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How to Choose the Right Black Dating Website

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Introduction

The phenomenon of Online Dating has developed and expanded alongside the worldwide growth of the internet. Black dating is a specific branch of online dating that is specifically aimed at black users of all nationalities. These sites are popular with black users that are looking to the internet to find love and companionship with other black users, but also with users of many different ethnicities who are particularly attracted to black men and women. This niche online dating market has grown considerably in the last few years, and now it is undoubted that a large number of people are looking to the internet to find love, friendship and companionship, on black dating sites.

 

Black dating versus standard online dating?

A point of particular importance is weighing the benefits of joining a specialist site that is devoted to black singles, against that of joining a standard online dating site. In the case of a small black dating site, the site is likely to have fewer features and considerably fewer users than the number of black singles on a large generic site, such as match.com or AdultFriendFinder. We do think this is something that is worth thinking about when deciding whether to go for a niche site focused solely on black singles, or joining a much larger general site.

 

Common Features

There are a number of features that are relatively common to the black dating sites that we have reviewed. To help you know what to look out for when choosing a black dating site, we have highlighted the most important features below so that you can look out for them as you are reading through our reviews and checking out what each site has to offer:

  • Photo & Video Profiles:
    Photo profiles are a common feature of most dating sites, allowing users to share photos with other users to ‘advertise’ themselves. Photo profiles let you get a real feel for the person behind the profile, and allow users to decide whether or not they want to take the first step by getting in touch with them. Video profiles take this idea a step further, allowing users to record a video message to share with other users. These offer real opportunities to share a user’s personality and looks with other users. Photo profiles are extremely commonplace in online dating these days, and all of the sites we reviewed in this category include them. Video profiles are less common, so we are particularly impressed to find them in the sites we review.

  • Instant Messaging: Instant Messaging is a service offered by many sites, that is similar to the services offered by MSN, Yahoo and GoogleChat, and allows users to chat actively with each other. We love this feature, as it allows users to have actual, real-time conversations with other users when your relationship is at an early stage (i.e. before phone calls!)

  • Forums & Chatrooms: Forums and chatrooms allow users to get to know each other by discussing a range of different topics online. We find that the sites that include such services are often far more community oriented as they provide opportunities for users to engage with each other outside of the traditional dating environment. Chatting in forums and chatrooms is an excellent way to make friendships and develop relationships further.

  • Matching Services: Matching services are automatic quizzes, searches, or questionnaires that aim to unite users of a site on the basis of their responses to particular questions or details held on their profile. While matching services can never been 100% successful, as it is not possible to apply a rigid formula to dating, we do like to see such services included on dating sites, as they can throw up some interesting matches and provide great ways to start getting to know other users.

  • FAQs & Technical Support: Sounds a little boring, but we think this is really important. Look out for sites that offer technical support by email and phone, especially those that offer support 24/7. FAQs are also important to help you solve common issues.

 

“Powered by…”

A common feature of a number of sites is that they are “powered” by another, larger site. This simply means that the site shares the features, structure and often, membership directory of the parent site. Many users find this a comforting element in choosing a site to join, having the security of a major site without feeling that your profile will never be found amongst the hundreds of thousands that can sometimes exist on larger sites. This practice is relatively common; so don’t be concerned when you look at a site that is “powered” by another.

 

Chances of getting a date

Online dating is often described as a numbers game, where users are more likely to find a successful match on larger sites with more active users. This is true with black dating too, though we also feel that users should take care to ensure they pick a site that contains a good complement of features that will make using the site exciting.

Check out our reviews for an indication, where possible, of the size of the site and the number of users, but also read our extensive editor’s reviews to get an idea of what every site is like. Most importantly, join the site and experience the free membership options to see whether it is the perfect site for you.

 

A note on Privacy & Safety

With the growth of the internet, there is a great deal of concern about privacy and personal safety. Many users of online dating services are worried that their personal information, held by the sites they join, may be shared with other organisations or viewable publically by all users of the site. With dating, users may also be reluctant to give away too much information, as they may not want others to know that they are looking for love online.

Many sites offer standard assurances that they do not share information, and that user profiles only contain information that the particular user wishes to share. Look out for sites that allow users to block those users that they do not wish to talk to, or that allow users to decide which images are viewable by all members of the site, and which are viewable by invitation only. Most of the websites we review offer excellent privacy settings so that your data, and identity, are secure. Check our reviews for those sites that offer particularly useful or unusual privacy tools.

 

Pricing & Free Trials

The price structure for black dating sites varies considerably between sites. Check out our reviews for an up to date listing of prices for each site and their relative subscription lengths. Most sites offer free trials to allow you to get a feel for the site and decide whether you wish to sign up for a full subscription. One of the sites in this section offers complete access, free of charge for all users. While this will no doubt appeal to some users, it is often the case that these sites offer fewer features and attract less members.

 

The Bottom Line

We recognise that users may need a helping hand in deciding which service is best for them. With our experience in reviewing all kinds of different services, we hope that this buying guide, combined with our trademark extensive reviews, will help you make an informed decision as to which site is perfect for your needs.

 

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