If you’re mulling over the possibility of joining some dating sites in your effort to find a perfect match, it’s time to set your hesitation aside. Yes, there are some important concerns that you must understand before diving into the world of online dating, but there’s no reason to stop yourself from joining. Web-based dating is no longer stigmatized as it once was; a growing number of relationships are started online, and the rate is only going to continue to increase in the coming years.

Are there downsides to online dating?

Before we get to the many wonderful things about the best dating sites, let’s start with the things that aren’t so great about finding love online:

• Misleading profiles: This is the biggest complaint that people have about online dating. When you’re entering information about yourself into a series of web-based forms, there’s nothing stopping you from stretching the truth and telling outright lies. As you’re browsing through dating site profiles, you’ll undoubtedly come across people who just don’t strike you as genuine. Fortunately, you’ll learn to sort these people out.
• Misleading pictures: We all have our flattering and unflattering camera angles, but when it comes to putting pictures online, most of us obviously favor the more flattering photos. That’s why when you really get into this online dating world, it’s always a good idea to be skeptical about people’s looks. Granted, looks aren’t everything, but it’s perfectly natural to want to have a clear idea of what someone looks like before you get serious with them. Be wary of anyone who won’t show more than one picture.
• Distance: One of the greatest things about online dating is that it gives you the opportunity to meet people who you would never otherwise meet. This is a beautiful thing, but it has a downside—namely, that some of the people you find online may not be easy to meet up with. Even if they just live on the other side of town, the distance can be inconvenient. On the other hand, since when has distance ever gotten in the way of true love?

If you can get past these minor concerns, then don’t hold yourself back: you may be the perfect candidate for online dating.

Online dating tips: Finding the best dating sites

The first thing you’re going to want to do is find the best dating sites to suit your needs. You’ll quickly discover that there are a few huge presences in the online dating world. The good thing about services such as eHarmony is that they have the greatest number of members, and they also have special country-specific areas of their sites. The negative side is that these sites are so broad and general that you end up having to sort through a lot of potential matches before finding one for you.

The major dating sites are good enough for most people, but if would classify yourself in a narrow social niche, then you might want to look for more specialized services. For example, there are dating sites for Christians, sites for older singles, sites for teenagers, and sites for people who are too busy for drawn-out courtship. There are also plenty of sites with even narrower focuses. For instance, if you love horses, if you’re really into science fiction, or if you enjoy hiking, there are sites specifically designed to connect you with people who share your interest.

Online dating tips: Creating your profile

The biggest thing that most of the best dating sites have in common is that they ask you to create an online profile. Your profile is not to be taken lightly. Many people think that they can just put up a bare-bones profile and then go searching for matches, but this approach neglects the fact that when you find someone you’re interested in, they’re going to want to see your profile before starting anything. For this reason, before you reach out to anyone, it’s a good idea to build up your profile.

As you’re building your profile, be as honest as possible. The idea is to find someone with whom you can get close, so they’re eventually going to learn who you are anyway. Of course, you do want to put your best foot forward, but try to do so without stretching the truth about yourself.

When it comes to uploading a photo, find one that does a good job of capturing your everyday personality. Many people upload photos of themselves dolled up for a party or dressed in their best work clothes, but these pictures are relatively inaccurate. Go with something that reflects how you look, say, when you go to the store or hang out casually with your friends. This is the version of you that your future love interest will know best, so present it to them now.

Start searching for your new online dating partner

At first you may find the search for a match a little intimidating, so you may want to hold off on contacting anyone until you’ve had a chance to look around. You’ll quickly discover that different people have different things that they are looking for from dating sites. Some are looking for true love, while others just want something casual. Before you reach out to someone, try to get a clear sense of what they want, and then take this seriously. For example, if someone is just looking for a casual thing, don’t try to convince them to get serious. It probably won’t work.

When you start connecting, present yourself in a casual, laid-back way, and don’t come on too strongly. You don’t want to be intimidating. Instead, start with the types of things that we usually make small talk with. For example, you can ask the person about a feature you find interesting on their profile, point out something you have in common, or share a bit of information that they may find interesting. In the end, you’ll find an approach that works for you.

Don’t be afraid to get started with online dating. The worst that can happen is a bit of rejection, and that never killed anyone. You may eventually learn that online dating is not right for you, but at least you will have given it your best shot.

The social sphere is full of guidelines. The average gentleman would know what things he should not say on a first date; just about anyone knows the value of writing a thank-you note for gifts received or a party hosted. But what happens when you date online? Is there also a code of ethics, or a set of unspoken rules to abide by? The following case scenarios should give you a clearer idea of the basic ways to respond to certain situation that arise from online dating:

