If you are new (or recently returned) to the world of dating, much less the “brave new world” of online dating, you may be finding that things are a little overwhelming, at least at first.

Never fear! This article is here to help!

Online dating differs from “real life” dating in many ways. One of the major differences of course is that with online dating, most if not all of the initial action, at least, is done via the Internet.

While you may be perfectly comfortable carrying on one or a series of “virtual” relationships or correspondances, usually the end goal for most people is to carry those online contacts to the “next level” of personal, one-on-one, face-to-face meetings or dates.

Taken in this light, “online dating” is really nothing more than another method or “tool” for meeting and connecting with other potentially compatible people.

Like any technology, it can help, or it can get in the way. It depends on how you use it, and what your expectations are.

Not all that long ago, it was not at all uncommon to be introduced to other people through “penpal” clubs, or “personals” ads published in various magazines and tabloid newspapers.

Communication was through the postal mail, or perhaps eventually by telephone, and eventually a meeting might be arranged.

All of this might take weeks or months, even years.

The Internet age has sped up the process considerably. What once took weeks can now be accomplished in a few days or less, even just a few hours. It is quite possible to post an online personal ad or profile listing, and receive emailed or Instant-Messaged responses within minutes!

For some of the more “socially challenged”, the Internet provides a conduit through which they can connect with the world in a social way. It is possible for an entire relationship to be conducted “online”, without the participants ever once meeting or actually even speaking to each other!

In short, individuals or groups of people who want to meet other people for social purposes, romantic attachments, or just to make new friends, can do so though the Internet and online dating or similar services.

Aside from the technology, or perhaps in part because of it, online dating is a fun, new, and exiting way to meet and socialize with other people.

It seems like almost everyone is getting in on the action now, when it comes to online dating.

It is already estimated that nearly 1 out of 5 people in the United State are, have, or will participate in an online dating service.

This phenomenon is spreading rapidly, as more and more people worldwide are gaining easy access to the Internet and computers.

There are easily hundreds, if not thousands, of online dating services. These services cater to all types of people, in every area of interest imaginable.

Online dating services exist for people based on age, interests, hobbies, relgious affiliation, ethnic or national affiliation, profession, income levels, and sexual preference or fetish.

The number of people actively participating in online dating or introduction services is on the rise.

More than ever, young people especially are using the Internet as their primary method of meeting new people.

Having grown up with the technology, there is nothing strange or shameful to them about this means of socializing. Plus, many find the virtual anonymity that online dating services provide to be very appealing, at least during the early stages of contact.

This appeal is due in parrt to the fact that participants in online dating do not have to actually meet the individuals they are communicating with in person, until they have achieved a certain level of trust and comfort with them.

In the end, the participant in the online dating experience always has the choice or option of whether to actually meet with the other person or not.

The most reliable and reputable online dating services are those that require memberships from their participants.

These sites may list a set of requirements that must be met before anyone is allowed to participate. This may include various screening methods to ensure that the person joining is legitimate and serious.

While many of these online services offer a free membership experience, most of the best and most reputable will charge an annual or monthly fee for their services.

This has the effect of screening out the curiosity-seekers and tire-kickers, and those who just want to look, and those with perhaps more nefareous intentions.

In general, a paid member, especially at the higher membership levels, is indicating a serious level of interest and intent. In addition, their membership can be revoked if the service receives reports of fraudulent activity or bad behavior.

A good option is the service that offers a monthly or short-term membership. This allows you to better assess the service, and decide on an on-going basis whether it is worth continuing.

In fact, you should probably avoid services that charge a large up-front fee or require a long-term contractual committment. In some cases, such services have taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from their “members” and then disappeared with the flick of a switch and the click of a mouse.

Subscribers to online dating services are able to create a profile which may contain a picture and other descriptive information.

This is where members area ble to post some basic information about themselves, such as their interests, hobbies, and the sort of person that they’d like to connect with.

These profiles provide members with the opportunity to display their creativity and their personalities, and they can specify exactly what they are looking for.

Over time, these profiles can easily be changed and updated. Just log in to your member account area, and make the changes yourself! In some cases the service may require that the profile be reviewed prior to making it available on the website, in order to screen out inappropriate, offensive, or possibly fraudulent listings.

