Reddit Dating
This blog post was written by Andrew Hofman, founder of reddimatch.com.
Whether you’re a heavy user of the self-styled “front page of the internet” or just passing by, reddit has something to offer anyone looking to find true love, get a date, or just find that special someone.
Reddit is a killer resource for dating advice. Since the many great dating subreddits have been around, however, tons of ground has been covered. And covered again. That said, we challenged ourselves to narrow down a super-short list of all-time best Reddit dating advice. Here’s our top 3 picks. Aug 17, 2015 R4R stands for Redditor for Redditor. These subreddits are comprised of personal ads for dating, hooking up, or just finding a friend. Just like the rest of reddit, every listing and comment is free, so no worries there. The main subreddit, R4R, has 80 thousand users, and approximately ten thousand daily visitors, so chances are your post will.
Reddit is essentially a forum for posting and discussing interesting topics. Boasting over 3.5 million daily registered visitors and over 8 billion monthly page views, reddit is also one of the largest and most active websites in the world. Reddit’s popularity is due in part to its expansive and niche network of sub-communities known as subreddits. Each subreddit is devoted to a particular topic, ranging from something as general as “funny” at http://www.reddit.com/r/funny to something much more specific like a particular TV show or hobby, like reddit.com/r/pinball. Users subscribe to these different subreddits to tailor the content they see and interact with when visiting reddit.
The good news is that there are dozens of popular subreddits devoted to all aspects of online dating. Some act like a genuine support network, while others are best for posting that funny Tinder profile you saw, or vent about that annoying suitor. Below I break down some of the most popular archetypes and lay out your best options on reddit for meeting someone special.
The Support Network
Community Hub: /r/relationship_advice
Other notable subreddits: /r/WeMetOnline, /r/LongDistance, /r/LGBT, /r/dating, /r/DeadBedrooms
These subreddits are focused on helpful discussion. They’re a great place to learn something new about dating or to ask for advice. My own guilty pleasure is also reading about some cringe-worthy situations to feel better about myself. The communities listed above are really just the tip of the iceberg for support, but any are a good starting point to finding the specific subreddit for you. These are also the communities where you’ll find some of the most thought-provoking content.
The Funny
Community Hubs: /r/Tinder, /r/OKcupid
Other notable subreddits: /r/creepyPMs, /r/POF
Always good for a laugh. Most of these subs are image-heavy, so browsing is easy and enjoyable. They’re a great place to hone your pick-up line game, especially for Tinder. For example, see the great post below for a subtle “Forrest Gump” Tinder profile. These communities are also great places to learn what not to do; if you’ve been striking out too frequently on OKC for example, post your profile on /r/okcupid and get some honest feedback.
The Personals
Community Hub: /r/R4R
Other notable subreddits: local R4Rs like /r/PhillyR4R for the Philadelphia area, or /r/GBR4R for Great Britain. Also /r/penpals, /r/CasualConversation, and /r/DepthHub.
This is the meat and potatoes of reddit online dating. R4R stands for Redditor for Redditor. These subreddits are comprised of personal ads for dating, hooking up, or just finding a friend. Just like the rest of reddit, every listing and comment is free, so no worries there. The main subreddit, R4R, has ~80 thousand users, and approximately ten thousand daily visitors, so chances are your post will be seen by someone, and you have the chance to see tons of other posts. Unfortunately, like all online dating, this method has its pitfalls. Your listing is only up for a day or so, and it’s considered bad form to spam personals. This means you might be out of luck if you don’t have a very unique listing. The other issue is that the main subreddit is global, so you may have a hard time finding someone local. Some of the other notable subreddits mentioned are not specifically for dating, but they’re a great place to talk to people, and a common topic is dating anyway.
Other Options
If you’re not completely impressed with reddit’s offerings, that’s okay, neither was I. There are some great communities, but nothing really feels personal. A lot of the specific subreddits for dating are filled with fluff or horror stories, and creating a meaningful relationship online is no easy task to begin with.
This is where the reddit dating service reddimatch.com comes in. My friend and I designed reddimatch so like-minded reddit users can connect to make friends or get a date. Reddimatch takes advantage of all the unique personalities and rich data that redditors have to offer. All the ways people use reddit on a daily basis are a reflection of their real uninhibited personalities. By matching users based on common interests expressed on reddit, we think we can do a more honest job than traditional online dating/matching services that require the user to fill out questionnaires to get accurate matches. It’s easy to lie or present your best self on these questionnaires. There’s still a ton of customization available; you can find people in your area, meet a pen pal from an interesting country, or just find your reddit twin. We’re excited to see how redditors use our platform beyond the obvious to connect in authentic ways.
If you’re interested in the reddit dating scene or have your own favorite dating subreddits, leave a comment below, sign up at reddimatch.com, or find us on twitter @reddimatch.
By Andrew Hofman
Reddit Tinder
Andrew Hofman is the Founder of reddimatch.com, a place for reddit users to connect based on their common interests. He’s a long time redditor with an appetite for technology. During the day, Andrew also works as a virologist in the bio-pharmaceutical industry.