Online Dating: Study Finds The Best Time To Meet Someone For A First Date | HuffPost

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Meet Someone Online? This Is How Long You Should Wait Before The First Date

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Some will tell you to wait a month and others will tell you to always meet in a public space. Everyone wants to be an online dating expert, but recently, the real experts have figured out the perfect amount of time to wait before the first date.

According to a new study from the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, researchers say the right time to meet for a first date is after 17 to 23 days of communicating with them online. Researchers say this will give you, the online dater, enough time to get to know the person on the other end, and find out of they are a potential match.

The study, which polled 433 online daters, also discovered an online dating "tipping point," and noted that the longer people waited to meet (especially after the 17 to 23 day time range), the more likely they were to be disappointed with their date.

Lead researcher Artemio Ramirez, Jr., an associate professor at the University of South Florida, told our U.S. counterparts the study was an inspiration after he meet his wife online in 2005.

"We actually met face-to-face within that 17 to 23 day window, where we say the impressions and idealizations are at that peak, the most positive level that they'll be prior to meeting face to face," Ramirez says.

He adds getting to know the person on the other end is good idea, but if you wait too long, you may have already decided that person is "the one," — even if they aren't.

While some studies have shown online dating doesn't necessarily lead to marriage, others have shown people who meet online have higher marriage satisfaction, and lower divorce rates. And chances are, you probably know a couple who has met through online dating.

How long did you wait before the first date? Was it before 17 days? Let us know in the comments below:

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Online Dating Profile Pictures

DO: Make It A Landscape Shot(01 of18)

Landscape pictures, according to eHarmony's blog, are more likely to be clicked on than up-and-down or extremely close shots, likely because it gives people a better sense of the person's body, as well as their face. (credit:Shutterstock)

DON'T: Crop Someone Out(02 of18)

Along with falling into that narrow "up and down" no-no, cropping someone out results in less communication, according to eHarmony. And besides, you really should have at least one good picture of you on your own somewhere.

DO: Upload A Bunch Of Pictures(03 of18)

Give the people what they want! And in this context, that means a variety of pictures, so that prospects can get a good sense of what you look like, what you're into and so on. (credit:Shutterstock)

DON'T: Snap From Afar(04 of18)

Though you don't want to get too close, you also don't want your picture to be taken from far away — that can seem as though you're hiding something about your appearance. (credit:Shutterstock)

DO: Show Your Left Side(05 of18)

Real scientific research has gone into this one, so why not trust it? Apparently showing the left side of your face in pictures is more aesthetically pleasing, according to PsychCentral, and has the added bonus of showing more emotion. (credit:Shutterstock)

DON'T: Feature Shots Of Your Buddy(06 of18)

Even if it's the most platonic of friendships, don't include a picture of yourself with a member of the opposite sex if you're looking for a heterosexual relationship. In general, keep pictures confined to shots of yourself. (credit:Shutterstock)

DO: Show Pride (If You're A Guy)(07 of18)

According to eHarmony, some studies have shown that women prefer pictures of men who demonstrate pride — whereas the opposite is true for men when it comes to women. (credit:Shutterstock)

DO: Show Happiness (If You're A Gal)(08 of18)

That same study showed that men prefer women who demonstrate happiness in their profile pictures, assumedly because it's associated with femininity and nurturing, and are least attracted to women showing pride. (credit:Shutterstock)

DO: Get Outdoors(09 of18)

Taking a picture outside allows for the flattering effect of natural sunlight on skin, notes eHarmony. Just be careful to avoid squinting into the sun, and opt for a sideways glance instead. (credit:Shutterstock)

DON'T: Be In A Costume(10 of18)

As one eHarmony blogger pleads, even if you think it's a hilarious picture, don't put up a shot of your Halloween costume. Sure, you want someone who shares your sense of humour, but let them see what you look like first. (credit:Shutterstock)

DO: Get Flirtatious With The Camera(11 of18)

OkCupid found that, to their surprise, when women made a "flirty face" without smiling at the camera, it generated more new contacts in a month than any other expression. Flirting away from the camera, however, was the least favoured expression. (credit:Shutterstock)

DO: Get Serious Away From The Camera(12 of18)

For men on OkCupid, the most favoured expression was an unsmiling face that looked away from the camera — possibly, they theorized, because it gave an air of mystery. Flirting away from the camera, however, was also still a big no-no. (credit:Shutterstock)

DO: Take A Selfie (If You're A Gal)(13 of18)

The researchers seemed as surprised by this as us, but apparently, the selfie, duck face or MySpace photo was the biggest hit by OkCupid users in terms of context. Is it possible it is the most flattering angle? (credit:Shutterstock)

DO: Grab An Animal (If You're A Guy)(14 of18)

As for men, the favoured context for a headshot was one featuring a guy with an animal, whether a pet or even one at the zoo. Though this may not apply to everyone, as it was followed closely by ... (credit:Shutterstock)

DO: Show Off Those Abs(15 of18)

The second most popular context for men on OkCupid was showing off muscles — though the researchers are quick to point out that (a) obviously it's only guys who have them who would show them off, and (b) this becomes less attractive to women the older the guys are. (credit:Shutterstock)

DO: Show Cleavage(16 of18)

This isn't necessarily a surprising finding, but men really do prefer profiles of women who show cleavage. The interesting point? Unlike the muscle men, as women get older, if they show cleavage, they're more likely to be messaged. (credit:Shutterstock)

DO: Show Some Interests(17 of18)

OkCupid found that as far as a picture leading to a conversation goes, the most likely ones start with a shot of someone doing something interesting. And it's not hard to figure out why — it gives the messager an easy opening. (credit:Shutterstock)

DON'T: Drink In Your Picture(18 of18)

Is it because you seem young when you feature booze in your profile picture or that you don't have any other interests? The research didn't specify, but drinking in your shot was the least likely picture to generate an actual conversation. (credit:Shutterstock)

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