Through various search functions, members are able to create a customized “short list” of other members who fit their specified criteria. Some services will even email you with suggestions of new members who match your requirements, just as soon as they join.

At the same time, other members have the opportunity to search through the profiles, perhaps finding yours.

This is great for people who are a bit shy, and who prefer that the other person inititate a contact. It can be very affirming to discover that there are many people out there who find you interesting and attractive enough for them to take the time and make the effort to contact you!

Once suggested matches have been made, it is up to the members to initate or follow up with contacts from or with other members.

This method of self-advertising on an online dating service website doesn’t differ that much from a traditional personal ad, which functions pretty much on the same principle.

Your profile can communicate basic personal information about yourself, your interests, favorite quotes, a picture, and a method of contacting you, whether it be by your email address, or through the dating services’ own website messaging system (which protects you from spam and other unwanted contacts).

One of the real advantages of online dating services is that participants get to choose for themselves the person or persons that they are going to communicate with.

Plus, since you have the opportunity to read the other person’s profile ahead of time, you can get a pretty good idea about what the other person is like, their interests and desires, before you even make contact.

With this benefit of anonymity of course is the reality that there is potential for what a person writes in their profile to not quite meet up with reality.

A married person could claim to be single, or a very young person could claim to be much older, or vice versa. It is also quite possible to portray yourself as an entirely different kind of person in your ad than you are in real life.

This of course does not function to anyone’s long-term benefit. If you want to experience real success with online dating, it is best to be honest and accurate about who you really are, and what you are looking for.

By the same token, it is also wise to read other profiles carefully, and keep a careful eye out for things that just don’t seem to “add up”. Ask questions that will enable you to verify or validate what the person has written. And be sure not to give out any identifying personal information (such as your address, telephone number, or your full name) until you are quite confident about the other person.

In fact, most reputable services will strongly advise against revealing personal information of this nature in your profile, and will advise arranging any initial personal meetings in a neutral, public location such as a restaurant.

Many online dating services are creating and enforcing even more strigent rules and requirements, in order to better assure the safety and security of their members.

Some will even conduct background checks to make sure that new subscribers don’t have a criminal background, and that they are a real, actual person.

The expanding availability of online dating services makes them an attractive option for anyone seeking to meet new people, or start a new romantic relationship.

It is increasingly easy to participate in online dating. No longer do you need to be limited to your immediate circle of friends, relatives, neighbors, and co-workers, when seeking a compatible companion or romantic partner.

The easiest way to learn more about online dating is to get started!

For a good list of some of the best online dating services, go to http://The-Ultimate-Romantic.com/x/Best-Online-Dating-Sites.htm.

Many of the sites listed offer a free introductory or basic membership level, that will enable you to browse the site, and even post a brief profile of your own.

Join about 7 or 8 of what seem to be some of the most promising ones, or ones that appeal to your interests.

Compare them for price, features, number of members, success stories, ease of use, tone and feel, and so on. Narrow down your list to your top one or two favorites, and invest in an advanced membership, based on the features that you want or need.

Unless you have a large number of specialized interests that you want to pursue in the various “niche” sites, you are probably better off if you don’t try to maintain a membership in more that 2 or 3 sites at a time.

If you find that one site just isn’t working out for you, then cancel your membership, delete your profile (or mark it as “inactive”) and move on to try a different site that seems more promising.

As you gain experience, you will quickly learn what features of a service are important to you, and what to look for in a site where you will feel comfortable, not only with the service, but with the kind of people you are meeting and connecting with.

One of the nice things about most of these services, is that if you line up a couple of prospects to actually meet and go out with, you can put your profile listing on “hold” while you follow up on those contacts. If they don’t work out, you can always go back and reactivate your profile, or renew your subscription.

Without question, online dating can be, and is, a fun, easy, safe, and affordable way to expand your social circle of friends, and to meet that “special someone”!

Desiree Satin is a popular romance author and expert in lovemaking and affairs of the heart. This article may be freely reprinted or posted, as long as the article is not altered in any way, and this resource box and links are left intact. More information and articles may be found at http://The-Ultimate-Romantic.com .