Featured Blogger: Christina Voors

Many of us have people in our lives that we have such great connections with, but never see that transfer into the digital realm. They may be one of the closest people to us, but they just suck at texting. Similarly, the opposite is true. Sometimes there is a connection perceived online, though it doesn’t hold in person.

With the amount of people meeting online increasing year-over-year, this can make meaningful connections more difficult to find. If how you get along over text isn’t predictive of how you do in person, then how are these text-based dating apps helping you meet the right people? After all, how many of us have texted via some app and expected a nice first date, just to find it uncomfortable or emotionless?

The lack of correlation between chemistry on and offline isn’t the only hurtle. Another issue is the psychological distance that comes with communicating primarily through a screen. When viewing one’s reactions is taken away, some people type what they would never actually say. This may lead to offensive, hostile, or just overly exaggerated comments. This has become too common of a problem in the digital realm. In some areas, people who comment in this way are called “trolls”. Personally, I would rather leave the trolls under the bridge than have them in my online dating experience.

This leads to another issue of establishing new relationships via texting: the absence of nonverbal communication. Without this primary indicator, many messages are left to be misconstrued. We have evolved to rely on nonverbal communication more so than verbal, reading subtle (or not so subtle) cues that are important to the meaning of what is said. We can read surprise and disgust on each other’s faces, even if we would prefer to hide this emotion. We can even read signs of deceit, forming an opinion on if someone is lying to you. Though emojis try to make up for some of this discrepancy, they are altered to fit our online personas, rather than our true person. And honestly, what does that upside-down smiley face tell me anyways?

Frankly, the personas put through online profiles and communication just don’t line up with reality. Even if they do, chemistry cannot be adequately perceived in this way. Yet no dating app presently addresses this issue.

Fortunately, there is now a way around this. Through Chekmate, people can vocally communicate the moment they match. Hear how your match actually speaks and understand what they are trying to say, or not trying to say. Develop a connection quickly, or instantly move on if it is not there. Read their nonverbals as they speak to you, adding another layer of understanding to who they are. Laugh out loud if they crack a good joke, as opposed to typing the overused ‘lol’. Know instantly if you vibe with them, rather than waiting until you are committed to an in-person meeting. Through this medium, we can quickly gain authentic connections.

Cross over the trolls, they can’t hide here. Don’t waste your time meeting people you have no chemistry with. With Chekmate’s communication style, you’ll fast track the dating app experience.