Features of Match.com:•Match.com contains the largest members database of any mainstream internet dating site - over 25 million members and growing - so you're sure to find plenty of matches in your area! This means you have more of a chance of scoring with Match.com than with any other internet dating site, and that's why it's our No. 1 Choice!
•FREE Portrait Toolkit - Sign up for Match.com's new Voyeur Guide and receive expert advice from Style Director Jay Manuel (as seen on the TV show Top Model.)
•"Happen" magazine for dating online. They cover trends, advice, opinions, love scoops, sex tips and other similar articles and quick polls.
•MindFindBind, a 3-step program from the relationship expert and TV show host Dr. Phil (see below for more info on this).
•Make Love Happen Guarantee - If you don't find someone special during your first 6-month subscription, Match.com will give you an additional 6 months at no additional cost to you to continue your search! This is a first in the world of online dating! (Note: This guarantee is only available with a 6-month subscription)
•Total Attraction Matching system, which incorporates a powerful personality-profiling tool and the first and only physical attraction test.
•Wink at other members online to express your initial interest
•E-mail members using the internal e-mail tool that comes with Match.com, including your own inbox, outbox and trash (though you will have to upgrade to a paid subscription to access this feature).
•See when other members were last online - this is essential in knowing how active a member is on the site and thus how likely you are to get a response from that member. It's pointless spending your time composing an email to someone who hasn't been online in 6 months, right? This feature helps you spend your time wisely. Too many dating sites don't offer this feature.
•Narrow your searches to within a mile of your location, allowing you to find potential matches in your immediate vicinity.
•View profiles in their entirety without paying any money. You will only need to pay up if you wish to contact another member by e-mail.
•One-way and two-way searches available. One-way searches allow you to search for your match. Two-way searches will also tell you which members you might be right for, based on your personality profile and their wish-list! The two-way search is great for finding potential matches with whom you will be mutually compatible.
•matchWords, a keyword-based search feature. Looking for a particular keyword in someone's profile? Maybe you're looking for a "dog owner", "mountain biker" or "French speaker"? Whatever you're looking for, the keyword search is a great tool in helping you find it. Few other dating sites offer this advanced search feature.
•Get your latest matches sent straight to your inbox as soon as they become available
•Email Read Notification - so you can see when other members have read your emails. (This is an optional extra)
•matchMobile - get full access to Match.com on your mobile phone. Perform searches, view profiles, send and receive winks and get text alerts all on the go! (This is an optional extra)
•Highlight your profile so that it stands out on any members search (This is an optional extra)
•First Impressions - Improve your chance of being contacted by being seen by Match.com's newest members in their first round of emailed matches. (This is an optional extra)
•See who's viewed your profile
•Save your searches
•Easily turn your profile on and off, so you can choose whether its visible to other members.
•Complete privacy protection - no one will know your identity unless you explicitly tell them!
•Excellent technical support.
•Match.com UK is also available as a separate site for UK customers
Joining Match.com:
•When you try and perform a search you will initially be asked to complete a questionnaire. This questionnaire is in two parts - firstly it asks you all about yourself, then it asks you all about your ideal match. The questions are mainly multiple-choice questions and are fun and easy to complete.
•You will then be asked to complete a profile, which is a paragraph or two about yourself and what you're looking for in a date. This doesn't have to be a novel - keep it brief. You can always come back and add to this at some later date. Your profile is then submitted for review to make sure you're not an axe murderer whose hobbies include molesting cattle. You get the picture!
•Next you will be asked to upload a photo. Profiles with pictures get up to 15 times more interest than those without, so it is advisable to upload one - a nice one!
•You will then be taken to the billing section, where you will be asked to choose a membership option. It is recommended that you sign-up as a fully paid-up member to access all the site's features and to be able to contact other members.
Performing a Search on Match.com:
•A full search facility is available, allowing members to search by:
◦gender
◦sexual orientation
◦age range
◦location
◦zip code
◦radius to within 1 mile of your location
◦keyword search (called matchWords see below)
◦any part of the profile including Appearance, Interests, Lifestyles and Values
◦whether the member has pictures posted
◦who's online now
◦reverse searches - find out who's looking for you, even if you are not necessarily looking for them
◦two-way or mutual searches - find other members with whom you may be mutually compatible.
Editor's Verdict:
Match.com truly is the big daddy of internet dating. As one of the longest running dating sites around, Match.com has amassed an amazing 25 million+ members, with roughly equal numbers of men and women on the site, making it highly likely that you'll be able to find a perfect match in your area, no matter where you live. In fact, Match.com are so confident of this, that if after the first 6 months you've still had no luck getting a date, they promise to give you 6 months extra free! Last year alone on Match.com, more than 400,000 people found someone to keep them warm at night. That's four large football stadiums filled with couples who've found love online through Match.com. Could you be next?
