The best online dating screener: Google+ hangouts!

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According to online dating statistics, 1 out of 3 people are now using online dating as a method of finding their mate.  Some may say that this is the new dating norm for the 30-something age range. Unlike the 20-something age range, according to the New York Times’ The End of Courtship?, 30-somethings still use phones for conversations, have one-on-one dates, and flirt in public not twitter.

So, I asked myself what can the 30-something group do to be just as tech savvy and unconventional to make our dating experiences more efficient?  Ladies & Gents, I have found our answer!!! I am going to start this trend: Google + hangouts! What? Never heard of it? I recently started using it myself. Let me tell you all about it. It was launched over a year ago and is a video chat program that allows us to interact with up to 10 people face-to-face. It’s a  different social networking concept from the other social network platforms, but the same in terms of sharing information, photos, latest news, etc. The key difference is it is LIVE human interaction! In addition to business conferencing; meetings; networking; connecting; and sharing, I found the best application: online dating screening! I have found Google+ hangouts to be the most effective & efficient method in screening potential dates.

Here’s my rationale:

1. Time

So, I thought what are 30-somethings most concerned with? Time, right? No one wants to waste time because we have a limited amount of it with our work and life schedules. Well, Google+ hangouts resolves this. Let’s consider the time invested in the initial phase of online dating. We go through the process of identifying a pool of potential candidates, email screen, and are now ready to talk on the phone/meet in person. I would use the phone conversation as my screener and hope that it would all go well when we met in life. That’s where the second phase of time investment is: preparing for the date. The process of aligning your schedules, dressing for it, and mentally preparing yourself for the date. That’s where the g+h/o (what I like to call it or h/o for short 🙂 ) comes in! You can schedule a face-to-face video chat to determine if you want to go that second phase of time investment. All you have to do is send a link to the g+ho and schedule a video chat!

2. Physical attraction

What frustrates us the most about meeting people face-to-face? If their photos and life have discrepancies, right? One of the top things both men and women lie about on their profiles is age. Seeing them on a video chat gives you the opportunity to determine whether you are really physically attracted to the person or the whatever year old photo they decided to use!

3. Lifestyle

People usually are conducting their g+ho from their homes. It’s either a bedroom, living room or home office. Which provides us with an easy way to determine: 1) whether they are messy/organized; 2) what their tastes are (art work, furniture, photos displayed), and 3) a small margin of if there is chemistry or not.

Oh, the other added bonus is that you may be able to determine if the person is married based on the room, too. If you like cyberstalking, this is another added bonus, you can see the person’s activities and profile if it’s completed!

Thanks Google+, Vic Gundotra, Chee Chew, Dori Storbeck and Natalie Villalobos for making my life so much easier! Here’s the link to learn more and join Google+ hangouts: http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts/

For now, I have just tried the one-on-one video chat, but am going to be exploring different dating efficiency techniques and sharing them with you all! Looking forward to hearing about your experiences with the g+ho!

 

47 thoughts on “The best online dating screener: Google+ hangouts!

  1. I have been doing a little bit of online dating recently, and it seems to me that if a person’s face size and shape are not really to the same scale as yours, attraction might not be present (sounds crazy, but I think somebody out there did some research regarding similar facial features and compatibility). Had great email w a guy recently, great phone conversation, pics, etc. But, I was concerned his face shape might be far too thin for mine. And, when we met up, that was exactly why the attraction wasn’t that great (at least in my perspective)! I’m not sure you can determine something like this w the ho’ing thing, but I bet it would help. It definitely IS frustrating to meet up, only to be disappointed. I think I’ll try this next time. So, all I have to do is initiate a video chat, you say? I’m checking out the “hangout” link now.

  2. Funny thing that you mention research based on face symmetry, Alice. There is a online dating website that focuses on pairing matches up based on several points of compatibility along facial features! Can’t remember what the site is called, but I know it exists.

