Online Dating Part 2

In Part 1, we looked at finding a date in general. In this part we will focus on online dating sites. The choices are overwhelming, to say the least. The first thing to do is figure out what you are actually expecting from online dating. Are you looking for that special person to spend the rest of your life with, a friend to go out with, or a temporary fling.

Once you figure out what direction you want to take things, it’s time to head to your favorite search engine. One of the first things, I recommend searching for, is a local dating site for your particular area. Let’s face it, long distance relationships can be difficult to maintain. If a local site is not available, or doesn’t have what you are looking for, then sign up with a larger one, such as match.com, eharmony, plentyoffish.com, etc. Review the search results, make a list, visit the sites, and find out what they have to offer. See if they require a subscription, and if they have anyone who may be of interest to you. Some sites are totally free. Then there are sites that let you sign up for free, and then want payment if you want to contact, chat or reply to someone. It’s also very important to read the terms of service, especially on the pay sites. Most pay sites have monthly recurring charges, and different membership levels, which can become quite expensive. Some sites even require personal verification or a background check.

Once you have signed up with the site(s) that you are interested in, it’s time to fill out the profile. Here are a few quick tips; The important thing to keep in mind, is that one needs to be honest about themselves, and what they want. Just write what you feel about yourself, and what you are looking for in a person. Be concise and to the point. Use your spell checker, this is very is important, as well as proper sentence structure. Women in particular tend to be more attracted to someone, who can express a complete thought without misspellings. Last but not least don’t forget to post your photo. When posting a photo it is very important to make sure that it’s a recent one. Posting an old, altered or false photo is deceptive and dishonest, not to mention the disappointment, and hurt, the other interested person will feel, when they really find out that someone has deceived them. A well written profile with a nice photo will generally yield good responses.

I’ll save my experiences for a future post.