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App'd Out Dating - How to Find Authentic Relationships Online

December 21, 2021
App'd Out Dating - How to Find Authentic Relationships Online

We can't be alone in thinking there's an app for everything. Booking a dentist check-up, paying your credit card, finding a date?

Download the app, and you're good to go.

It's common to feel like even the best Christian dating NZ sites have become just a bit too digital, and we're living our social lives out through our mobiles rather than forming any genuine connections.

However, the Best10 Guide to dating apps is designed to help you sort the best from the rest and download relationship apps that will be truly helpful in getting your love life pointed in the right direction.

Select Dating Apps For Quality, Not Quantity

If you're one of those people who downloads a stack of apps and assumes that's the best way to avoid missing out, we'd recommend going back to basics.

The issue is that, yes, there's potential that a perfect match will be on one app and not another, and you might not see their profile. 

But, having every possible Christian dating NZ app on your phone only serves to dilute your attention.

Our advice would be to pick one or two max and focus your efforts on finding the best online dating app that feels best suited to your relationship aspirations and where you feel it's most likely you'll meet compatible dates.

Dating takes time, so if you want great results, you'll need to:

  • Regularly update your profile.
  • Review matches and suggestions.
  • Respond to messages.

Playing the app numbers game inevitably means you'll start missing notifications or leave your profile out of date, which means you will show up less often in searches.

Choose ONE excellent platform from our guide to dating apps, and make it a more immersive experience!

Weigh Up Dating App Value vs Price

Another easy mistake is to think that you should automatically download the massively popular swipe-dating apps.

Why?

Because everyone uses them, the service is free, and there are millions of singles to connect with.

We'd say that if you're tired of mindless scrolling, meaningless chat threads and wasting hours looking in vain for someone special, it might be time to think about a premium dating service.

Now, that doesn't mean you're obliged to spend hundreds of pounds in the hopes of meeting a date!

However, great dating apps do tend to offer a far more advanced service to paying subscribers, and most won't charge anything more than £10 to £30 a month at the very top end of the scale.

You do, in some cases, get what you pay for.

Therefore, we'd say it's worth checking out the value and not just pricing. Free NZ dating apps are amazing, and some have incredible functionality.

But, the trade-off is that you probably get limited matches, restricted messaging, and a stack of ads to try and filter through before you get to the good stuff.

Only Download Dating Apps With ID Verification

The number one issue with online dating is that it's all but impossible to know whether someone is who they claim to be - and avoid the monotony of batting away unsolicited messages from creeps.

When Best10Dating reviews a relationship site, we will, of course, advise on the sign-up process and how speedy it is. 

There are all sorts of steps you might encounter, some of which might initially feel like a turn-off, such as:

  • Uploading a copy of your photo ID.
  • Submitting profile verification information.
  • Applying for a verified badge, usually through a Live Chat or phone call.
  • Providing security information or entering a verification code.

Our advice is to celebrate these security processes, even if it means you might need to wait a few hours for your profile to be accepted and live on the dating sites NZ.

While it's normal to want to get cracking with your new dating adventures as quickly as possible, any shortcuts can soon mean that you regret downloading the app to start with - especially if it's one where anybody can join with zero checks!

The best way to have authentic NZ dating experiences is to select an app with watertight security, so you aren't exposed to bots, scammers and fake accounts every time you log in.

Recommended Read: Best Tips From Experts: How To Be Proactive In Dating?

Evaluate Your Dating Goals

The dating app your bestie used to meet their fantastic spouse isn't necessarily the right one for you! 

It's so easy to be swept up by peer pressure and trends, but far more essential to ensure any dating service you use aligns with your expectations.

And sure, there are always the outliers who use hookup apps and meet the love of their lives - but they're (very!) few and far between.

The right way to decide where to spend your dating energy is to look at what you're hoping to get out of it, for example:

  • Do you want an app that delivers bespoke, limited matches - or one that sends you tonnes of potential dates every day?
  • Is there a specific lifestyle, hobby, preference, interest, a career you'd like someone you date to have? For example, do you only want to date other people who have kids or are in a professional career?
  • Are you bothered about meeting people casually, or want only to organize a date if you're sure there is genuine potential to build on a connection and establish a long-term relationship?
  • How much time do you honestly think you'll have to spend online? Video dating features are great, but not much use if you're strapped for time and know that you're never going to get involved.

Dating is so personal, so you must work through these questions and create yourself a shopping list of the features and opportunities your chosen NZ dating app offers.

That doesn't mean you need an iron-clad list of demands and won't compromise if a possible match doesn't tick any box, but it means you're in an excellent space to define what you have to offer and what you'd like to find in your perfect partner.

Find Your Dating Energy

Leading on from the crucial need to ensure any dating app you use is suitable for your dating aspirations, you need an app or site where you feel like yourself.

Hear us out - because we know dating can be awkward, nerve-wracking and a bit uncomfortable!

Dating sites tend to have a specific energy, a demographic, and a vibe.

Say you join a platform, and it's packed with sexy 20 somethings all posting pictures of their wild nights out. If you're happiest watching Netflix in your slippers, you'll feel like a fish out of water.

Likewise, if you download an app and it's solely focused on commitment and long-term love, and you want to find some excitement and chilled out fun, you're going to have to either modify your expectations to fit in or find it a big waste of time.

Browse reviews, look at screenshots, read testimonials and don't feel any pressure to download a NZ dating app - no matter how popular - if you don't get the sense that you'll be in the right place to meet like-minded people.

Dating should be fun, and along with the anxiety of waiting for a response, you're always your best self when you're relaxed and happy.

Prioritize your needs, and you'll find your dating tribe - and have all the better experience for it.

Lauren Edwards-Fowle
Lauren Edwards-Fowle
Lauren is a freelance writer passionate about how we develop rewarding experiences, and overcoming the barriers we face to living our best lives. Lauren writes regularly about the modern world of dating, relationships, parenthood, and social dynamics.