I can’t deny that flirting online is fun. The freedom you get from not having to be in the same room as someone to have a great time with them can’t be understated. The stress levels just fall away and when you’re being a casual flirt you can pick whatever personality and background you like. With no strings attached, the power to call a halt stays with me so I can stop things at any time.
The best thing is that online flirting is a great way to practice for “the real thing”. If you’re just looking to pass the time, then that’s fine – but online dating is increasingly matching people up who go on to have great lasting relationships so why not brush up on the skills you’re going to need?
The key to flirting, I’ve found, is to be able to grab your partner’s interest. Work on that profile to make it reflect you (or your chosen persona) in the best light and make sure the photo is a good match for how you look. Remember you don’t have to be entirely truthful in your profile – especially for casual flirting. This is as much a safety issue as anything else. Until such time as you’ve got to know someone properly and want to actually meet up, they don’t need to know chapter and verse on you do they? The best advice I can give you is to dare to be smart. Smart is sexy, make no mistake. Sure some oneliners can help bridge the gap, but people are going to want to talk to you more if you’ve actually got something to say. Flirt, be funny, and let your personality shine. If you want to get all serious about it, think of it as another marketing tool.
Remember you’re just flirting so it doesn’t have to be true. I have a friend who absolutely will not tell people she meets in bars or online what she does for a living. I don’t always either unless someone’s really got my confidence. A good option to take instead is to pick something faintly ridiculous instead. It’s a great way to throw people out of the normal groove of things and force them to engage their brains. I’ve told people at various times that I design buttons for doorbells, that I’m a coffee filter tester or that I work at a zoo as a tour guide.
Flirting online, done well, is fast and snappy – a two-way give and take of ideas, jokes and sparring. All’s fair, from throwing questions back at people to picking holes in each other’s cover stories. As long as you stay safe, don’t lay your whole emotional history on the line and aren’t pushy you can have a fantastic time – almost a holiday from yourself.
The possibilities are pretty much endless and it’s all fun – so get out there and indulge in some flirting, see what happens.