    Since you are aware of some of the facial features you are looking for, I would say the g+ho would be ideal. Perhaps you can develop a system while you’re in the ho to better measure your requirements. Try it! Let me know how it goes!

  3. Brilliant idea! Though my personal choice is to see if you have enough to talk about and then meet quickly. I haven’t phoned a date yet and not heard their voice until first meeting. Worked well for me so far 🙂

    Wishing you continued good fortune in the dating market!

    1. Oh, I am the complete opposite! I have to know that I’m at least going to get through that initial meeting not being mad at myself for not screening better!

      Thanks so much honey! Hoping 2013 will be your best year yet!

    1. Thanks so much, Matt! I am certainly not the first one to do this. Once I had success with it, I started documenting it’s efficiency. So far, I have had my hypothesis tested by other users and they have positive reactions. I, also let a few of the g+ho execs know of my research and findings and they were supportive! 🙂

    1. LOL!

      I didn’t know there was an Ubuntu Linux code named Ocelot. That’s awesome!

      I had my PowerBook triple booting for a while. I had OS X, Windows XP, and Gentoo all on the same disk. It was a neat trick that impressed the guys at work but it left me short on disk space.

      I need to backup all my files anyway. I’ve been putting it off because I don’t want to look at that pictures folder before my divorce. 🙁

      1. Ha! Shows you how little I know about what could be compatible for google chrome and what your whole triple booting statements mean! 🙂
        Sounds impressive though, multiple OSs on 1 disk! Cool!

        Ah yes, ok step away from the computer 🙂 I didn’t mean to suggest something that would cause any unnecessary pain. It was meant to simplify your online dating experience 🙁

    1. So excited that you are going to try it.Wow! That’s a fantastic offer! Very kind of you! I want to dance at your wedding! 🙂 I am currently developing a idea for the hangouts and matching candidates! Once I am ready to pilot test the concept, would you be willing to participate?

  4. I don’t get it. You can only start a G+ Hang Out with friends you’ve already added. Where do you find guys you don’t know to chat with?
    I’d like to try your ideas out (once I find out how to find guys on there) but I may have one problem. I’m a freelancer and don’t dress up and look nice with make-up and everything every day (why bother if I’m just in my apartment?). Like I’m sitting here right now at almost midnight and have greasy hair, no make-up, my glasses, and a sweatshirt on. I’d be too embarrassed to start a hangout looking like this. So it’s a problem of having to get all dolled up before chatting, and many times at the end of the day when I have time to do goof around online I look like crap, which would deter me from using the G+ho.

    1. Thanks for your questions and comments, Missy M!

      Ok, you can start a hangout with anyone that you invite as long as they have a gmail account. So, what I did was use the standard online dating sites I am on, but rather than screening them on the phone, I invited them to a hangout so I can determine if I wanted to go on a date with them or not.

      So, the best part of that is you can set it up when you feel most comfortable and don’t have to go out of your way. You could pick one day where you screen all of your potential dates, so you don’t have to go out of your way.

      Oh, most of the time, people are in their sweats, no make-up, hair in whatever shape it’s in and glasses in the g+hos 🙂 lol not for the online dating screeners, though 🙂

    1. Thank you so much, Stella! Glad you found it helpful! It saves me so much time and aggravation! 🙂 No having to get all dolled up, meet someone in some mutually agreed upon place and find out there is no chemistry. Let me know what your experience is like.

  5. Its such as you learn my mind! You seem to know a lot approximately this, like you wrote the e-book in it or something. I believe that you can do with some percent to force the message a bit, however instead of that, this is fantastic blog.

    A great read. I’ll definitely be back.

    1. Thanks so much bryon! I really appreciate your kind words! You must have read my mind! I am going to be turning this blog into a book!

      I would love & looking forward to your feedback, insights, comments & stories!

  6. What a powerful tool video conferencing is. Really helps get to see if the person you are contemplating dating is everything that they seem to be. At least physically and personality wise.

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