Online dating is very popular today and is actually easier than you think. From everything you've heard, it involves not much more than signing up for an online dating site, telling the world what you're looking for and going about your business until all those potential dates start coming your way. While this sounds easy enough, there are actually a few more steps needed if you expect success of any kind in online dating sites.
Don't set your sights on one specific online dating site. Do not go to an online dating site with the belief that if you're seen one, you've seen them all. Online dating sites are not all the same. Review different sites and look for those that are rated as the safest. Look for online dating sites directed towards your interests, sexual preference, age group, etc. This will make it much easier to find those that share the same interests as you.
Determine the type of person you want to meet. Decide this before you even begin the online dating process. Online dating sites typically use a search engine tool to help select people that are a close match to what you want. This is determined by the information you've entered when you join the site. If it's not narrowed down, you'll have far too many results to possibly filter through.
For instance, if you're an 18-year-old man looking for a woman, if you set your preferences to all women aged 18 to 24, you'll have a lot less to go through than if you set it any age group. Chances are you're not interested in dating a woman 55 years old so know what you want and put it in the search engine.
Setting up your profile can be a lot of fun. Put a flattering picture of yourself so others can see what you look like. Add some personal information about yourself as well. If you have any particular interests (sports, computers, photography), put this on your profile. It will make it easier for those that share your interests to find you. You'll need a screen name. This name can be anything that represents you as long as it is not your real name. Make sure you start up a separate email account for your online dating sites.
Once you've determined that you've met someone you really like, you're probably going to want to meet him or her in person. This is usually the next step. I hope that by this time, you've known the individual for a while and are confident they're trustworthy and whom they say they are. Always make sure your first meeting takes place in a public, preferably during daylight hours. After you've known each other longer, you can make other arrangements, but always be safe first.