Online Dating How Online Dating WorksIf you think about it, online dating is nothing more than finding a date on line by means of match website. Both men and women can use the site to find a date and they do this by browsing through online dating profiles that interest them. Some matchmaking sites allow free browsing whilst others charge a small fee to allow users to access their database. However, the basic model of all online date services is much the same. You, as the user, write and submit your dating profile, which is then stored on the match websites server. Online dating sites run a powerful search program, which is used by other users to match their requirements to other profiles based on age, gender, community, interests etc. Pricing plans vary from site to site with some allowing free access to a small number of profiles, whilst others insist on payment upfront. The payment plans also consist of several layers with maximum access provided to those users who pay the highest rates. The majority of paid match websites are very particular about privacy. They route the contact emails through their own mail servers so that neither party will ever see the actual email address of the other. Some advise opening a free email account for online dating use. However, this does not happen in the case of free dating websites where your personal information is visible to everybody. Another important point about paid online dating web sites is that they only allow users to post or browse profiles after paying the membership fee. As well as that, only members can contact other site users. A paid membership will also entitle members to a higher ranking in site search results. All the top online dating sites advise you to avoid mentioning personal information such as your full name, address, phone number, place of employment, social security number etc. This is sound advice, which you should follow to the letter. There is no point in exposing yourself to cyber stalkers. Having said that, there is no harm in entering your interests in full and it makes sense to also post a good photograph on your profile. An online dating profile with a photo will get better responses than profiles without a picture. Once you have hooked up with somebody, your first communication should be through email. If all goes well, the next step should be to establish voice communication. However, this should only be done once you develop a liking for your online friend. Here again, you should not give out your telephone number. Use your mobile instead as there is no way of tracing your home address through that number. The final step will be to invite your online friend on a real life date. |