Today, video chat has become an almost integral part of online dating. Even if you initially meet a person via text messaging, sooner or later you’ll take the next step, and move to video chat.
There are many video chat apps available for a range of purposes. For example, you can use video chat to communicate with those whose contact details you already have — friends, colleagues, relatives, etc. There are plenty of options — Skype, WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, Zoom and others.
However, if you plan to meet new people via video chat, those platforms won’t be useful. You need a different format — chatroulette!
A great example of random online video chat is Shagle. This is essentially a classic chatroulette on which you can use a gender filter, as well as search for users by country. The service operates in more than 70 countries, so you definitely won’t find any shortage of interesting chat partners.
If you need more fine-tuned search settings and additional options, we can recommend several alternative video chats: Chatspin — another classic online video chat with a gender filter and country search, as well as built-in AI masks that hide the face. Or https://coomeet.com/shagle — video chat with an error-free gender filter, search for people by age, a built-in message translator, convenient smartphone application and excellent moderation. Emeraldchat — a combination of random video chat, useful messenger and social network for comfortable communication. Joingy — random text and video chat for communicating with strangers, including just girls (if you select the appropriate section).
10 simple tips to help you avoid looking weird in video chat
When you first start using a video chat app like Shagle for dating, it can be very strange and awkward. After all, communicating with strangers via video can make even very confident people feel shy. And all because of the fear of seeming funny, stupid or withdrawn. In fact, confidence comes with experience. And only by communicating in video chat will you feel more confident. However, we can still give some useful tips to help you not look weird in video chat:
- Prepare for communication. Before starting a video chat, make sure you look neat and appropriate for the situation. Dress in a way that makes you comfortable. There is no point in wearing some kind of “festive” or formal attire for video chatting. It’s unnecessary and can look tacky.
- Make sure you have good lighting. Check if you have enough light. Otherwise, it will be difficult to see you, and image quality will greatly deteriorate due to lack of light. Of course, this will not make you look odd in the eyes of your chat partner, but it will still spoil the impression you present.
- Install your camera correctly. Try to place it so that it is at eye level. This will ensure your face is presented in the correct proportions and not look strange or unattractive. Do not place the camera too far below your face — this will distort the proportions of the body, and also mean you won’t be making eye contact with your chat partner.
- Control your hands. Sometimes, due to nervousness, it is very difficult to control your hands and you begin to gesticulate too excitedly, distracting and even irritating your chat partner. If you encounter this problem, try to keep something close to you to keep your hands busy — a pen, a spinner, a Rubik’s cube. Anything will do.
- Choose the appropriate background. Try to choose a background that matches the topic of the conversation or your style. Avoid a backdrop that is too busy, bright or noisy. And make sure that there is no clutter around you, because it can greatly spoil the impression you’re trying to give.
- Don’t be shy to let your emotions run free. Excessive seriousness when dating in video chat is definitely not appropriate. Don’t be afraid to smile and give freedom to your facial expressions. This way you’ll make your communication more rich and exciting. If you’re still afraid of looking silly, you can practice showing emotions in front of the mirror.
- Be self-deprecating. We all have disadvantages — that’s a fact. But you can joke about your shortcomings or mistakes, demonstrating that you are not afraid to laugh at yourself, and you don’t take yourself too seriously. However, in this case, it’s also important not to cross the line and humiliate yourself.
- Don’t highlight your chat partner’s disadvantages. Such actions only show you in a bad light and ruin the other person’s mood. You definitely don’t need this. Even if you don’t like the person you’re talking to and don’t particularly want to continue communicating with them, you don’t need to hurt them with your words or actions. End the conversation on a good note and move on.
- Do not use any kind of beauty filters or masks. In an attempt to look perfect, many people (especially girls) use a lot of effects and filters for photos and videos. It looks completely unnatural and even unattractive, so it’s still better to avoid this kind of thing.
- Try to talk calmly and not too fast. Because of your anxiety, you might begin to speak very hastily and stammer. In such a situation, you need to calm down and slow down a little. Otherwise, your chat partner will not understand even half of what you say.
How long does it take to get used to dating via video chat?
That can be entirely down to the individual user. For some, it takes several weeks of daily practice to finally feel confident and comfortable enough to communicate with strangers via video. And for some, one or two conversations in random video chat are enough to cope with any setbacks. So you’ll just have to try it and see!
We’re sure that you’ll very quickly get used to this format of communication. And it’s very likely that in the future you’ll choose it instinctively, rather than classic dating sites and apps. Today online video chat is a great alternative to traditional web dating, and it’s very easy to see this for yourself!
