I met a guy, who would later become my husband, at a public library in 2006. It was the typical boy meets girl, boy and girl go out a couple of times “just as friends” before realizing they’re definitely not just friends kind of thing. It was awkward and scary, and it was pretty darn cute. Neither of us had been on Facebook for very long at that point, and we certainly didn’t view it as a place to get dates. So, we stumbled along the old-fashioned way.
Today our entire lives are connected on Facebook, so it’s natural that new romantic relationships would be forged there.
SmallDates is hoping to take Facebook relationships beyond the “just friends” level. Using what they call their “astrological algorithm” (try whispering that sweet nothing into your lover’s ear), SmallDates nudges people to meet based on their cosmic connections.
Users log in with Facebook Connect and fill in any gaps in their Facebook profile information. Then, they are presented with potential matches according to compatibility percentages based on work, love, friendship, sex and marriage. All of the matches are local, and users are given the option of friending anyone who piques their interest. They’re also given a description of how well they might hit it off with other users, based on Facebook profile information.
While writing this, I realized I’d actually have to try it out to give SmallDates a fair assessment. My husband said he’d understand.
I was matched with three different guys, all of whom live in the same suburb as I do. They were all fairly hot, but I didn’t really understand the compatibility percentages I was presented with–I got a high percentage for both sex and friendship with the same guy. Maybe SmallDates was telling me he’d make a great friend with benefits? If so, where was SmallDates when I was still a single gal? Just kidding.
After a few clicks, I was prompted to sign up for a paid membership, starting at $2.99/month. What’s cool about meeting people through SmallDates is knowing that everyone there is looking (except for the married writers testing it out for an article), its low price compared to other dating sites, and its use of your existing Facebook profile information in lieu of typical dating site formalities. Tonight is date night, so why not give SmallDates a try?
