How to date at age 50-plus: 10 rules for finding love in 2024

Dating and the search for love can feel like a roller coaster ride, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

You can take steps to increase the chances of attracting someone, going on a date and finding love, companionship or friendship.

The first step, experts say, is simply to get out there. Dip your toe into the dating pool or jump right in.

“Fortune favors the bold,” said Jolene Beaton, a matchmaker for It’s Just Lunch. “The more willing you are to create the love life you want, the quicker you’ll probably get it.”

Dating in the digital age means it’s hard to avoid judging by appearances because you’re usually looking at photographs first. But how you feel when you’re with someone “should be a guiding force,” said Rachel DeAlto, chief connection officer for Match Group, which operates 12 dating platforms, including Hinge, OurTime and Plenty of Fish. “Focus on the qualities, like do you want someone who is kind or humble.”

Dating experts shared these 10 dating tips for 2024.

Explore options. Don’t be afraid to try different dating methods, including apps, matchmakers, joining a social group or friend referrals. In theory, Minneapolis relationship coach Alex Merritt said, “the more dating options you use, the better your chances are for meeting someone.”

Match your life goals and dating goals. This is important especially if you date someone outside your age range. Some people may want to date younger partners, but the younger person may want children, while the older person doesn’t.

Approach it like a job search. Update your profiles on professional and social networks like LinkedIn and Facebook, not just dating platforms. Let your friends and family know you’re dating.

Be honest. Provide your true age and a current photograph. Make your expectations clear. It’s about building trust. In fact, singles say trust is one of the top three most important factors in a healthy romantic relationship, according to Match’s 2023 Singles in America report, released last month.

“If I’ve learned anything over time, it’s not to morph myself into someone to make this work,” said entrepreneur Marc Kline, a divorced 62-year-old who lives in Minnetonka. “My heart wants a certain thing. I can’t fake it.”

Do your research. Before meeting someone, search Google, Instagram and other professional and social networks for profiles, mentions and photographs. That information should match what they’ve told you and the information on their online dating profiles.

Get creative. Beaton suggests getting creative with dates to reveal your personality, such as community service (like a beach cleanup), new experiences (like a hop-on-hop-off bus tour) or group dates (like a cooking or dance class).

Cultivate your conversation skills. Ask open-ended questions for better conversation starters and to glean more insight into a person, Merritt said. “‘How was your day?’ is one question and ‘What was the highlight of your day?’ is a very different question,” she added.

And be thoughtful about how to answer big questions, such as why did you never marry, or get divorced.

Be positive. Be happy, speak in a positive way and show a happy face to make yourself more appealing to others. “Go in as a process of discovery, not a process of elimination,” Beaton said.

Date safely. Use your first name only and don’t overshare your personal information at the start. Meet in a public place for the first few dates.

“There’s a little bit of magic that goes into finding love,” DeAlto said. “We can control some of it … but at the end of the day we’re putting together two unique individuals.”