How to Find a Date Online
by Devon McCollum
Need to find a date but you don.t feel like going through friends or to the bars? Try meeting someone online.
Meeting people in your area for a date on the Internet is not a difficult task. There are several popular dating web sites to choose from, as well as online communities such as MySpace.com and CraigsList.org. It is as easy as setting up a profile and posting a picture or two. You can start to meet potential dates quickly.
Before you start setting up meeting dates, it is important to consider safety. You should always meet in a public area until you feel safe with the person. Meeting for a lunch date or coffee is a great option for a .meet and greet.. Never give the person your home address, and only provide your telephone number if you feel comfortable doing so. Trust your gut instinct; if you get a bad feeling about the person, move on to the next person. Lastly, when the meeting is set up, do not allow the person to pick you up or take you home. As chivalrous as it may seem, having your own car or grabbing a taxi will allow you to leave at your will should the meeting take a turn.
If you are under 18 years of age, you should not try to find a date online.
Dating Web Sites
Dating web sites are perhaps the best way to find a date online. Many people actually prefer to get dates on the Internet, as it is possible to get to know the person before meeting them; this insures you are a better match. Pre-screening is both fun and exciting.
Consider the options. One of your friends could set you up on a blind date. You could meet someone at work, but then you.re in an office romance. You could go to a bar to find a date, but that can be nerve-wracking and the potential for rejection is great. Or, you could read a personal profile, see a picture or two, exchange e-mails, and then decide whether you want to date someone by responding to an online dating ad.
There are thousands of dating web sites online where people find companions every day. It can be overwhelming doing a web search to find a reputable online dating site. The larger national dating web sites offer a wider selection of people to choose from, as they typically have good word of mouth and larger advertising budgets. Also, chances are the larger dating web sites offer a wider selection of people in your local area.
True.com is a dating site that features a background screening process that blocks criminals and married people who try to sign up. Felons who attempt to sign up at True.com using false information, including sex offenders, or married people claiming to be single will be reported to the authorities and possibly convicted of fraud. This is a huge benefit; you want to feel secure in selecting someone from the web site.
Another popular online dating web site is eHarmony.com. Popularized by its television advertisements of happy married couples who met on eHarmony, this web site has a patented Compatibility Matching System. This System allows singles to create a Compatibility Profile, read feedback on your results, and then meet others with compatible personalities. eHarmony also has a marriage section, as the web site founder believes in forming long-lasting relationships.
Yahoo! Personals is a simple, easy-to-navigate online dating web site that allows Yahoo! Members to search picture profiles and read about prospective dates. Extensive search criteria allow you to find exactly the type of person you are seeking with interests that appeal to you. The Yahoo! Personals security features are not as comprehensive as True.com, although you can control the information that is made public on your profile.
Craiglist and MySpace
It is possible to find a date online at Craigslist.org and MySpace.com. MySpace may be the best choice for you if you are visual and like to see the person.s picture. Craigslist is a great place to view personal advertisements (some with pictures) and place free advertisements. MySpace allows you to instant message your future date, read their blogs, and size them up before agreeing to meet with them. Craigslist is more mysterious - much like a personal advertisement in a local paper.
Placing Your Own Personal Ad
If you opt to place your own personal ad on an online dating web site or a community board, make sure to be honest. Honesty is crucial to having a great first date. If you aren.t Brad Pitt, don.t imply you are. Lying about your height, weight, education, or career is a huge turn off.
Post a recent picture of yourself, no matter which dating site you choose. Smile in the picture. Don.t include a picture of you and your last partner, or one of you in a group. Make it clear who you are and what you look like. Not only will you receive more genuine responses, your date will know who he or she is meeting.
Create e-mail communication and respond to e-mails in a timely manner. You don.t have to jump on the e-mail several times a day, however, you should e-mail those who answer your personal ad promptly. This demonstrates your interest in the responder.
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