Online Dating: Getting Started

Getting started with online dating is as easy as filling in a form. You simply create a profile that other singles can read and respond to, giving them information such as your age, occupation, interests and personality. Most dating websites let you create a profile, search their database and send someone a sign of interest – like a wink, a kiss or a smile – free of charge. It’s usually when you want to make further contact with a person – via email, chat, or phone that you have to start paying.

Using a currency system of redeemable credits or stamps, you can purchase those features online using a credit card, if wish to take a relationships further by, like emailing a person directly. Some says it’s cheaper than meeting at a bar, especially if you have to shout cocktails for the object of your affection!

RSVP veteran Trish says that the ‘less is best’ motto applies in creating a profile that will attract attention.
“After starting out with a casual photo and a boring description, I noticed that the women in the top 100 had more appealing photos and a seductive look. And the less you write the better, because mystery is appealing. Once I wrote a poem that was a bit of a teaser and I had six dates in one weekend after that.”

Trish says you’ll attract a certain kind of person based on the type of profile you put together, including your “code” name, which protects your identity.

“Your profile name is very important. A catchy name is good, and something seductive will always attract lots of attention, like GirlsJustWantToHaveFun. But you know that if you put something cheeky like that up, you’ll get guys looking for a fling.”
Once, Trish posted a comic video on her profile that received lots of comments by email, but the creativity didn’t lead to dates.
“That profile showed so much of my personality that the mystery was gone and they didn’t want to meet me.”

The most exciting part of the profile is your photograph, which is one of the most obvious ways to narrow down your prospects online. It’s also the part that has most people nervous. Attaching a photo for the world to see is a big decision – because we all know how easy it is to judge people on their looks. If you’ve seen the romantic comedy “Must Love Dogs” with Diane Lane and John Cusack, you’ll also be aware that some people like to post outdated photos of themselves – in this movie’s case, a graduation photo for a woman in her 40s.

While you might think you’ll impress people with a slimmer, wrinkle-free version of yourself, or one of those glamour shots with soap opera lighting, remember that it’s a long way to fall from up there when you meet someone face to face.

Honesty is the best policy – that way you’re bound to meet genuine partners, who don’t have false expectations of your appearance. And your photo really will breathe life into your personality and all the witty, charming, or mysterious messages you’ve written about yourself on your profile.

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