Top Ten Tips For Online Dating Success

1. Be specific in your profile. All those things you're looking for – hair and eye color, weight, height, likes and dislikes – are the same sorts of things other people are looking for when they search profiles. An incomplete profile guarantees these people will not find you. A thorough profile will help you outdo all the people who didn't complete their profiles.

2. Use a recent, quality photograph in your profile. This is not something your EyeToy or camera phone took in a dark, smoky restaurant. Pictures are critical; many people searching profiles won't even consider contacting someone without a picture up; and why should they? How do they know you don't look like Quasimodo? Quality pictures that really look like you can ensure much more dating success when you do meet someone.

3. Spellcheck and use good English. Don't look like an idiot; write everything in a word processor and paste it to your profile. If you're not secure with your writing skills, ask a friend to proofread your profile.

4. After you've scouted the site, become a full member. When you come to a dating site, it's essentially the same as walking into a store and browsing. You can look at the merchandise and decide whether you like it. But even the world's greatest spatula does you no good if you leave it on the shelf. By becoming a full paid member, you're supporting the dating site you like and ensuring you can take full advantage of its services.

5. As soon as you're finished registering, start looking. Send notices or emails to the people that attract you. It's a way to get yourself introduced around, and if you don't speak up, they may not. The worst thing that can happen: they might ignore you. Not really a Grecian tragedy.

6. Read and reply to all your messages right away. Check your profile frequently. Getting an email in response to your profile carries the same excitement as getting a secret-admirer letter. And the email sitting in your box right now may be from your perfect mate.

7. Check out chat rooms in the evening. Most chat rooms on local sites get busy at about 9 pm your time; if you're looking for someone in your area, this is the time to come and hang out. If you're looking further away from your home, try chat rooms at 9 pm in the area where you're searching. And be on your best behavior; no one likes a jerk.

8. Get to know potential dates before meeting them. Unfortunately, people online are often deceptive. Before meeting anyone, get to know him or her intimately through online communications. Use the phone, too, to get a feel for his or her voice. Not until you feel like you can trust this person should you give any contact information out, and not until you've become reasonably intimate with them should you physically meet. Doing it any other way can be more than disappointing – it can be dangerous.

9. If you meet someone, stay safe. Never meet an online acquaintance without making certain someone you trust knows where you're going and who you're meeting. Never meet them at your home; instead, meet in a public place. And if you're meeting him or her alone, make sure it's a busy public place – a coffeehouse or cultural event.

Don't drink alcohol when you first meet them, or the fifth time you meet them; a clear head is critical. Unfortunately, date rape drugs are not hard to get, so even when you're drinking soft drinks or coffee, you should guard your drink.

If you are uncomfortable, do not leave the public place you're in. Call your trusted friend and have them meet you; arrange beforehand with them to do this, just in case. If you are threatened or harmed in any way, report it to the police immediately, and for your safety and the safety of others, please, please tell the dating site as well. Dangerous members can be barred and even prosecuted.

10. Fraud happens here, too. When you're looking for people to date, be aware that they may be trying to obtain your personal and contact information to harm you. Never pay money to anyone on the site. If anyone is pushing for these things, report them to the site administrators. Especially be careful if you're chatting with people from other countries.

11. Longer subscriptions tend to have better results. Longer subscriptions are also generally cheaper. And no matter how good a dating site is, you're probably not going to meet your soul mate immediately. When using a dating site long-term, keep your profile and picture up to date as well.

Thousands of people every day use dating sites to find true love and happiness. You may be one of them. But you must use the site wisely, and take care of yourself. Be a good community member as well, and report those who try to harm you and/or who may try to harm other site members.

About the Author:

Steve Pavis is the proud creator and owner of http://locatedating.com - one of the fastest growing and most prestigious online dating resources on the web. The site has a fantastic current promotion- they are giving away dating profile editing software, which would normally cost $88, absolutely FREE- no strings attached! So do visit http://locatedating.com now, before it’s too late!!