The internet allows us to specifically seek the “type” of person we would like to date. There are 100′s of dating sites that allow single people to choose based on religion, age, ethnicity and even specific hobbies. There are a variety of dating sites created specifically for the african american community to connect, exchange messages, and meet up. By using a site where most of the members understand black history and black culture, you might be more likely to connect with the type of person you want to date.
Why Choose an African American “Centric” Dating Site?
With so many online dating sites in existence, you can get very specific as to what type of community you would like to join. As an African American, you may feel more comfortable in a community of people that matches the type of people you grew up dating. Major dating sites like Loveawake, Eharmony or Match have advertising campaigns that mostly depict successful dating stories of white men and women. Some users of the site have suggested that the userbase of these sites are mostly made of of white men and women. If you don’t feel like you belong in a particular dating community, why would you sign up in the first place? This might leave many black singles wondering whether they should sign up for a site that is centered around the black community.
Top Black Dating Sites
There are many dating sites which specifically cater to black men and women. The largest include BlackPeopleMeet and BlackPlanet. Black People Meet is a paid membership site that was founded in 2002. It allows members to communicate via email, audio, and video chat. New members can sign up free “here”, but if you would like to take advantage of the entire range of services, the cost is a minimal $9.95/mo. This is fairly inexpensive compared to the usual range of $20-$60 per month for other dating sites.
On the other hand BlackPlanet is more of a social network similar to Facebook or Myspace that focuses on black members. It is free to use and contains members that are mostly African American, but also has members of other races and ethnicities. This site is an “open dating” network which allows anyone to see your profile and pictures.
Paid vs. Free Dating Sites
The two main types of dating sites (free vs. paid) have their advantages and disadvantages. The main difference is that paid membership sites are “closed systems”. This means that members have to pay in order to views pictures and profiles that are uploaded to the system. This allows for better privacy and less chance that an image you upload will be used for a purpose that you did not intend.
Free sites like Loveawake, Plenty of Fish or Black Planet are “open systems” which allow any user to access you personal information. This may not bother some people, but for professionals, racy images could cause harm to careers or relationships. It is also important to note that free sites for black singles tend to be HUGE. This mean you would have less of a chance to get to know someone on an individual basis.
On “free” sites, female members receive large amount of emails from daters that are not that serious about a relationship or marriage. This would cause many good matches to be ignored, due the the sheer amount of emails that they receive every day.
Profile Tips for Black Single Daters
When creating a profile for an online dating site, it is important to upload a wide variety of accurate pictures and information. For example, if you use the 1 shot that makes you look better than you really do, it may lead to an uncomfortable situation if you ever decide to meet up. Most experts recommend uploading an attractive picture of your face for your main profile image and then a series of shot the accurately depict your body in a variety of circumstances. This would include pictures of you engaged in your hobbies, hanging out with friends, or doing what you like to do to have fun.
Another important tip to create a successful online dating profile is to be truthful about your weight, height, and employment. The most likely thing for men to lie about on their profiles are their income and their height. On the othe rhand, for women, the most likely thing they lied about was their weight.