Find Something Serious on Dating Sites, Not Just Casual Matches
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Want commitment, not a fling? A writer who met her husband on Bumble shows how to spot casual daters, say you want a relationship and not settle.
• Read More »16.
eharmony’s Compatibility Quiz for Gay Daters: How to Answer and Why
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eharmony weighs 32 dimensions of compatibility. Here's how gay daters can answer its profile prompts, from priorities to playfulness, and why it matters.
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Burned Out on Online Dating? 10 Ways to Recover
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Tired of swiping? Ten ways to recover from online dating burnout, from treating it like a part-time job and setting time limits to getting pro help.
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Vetting a Match Before the First Date: Safety Tips and Scripts
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Screen a match before meeting with scripts for common moments: moving to text too fast, sexual messages too soon, pen-paling and pushes for a private spot.
• Read More »19.
Finding Good Matches Without a Premium Subscription (2026)
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You don't need premium to find good matches. Free ways to sharpen your photos and bio, work the algorithm and write messages that get replies.
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From Chat to Actual Date: Step-by-Step Scripts for Online Daters
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Stuck in endless small talk on dating apps? Step-by-step scripts take you from a personalized opener to a specific date, plus what to do if they go quiet.
• Read More »21.
8 Signs You’re Being Catfished
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Eight warning signs you're talking to a catfish, from mismatched photos and dodged meetups to money requests, plus three steps if you're suspicious.
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6 Online Dating Strategies That Actually Work
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Six ways to improve your dating profile and chats, from multiple dynamic photos and a real bio to sharing values and matching your match's energy.
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A Matchmaker Explains 5 Reasons Online Dating Is Better Than You Think
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A matchmaker who started as an online dating concierge argues for the apps: a huge singles pool, control over first impressions, and a real success story.
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A Dating Coach’s 4 Tips for Online Dating Openers
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Four ways to write a first message that gets a reply: comment on their profile, stir things up a little, give a compliment, or ask a thoughtful question.
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The Meaning of Oneitis
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Oneitis is an unhealthy fixation on one person. Three signs you have it, what it isn't, how it can hurt you, and how to get over it and move on.
• Read More »26.
Laterras R. Whitfield on Being a Present Dad and a Single Man
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Emmy-nominated filmmaker and podcast host Laterras R. Whitfield on dating as a single dad: stability first, new partners only when it's serious.
• Read More »27.
A Luxury Matchmaker on the New Dating Rules for 2026
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Lisa Goodman of Selective Search Luxury Matchmaking answers today's dating rule questions: who asks, who pays, first-date kisses, and asking for date two.
• Read More »28.
7 Ways You Might Be Sabotaging Your Own Dating Life
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A dating coach names seven self-sabotaging habits, from overthinking and complaining to bragging and talking about your ex, and how to break them.
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Why Dating Coach Connell Barrett Recommends Sober Dates
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Connell Barrett explains why sober dates can build better connections, how to plan one, how to mention you don't drink, and the myth of liquid courage.
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Floodlighting in Dating, Explained by Two Psychologists
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Two psychologists explain floodlighting, the Brené Brown term for oversharing to force closeness, and how to set boundaries or open up without it.
• Read More »About the Author
Emma Wilson is the Editor-in-Chief at thecandiddate.com. When she was growing up, her family teased her for being 'boy crazy,' but she preferred to think of herself as a budding dating and relationship expert. Emma brings her tireless wit and relatable experiences to thecandiddate.com.
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