I had just talked with my wife about dating websites, how we knew people who have benefited from them, as well as others who may still benefit. I'm sure there are lots of horror stories, too. Probably most involve guys trying for a new way to score easily. After our conversation and into the next few days, I started to wonder just how niche the niche dating websites get.

I had told Lisa about a friend of mine who was getting a lot of contacts on one of the major dating sites. So many contacts, in fact, that the website contacted him to see if his profile could be used as an example for other guys. He said no, and rightly so. If he's a guy who can write, then he deserves to have at least one advantage over guys who can mostly just lift weights. However, it does make me wonder if there's a market for a guy (like me) who can write dating profiles for other guys. Probably not, since most other guys think too much of themselves to admit they can't really write. What most men lack as wordsmiths they make up for with confidence. In fact, I'm sure most guys on dating sites who can't write would like to make Uncle Rico-like videos of themselves for the ladies. Sadly, these would probably work.

But my idea for this article was to discuss niche dating websites, not the merits of having to be literate to be able to meet women. You've got Match, eHarmony, PlentyofFish, JDate, OKCupid, Tinder, and more. These are not really niche, since anyone can join. Some of them charge money, and some don't. Remember that Facebook was pretty much just a stalking/dating website at first, so don't write any of these off, even if they're free. I believe there's an active dating section over on your local craigslist page, too, but I assume 25% of that activity could be busted by your local police, so be careful.

Some Niche Sites:

beautifulpeople.com - the leading online dating site for beautiful men and women (I think this is real, but I don't think I can join)

Grindr - free app for gay men (I am sure this is real, but it's not my bag)

elitesingles.com - 80% have a university degree (not sure this makes anyone elite, but 20% are still trying to outkick their coverage)

onluxy.com - a dating site for rich men looking for golddigging women (that's not the official description - I filled in the search as a man looking for a woman near Jacksonville, FL, and it said there are 30,000 results. Therefore, I assume ALL eligible women in Jacksonville are on this site--or willing to travel from the Ukraine)

WASP.love - the online dating site for Reformed Christian, Quiverfull, Confederate, Homeschooled, Christian Identity, white nationalism, altright, Sovereign Grace Singles (I think it's hillarious that homeschoolers get thrown into this mix)

farmersonly.com - City folks just don't get it (I miss the commercials that I saw in Wisconsin for this site that appeared to be shot in the 90s with a VHS camera)

farmersdatingsite.com - The #1 Farmers Dating Community on the Web (there are 203 farmgirls near me, but I'd have to sign up to see them)

fansingles.com - Sports Fan Dating (a quick look at profiles show that the pool is mostly non-US, which means the photos of models wearing American football jerseys and underwear are just silly -- these fans would like soccer and Formula 1 instead of football and NASCAR)

autodating.com - Fire Up Your Love Engine With Auto Dating (I was kind of hoping it was more just automatic dating, like taking the work out of it. One member is named chevroleta. If I loved my car enough to join a dating website centered around cars, I probably should just date my car)

autoloversdating.com - (Same website template as farmersdatingsite. One guy's profile says, "Obsessed with working on vehicles. I do it for a living and on my free time." Ladies, you can make this guy a sandwich while he works on his pickup.)

uniformdating.com - Exclusive dating for singles in uniform & for those who like them! (so there are people interested in my Walmart vest?)

socialistdating.com - We think that solidarity is important. (once again, three socialist dating sites, and all three have the same templates, or owners, as various other niche sites...probably based in India)

jdate.com - Find your special Jewish someone. (it's another repeat template. No profiles to view without joining. Not sure if you have to convert to join)

datehookup.com - We're 100% free for everything (this one popped up when searching for Jewish singles, but it told me NOT to use a Jewish dating site, meaning the website uses your search term to tell you to use this site instead. However, the only somewhat-relevant user in my area isn't Jewish at all)

jwed.com - Find Your Chosen One (this site is worth mentioning for the tag-line alone)

christianmingle.com - Love is Patient. Love is Kind. Love is Here. (EXACT same template as jdate, which means I have to ask whether the owners of Christian Mingle have been saved or are just chosen [SPARK NETWORKS USA, LLC])

Meetup.com - (the Beaches Christian Singles with its 89 members popped up in my search for Christian singles. Like Facebook, Meetup started as dating and has moved more into self-aggrandizement)

muslima.com - Muslim Matrimonials (done by Cupid Media, which also runs www.chineselovelinks.com, www.indiancupid.com, www.latinamericancupid.com, www.mexicancupid.com, www.singaporelovelinks.com, www.ukrainedate.com, so I think the owners are more believers in cash than the Koran)

bellywag.com - Beautiful Redneck Dating; The Best Place Online for Our Kind (bellywag? Can't browse without a membership)

redneckmeet.com - The Most Available Country Singles Dating (The tag-line isn't a sentence, but it might just be someone trying to keyword the heck out of a phrase that sounds dumb. Then again, if you tell your friends you met your old lady on redneckmeet.com, you will also sound dumb. On the About page: This site is powered by BoonEx Dolphin. The rest is a mystery. - I'd say someone in India or California messing with rednecks. Also, like 20-30% of the females on the website are minority, so I'm liking the diversity of the website that you'd think would drive those folks away)

This is just a partial list. I don't know your niche, so you'll have to search for others if you think they exist. Mostly I learned that whether you choose a national website and add interests or an interest-based-niche website, you'll be dealing with website owners without a vested interest in your interests. The websites cater to you in order to make money. These aren't church ministries or your mom, so just remember that.