I can say from personal experience, that the online dating scene is quite interesting and often times disappointing. One thing you will find when perusing your favorite profiles, is a plethora of entertainment. With so many people opting in for the convenience of online dating, it was only appropriate for me to share my personal experiences, thoughts, popular sites and general tips on how to make your next dream date a success.
So let’s start off with a personal story. I met my second wife, now ex-wife, online. While our divorce has absolutely no relevance on the fact that we met online, here is our story. I had recently moved back to Boston, MA after a long term relationship. Excited by the thought of so many people and prospects in the area, I quickly decided to hop online and give online dating a try. Keep in mind, this was the first time that I had ever created an online profile, so I was a complete novice when it came to online dating. After about a month, I met a local girl from Thailand. Come to find out, we actually lived only two streets away. After about two weeks of communicating back and forth online, then a phone call, we agreed to meet in person at a local, “safe” environment, a wonderful sushi restaurant. After our initial meet, we started seeing each other regularly, my online profile was disabled and the rest was history!
But not all who adventure into cyberspace are so lucky when it comes to finding their soul mate. 
And now that I am single again, and back on the circuit, I am finding that online dating is quite different than it was seven years ago. Now days, I mostly browse profiles only to be discouraged by a line of content, absurd photo, or high maintenance of ones personal description. However, there is still hope in the land of love and this article will cover some basics on how to get started with online dating.
Types Of Online Dating Sites
Free – For most of us, the thought of paying for a date before we actually get on a date is considered outlandish. And for the majority of people new to the dating scene, they opt in for a low commitment profile and service choosing a free dating site to test the waters and see what is out there. One of the biggest challenges of using a “free” dating site is that most people are not committed to actually finding someone for the long term. And if they are, they are extremely shy and reserved when it comes to actually meeting up and taking the next step. Others simply use free dating sites as a convenient advertising space for “hook ups” and one can quickly find their inbox full of obscene pictures, content and requests. While not everyone on a free dating website will send you a shot of their “junk”, don’t be surprised by the variety of characters you may encounter when checking your profile.
Top Free Online Dating Sites
- Plenty of Fish (POF) – Plenty of Fish has been around for quite some time, and with its casual user base, it has a wide range of services, search options and conveniences to help you find the right one. It offers a convenient online and mobile app that makes this site easy to use, easy to check, and easy to navigate. While there is a “paid” version of the sight, or premium, most individuals you find here will be using the free platform, which limits some functionality and viewing capabilities. POF boasts a whopping 40,000,000 users waiting to be caught so when you think about the old saying, “there’s plenty of fish in the sea” this site lives up to that expectation.
- OK Cupid – is another free site that is quite popular and often times ranked as the number 2 free dating site online. With over 8 million users, OK Cupid uses an in-depth questionnaire that you can post your answers publicly or privately to better your match making adventure. Combined with the Tindr like quick pick option, you can find yourself quickly swiping your way to love.
- Tastebuds – although much smaller than the top two online dating sites, reporting a base user of 200,000, this site offers a bit of a twist when it comes to online dating. Tastebuds focuses on the love of music and leverages this common interest to help people meet-up and enjoy a great show.
- Passion Network – this online dating site is actually made up of multiple sub sites catering to very specific categories. If you are extremely particular in your search requirements, then Passion Network allows you to subscribe to categories designed to match people with similar interests, such as, Artists, Farming, Organic, and tons more.
Paid Sites – are more frequented by individuals serious about having success when it comes to long term relationships and can often be occupied by older, more stable individuals. Paid sites require a bit more confidence in one’s status, ability to uphold a lasting relationship, and the integrity of actually desiring a life long companion. While many free sites offer “premium” packaging, paid sites are ones that offer extremely limited access until you pay. More times than not, the traffic on these sites will give you more quality than quantity, unlike the free sites, and you can expect to see less inappropriate behavior, images, and content.
Top Paid Online Dating Sites
- Match.com – offers one of the most robust search criteria available to the online dating scene by leveraging your profile interests to others with similar interests. The goal of match.com is to do all the legwork on your behalf and provide you with potential suitors without you spending a lot of time browsing for yourself.
- Zoosk – originating from a Facebook application, Zoosk has become a powerhouse for paid online dating. One benefit that Zoosk offers is that it is mandatory that you upload a photo of yourself, making sure you are getting complete profiles when browsing.
- eHarmony – another robust questionnaire is the focus point of eHarmony and while taking the time to fully complete your profile and maximize your potential dates, the downside is that if your match comes up empty handed, there is not much more you can do on this site until someone who meets your match signs up.
- Chemistry.com – a sister company to match.com, this site uses the base factor of personality tests to find your next partner. With personality types such as, negotiator, builder, and director, one can quickly identify if a person has the traits you are looking for in a partner.
While this is by no means a full list of all the online dating sights available to you, it is a small sample of the types of sites you can find when searching for your soul mate. And of course, everyone’s experience is a little bit different, but if you are looking to find a friend, lover, or long term relationship, there is no doubt that online dating is a viable and often times entertaining way to get back out there and meet people.
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