I did online dating for a few years and hadn’t dated since my teens; it was a steep learning curve! I tend to take people on face value and like it when people are direct so through a LOT of trial and error learned ‘the rules’ that set me in good stead.
A guy that wants to meet you will let you know quickly, if he doesn’t then he’s not genuine/married/not interested.
Don’t spend too long chatting, it’s a waste of time. So many guys seemed like we had good chemistry over text and in person nada. Arrange to meet up ASAP.
People you’re chatting to will lose interest and that’s ok. You’ll lose interest in others too. If it feels like a slow fade, it is. Never chase.
A guy that likes you will be really keen to lock down a second date. They’ll text you quickly after a date. They know you’ve got other options and they don’t want to risk you meeting someone else. If they’re leaving you hanging, they’re not interested.
Give people a chance. They might not be your usual ‘type’ but in person you might get on like a house on fire.
A first date isn’t really a date, it’s just seeing how the land lies. So don’t be nervous and keep it short and casual, like coffee, so you can bail quickly if it’s not happening. Dinner or drinks is second date territory when you’ve established there’s an attraction.
The final thing I always kept in mind was to treat people how I’d like to be treated. If I wasn’t feeling it I’d let them know politely. Let the rest of them play games if they want to, as long as my side of the street is clean.
Good luck! I met someone amazing in the end and I still can’t believe my luck.