10 Things Millennials Need To Know About Online Dating

I was scrolling through my email, clearing my inbox of junk mail, when a headline caught my eye: "20 Things 20 Year Olds Need To Know About Online Dating." I'm 20-something-or-other. I'm involved in online dating. I think we're generally a pretty tech-savvy bunch, but apparently I needed to know whatever bite-sized bits of wisdom The Inquisitr had to share. So I clicked.

These are the first 10 things The Inquisitr, in partnership with Let's Date CEO Adam Huie, thinks Millennials need to know about dating online:

1. It works. Well, I can't argue with that. The percentage of relationships (and marriages) that begin online is increasing all the time, and a recent study found that the divorce/separation rate is lower for couples who meet online than for couples who meet offline.
2. It's cheaper. I guess that depends on what your idea of a date is, but yeah...it definitely can be. A month's worth of nightclub cover charges and drinks bought at bars could easily add up to more than an online dating site's monthly subscription fee.
3. It's fun. If dating - of any kind - isn't fun, you're doing something wrong, but online dating services are going the extra mile to make meeting people easy and enjoyable. "Gamification" is all the rage these days, which is making some dating services feel more like games than matchmaking.
4. The Catfish scenario is not a reality. Eh, The Inquisitr has it half right. Yes, the overwhelming majority of people you meet online are genuine folks who are looking for love just like you are. But that doesn't mean that there aren't any unscrupulous people online. Just keep your wits about you and your BS detector switched on.
5. More the merrier. It sounds like an invitation to an orgy, but what it actually means is that you should try out several dating services. Each offers something different, and you won't know which one suits your goals best until you experiment.
6. It's okay to be curious. Yes! Thanks for including this one, Inquisitr! Online dating sites can be a great place for LGBT young adults to begin exploring their sexuality if they haven't had the chance to do it offline yet.
7. Use your best photo. Is there anyone who didn't already know this? Millennials should be especially equipped to pick a killer picture (as long as we're avoiding the dreaded mirror selfie), since we grew up in the era of Facebook and Instagram.
8. Take the time to fill out your profile. This, on the other hand, we might not be as good at. We like words to come in short, 140 character bursts - a full dating profile might be too intimidating to tackle. Tough luck, Millennials. It needs to be done anyway.
9. Don't lie. I've heard some valid reasons for stretching the truth, but on the whole it's easier not to. And why go the harder route when you can choose an easier one?
10. Spelling counts. I can't emphasize this enough. Text speak is not cute anywhere outside of a text message (and it's hardly even cute there). No one wants to date someone who sounds like they didn't make it out of third grade.

Related Article: 10 More Things Millennials Need To Know About Online Dating (Part II)