1. Is a response necessary even when the person who contacts you is someone in whom you’re not interested? The silent treatment may not necessarily be common in the world of face-to-face asking out, but in online dating, it is quite common, despite how rude it may seem. Experts believe simply not responding feels “cleaner” for most people compared to brutal honesty of saying you are not interested and then explaining why. Then again, an acknowledgment may be a good idea, typically when the e-mail seems to have caused much trouble: for example, if the person simply wrote one line, it is perfectly fine not to respond, but if it contains three pages of words from the heart, a simple “no thank you” may not be much trouble to send. Some sites even allow the receiver to click on a button that says, in a way, “Thanks, but no thanks.”
2. Is asking about where a person works or lives considered prying? Sometimes, it seems natural and automatic to wonder where a person lives or what he does for a living. However, experts believe that these details seem too private to ask before you even meet someone. Usually, after two people have met in person and there is definite interest, these questions become much more timely to ask. Also, it does not have to be specific, as you can ask what field he works in without needing to know the exact company, or even ask what his neighbourhood is like instead of getting the complete address. Besides, if you were in his shoes, you probably would not want to reveal exact details, either, for security purposes. If your date continues to ask, just explain how you do not generally give that information out until you got to know a person better, so that it does not come across as something personal.
3. If you meet a person in person after having been chatting a while and decide you are not interested, do you tell him or do you just disappear? If it was your first face-to-face meeting, chances are, both of you noticed the lack of sparks; for this scenario, it is OK just to disappear. However, if the other person is interested and asks you for a second date, it will be rude to be invisible all of a sudden. Instead, you can tell him, “No, thanks,” and say that you don’t believe you’re compatible. You can also ease the weight by thanking him for the previous date.

These scenarios are among the most common questions that people who date online face, and once you get the hang of the way etiquette goes online, you will likely have an easier time dealing with all the people you meet online instead of groping around in the dark.

Perhaps you are considering trying out the online dating scheme, or have already posted a profile, and are wondering why nobody seems to be contacting you. It may be nothing personal, but simply that there are millions of profiles out there that yours just does not seem to stand out. Again, it has nothing to do with whether or not you stand out as a person, but in the online dating world, your profile is basically who you are—at least, to complete strangers who are scouring the profile pages to see whom they want to try to get to know.

One search of dating profiles for a proximity of about 10 miles from a given city or state would turn up more than 100 pages of results, or about 2,000 online profiles. So how do you make sure that whoever is performing the search will be interested enough when they come across your profile, at least within the top 10 that they will likely send an e-mail to?

1. Pick the pics you post. Understand that men typically do not read, and if they do, they will not likely remember whatever they read; as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words! Make sure you take good photos of yourself. If you use a primary photo that already makes you stand out, the guys will definitely take notice. Make sure you use current photos and have more than one picture on your profile, with one of them being a full body shot. It definitely takes the unpleasant surprise out of finally meeting up and the person you’re meeting being disappointed because he expected something else. An important thing to consider is using photos that show your eyes.
2. Use catchy screen names and phrases. Be sure you keep your screen name simple but also relatable. For example, using a zip code or a neighbourhood address as part of your screen name is definitely uncreative and bland. If you are really stumped, try to dig up quotes from famous women and play around with those.
3. Show off in the body of your profile. Showing off your body does not mean posing in skimpy outfits, but being bold about who you are in your descriptions. Try to avoid cliché lines that say you love your friends and movies; everybody loves his or her friends! Also, steer clear from apologizing about going online for dates, as guys find these awkward. Use this space as a way to tell a story about yourself, hopefully a unique one. One lady’s profile mentioned how she once helped deliver a baby at Macy’s. While it might give signals of a commitment-seeker, the story tends to make her stand out as far as curiosity goes.

These tips should get you started in crafting the catchy online dating profile that will make you stand out. But before you head on to start detailing a work of fiction, make sure you remain true to who you are. This way, you will enjoy the online dating world much more, with guys getting to know you for who you really are instead of who they think you are from a misleading profile!

Special occasions are indeed that—special—especially for women, who generally tend to be more sentimental than men. This is largely why many couples wind up fighting following an important event, such as an anniversary, a birthday, or any other occasion that is important to the lady and yet forgotten by the guy. If you happen to be involved in an online relationship, you actually have a bit of an edge as well as a bit of a disadvantage: the advantage is that many online sites already give reminders of important events such as birthdays, and it may not always be that obvious if you remember the occasion in the middle of the day. However, you also have the disadvantage of being able to show how much you treasure the dates just as your girl does!

So how do you make special occasions special when you happen to be in an online relationship? Certainly, the limitations of meeting up may be the greatest hindrance, but with creativity and planning, you can actually get around them. The following are interesting ways to show your affection during special occasions:

1. If you actually have some time before the event, you can use time to your advantage: you can order flowers or send a gift item via courier. Many vendor sites such as Amazon actually offer gift sending to the address of the recipient. However, if you do opt to send a gift via an online seller, it might be a wise idea to use it only for items that have little or no chance of being defective. Books are a good bet, although they are generally not the most romantic of gift items; for other items, it might be better if you bought it yourself and have it delivered to your home first to check if it is working properly, and then ship it to her. It might cause you double shipping cost but at least it spares you the embarrassment of sending a defective gift item.
2. If you happen to have a friend who would be visiting the area where your girlfriend is, even at a few days, give or take, from the actual event, it will surely win you points for sending something with that friend. Women, no matter what age, love knowing that you are thinking of them. If you happen to have skill at baking or anything crafty, sending something home-made to be hand carried by a friend will definitely make her feel more special than a gift that you simply buy.
3. When you do not have enough time, you can make use of electronic technology to make something special, such as a video, a funny presentation, or a recording of some sort. Then you can simply send it off via e-mail. Of course, this would have less appeal than things you have prepared for long before, so you might have a better chance of impressing her if the file looks like something that you really put your heart into. A homemade video can be shot with just about any smartphone, and the more creative you get, the better the effect.

These simple tips can help you make your girl feel special on any special day, regardless of the distance.