In today's society, the act of meeting that someone special has apparently switched venues. In the past, the idea of meeting someone online was considered a no-no. It was a sign of a desperate person who has no luck finding someone out in the "real world". It was something that the computer geeks would resort to. These days, the opinions of online dating have changed dramatically. If you ask any number of couples how they met, you would probably be surprised by how many of then would answer "we met online".
What has started out as a list of personals (similar to those you would find in the newspaper) on internet bulletin boards, has evolved into a multi-million dollar industry. There are millions of people who meet online every year. Websites have popped up everywhere that have dedicated themselves to helping people find their special someone (while making some money of course). There are online dating sites that are open to the general public, as well as, websites that cater to a more specific client. There are dating sites out there that cater only to Jewish singles, Latin singles, and even seniors. The first step is it to choose the site that is right for you. That can be a little confusing at first as some sites focus on finding your soul mate while others focus on forming a social relationship that may or may not turn into more. With the exception of purely matchmaking sites (i.e. eHarmony and Chemistry), most sites work in much the same way.
It all begins when you find your site of choice. Some people decide to use multiple sites in order to increase their "range". Most sites allow you to create a quick profile for free. The advantage to this is you get to search their database of profiles for singles in your area. This is a good way to "test" out multiple sites, and find out if there are enough people from your area up on that site. Chances are you will immediately find someone who catches your eye. Some sites will even let you explore their profile in greater depth without becoming a full member. You will probably notice immediately that some people do not upload photos to their profiles. This is the case for several reasons, and it does not automatically mean that they are unattractive. Some people are just genuinely shy, others set up a profile just to see what is out there, and still others may be new to the site and their photos have not yet been approved. But you will also notice that you are subconsciously drawn to the profiles that have photos attached to them, and if you are serious about finding someone online you will want to keep this in mind. It is a known fact that profiles with photos get more "views" than those that don't have a photo. The photo issue will be explained in greater depth in the next installment of this guide.
Here is something else to remember. With the shear number of online dating sites on the web, and with all of them fighting for your membership, they often come up with unique features that set them apart from the others. So while you are "testing" their sites for singles in your area, also take note of what features are available on that site. The features may become the deciding factor when you find yourself trying to decide between two different sites that are otherwise equal.
If you have found a site that interests you, make a note of it, but don't just stop there. Try some of the other sites as well so that you can make your own educated decision that is right for you. Nothing hurts worse than sitting on an online dating site for a couple of months and then finding a different site that you should have gone with all along. If you want some help in this department head to Reviews of the Best Online Dating Sites. This site gives you reviews and backgrounds for the 15 most popular online dating sites out there. The second part of this guide will follow shortly and it will deal with creating a effective online profile and the uploading of photos.
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