A girl's guide to modern dating, how Badoo can help you find love in 2018

I think we all worry about finding ‘the one’. I mean I know I do, I’m only young to be thinking about things like this but we all watch Rom-Coms and drama’s where the women are always able to find their perfect match, endless fairy tales that Prince Charming or our Cinderella might be waiting for us around the corner.

But it isn’t as simple in this day and age, the world of dating has transformed into the technological world. We have multiple apps for everything, from shopping to finance, social media to music, and now DATING! Gone are the days where online dating is seen as a taboo topic, and I think that’s great! I’ve been single 5 months now and I’m not ashamed to say I have had my try at a fair few dating apps in these last months, but none of them have brought me Prince Charming!

I’m not alone in this online search for love, today’s generation are looking (deeply) for soul mates, and we have more opportunities than ever to find them. I think the biggest change have been brought by the £2.4 billion online-dating industry, which has exploded in the past few years with the arrival of dozens of mobile apps, Badoo being one of them which is what I am going on to talk about.

Badoo is not like your normal dating app oh no, it’s the biggest dating app in the world, open and inclusive to everyone. It is a platform that provides a safe and fun place so people can meet whoever they want, however they want, without being judgmental or niche.

Personally, the very idea of dating still seems pretty scary and off-putting to me. But, I guess that within a pool of 366 million Badoo users, with 400k new sign ups daily, there will be someone out there who would put up with me, well hopefully!

Badoo has a number of special features that enable us to meet people. When they first sign up, individuals select whether they want to meet new people to date, chat or to make new friends.

They include:

• People Nearby: You can see and contact people who live in their area, as well as those they 'Bumped Into' with this feature.
• Change Location: You can also see who is on the app in a different city or another part of the world.
• Encounters: Another free feature, where you can swipe right (yes) or left (no) on other people’s profiles. If there is a match you get a notification
• Video Chat: In August 2017, Badoo launched its video chat function that allows users to connect real-time, once they’ve exchanged messages. 

Oh, and don’t think that Badoo is just about finding the love of your life, you can make friends on it too! Badoo is the largest social discovery network in the world making it somewhere you can socialise and meet new people that might have common interests as you, I know I needed that when I moved to a new city at the age of 19 on my own. Finding someone who gets the real you do not always have to be the person that ends up being the love of your life. A good friend can become a soul mate too!

If you are like me and worry about the safety aspect of online dating, fear not! Badoo has developed numerous safety features to ensure users are real and verified. This includes the 'selfie request' button where you can request a man you’re speaking to send a 'selfie' to prove they are the same person as in the pictures. Badoo has also developed a photo verification process, where you can upload a photo of yourself mimicking a specific pose which is then verified in a minute by one of Badoo's 5,000 moderators. Stops any awkward cat fish moments!

Finally, I thought I’d share some of my tips for online-dating:

• Your photos are everything - This is the big one, because depressing though it may be, your smiling face is the first thing on which people will judge you. Smile like you mean it, show your true personality because that what people want to see in a match!
• Don’t look desperate or needy - The absolute worst way to approach a date is to wonder, “Could he/she be the one?” Look for fun and friendship, long term relationships will come with time.
• Talk about yourself in the present - Don’t talk about your past mistakes or triumphs on a date: concentrate on what you’re doing now and your plans for the future. Make your date excited!
• Keep your hobbies and interests going - Even after you’ve met someone you really like, don’t stop enjoying your hobbies, seeing your friends or pursuing new interests. Balance your time carefully even if you’re finding your new love exciting. I would never give up blogging for any man!
• Don’t date at all if your self-esteem is at rock bottom – Trust me on this one, it can be a disaster if you’re feeling under-confident or devastated by previous break-ups. So, work on raising your confidence first, take time to think about your positive qualities, write them on Post-It Notes and challenge your negative feelings.
• Have something to talk about - If you don’t feel confident about having a steady flow of interesting conversation or you know you’ll be drawn to topics you need to avoid, read newspapers in the week before your date or see a film/read a book everyone is talking about so you have something “safe” to say.
• Split the bill -  You’re two grown-ups, you might both work and have enough money to pay. We are not stuck in the 17^th Century, split the bill!
• Try not to get disheartened – This is the most important thing, along the dating path, you’ll almost certainly meet some flops. You can have matching profiles, get on like a house on fire over message, and then have zero chemistry in real life. But don’t EVER give up, promise me?

I truly believe that there is someone out there for everyone, I am yet to find my Prince Charming but I know he’s out there. It might not take you long, it might take what seems forever but out there, somewhere, he (or she!) is there.

What are your experiences and views about online-dating, and have you tried Badoo? Let me know in the comments below.

Love Ciandra x