The internet has given us a lot of things since it first started – an endless supply of information, easier communication, online banking, music and software downloads. It has quite simply changed the way we go about our daily lives. But according to a recent survey, there are millions of single men and women out there who have tried to find something far more valuable in cyberspace – love, sex and marriage, and not always in that order.

People from all walks of life ages are now turning to internet dating sites for a variety of reasons. Many have had enough of getting knocked back in singles bars, live in remote areas, don’t have the time to search for a partner or are the last single person in their circle of friends that hasn’t married and settled down.

Relationship experts all agree that an ever increasing number of people are turning to online dating sites because of the change in our social structure over the past 30 years. Online dating sites now offer a huge variety of services to there members, which is why its not unusual for people to join more than one online dating site. The more sites you join, the more chances you have of finding your perfect relationship or one night stand for a bit of casual sex.

The workplace, our family and friends have become less of an opportunity to meet people. More people are working from home and more families are breaking up. There’s not that continuity of community that there used to be where you’d meet the girl or boy next door. Its little wonder that more and more single men and women are turning to the web for new relationships or marriage.

There are no shortage of dating sites on the internet with each offering a service by which a member can leave a detailed profile about themselves, as well as a description of the type of person they are looking to meet.

Most sites are free to register, join and search the profiles of other members. A fee is charged when a user wants to make contact with another person listed on the site, either per contact or for a monthly subscription period.

Internet dating sites can be a great way to meet people and start a relationship if done the right way.One of the most important things to do first is to write a good profile about yourself.

First up, be very clear on what you want in a partner and write as much as you possibly can about yourself. The biggest mistake people make is their profiles, so no little white lies.

Online dating is just the same as marketing except that the product you’re trying to sell is yourself. People forget that this is actually a marketing exercise which can feel very embarrassing for some to admit. So think about your objective before you start writing about yourself.

You’re putting yourself out there in the market for people to see as a product. It sounds horrifying but it’s true. The key is to differentiate yourself from
the rest of the market.

But anyone trying to get hit with Cupid’s bow on the internet needs to take a few precautions.

One common habit is people being a little loose with the truth when it comes to their own profiles. Many people lie about their age and, in some cases, post a photograph of themselves that may be up to 10 or 20 years old.

Honesty is definitely the best policy for anyone who’s serious about finding a partner online. Over inflated profiles are a bit of a chronic habit. So stick to the facts. Lots of people once they get over 40 start mucking around with their age which is a foolish thing to do.

When people are doing a search, they’re only looking for people within a certain age bracket. If they’re being very narrow in their search you’re never going to come up even though they might be interested. But whatever the reason, lying about your age is not a good plan.

Internet dating can be viewed just like regular dating, only it’s backwards. Online, the idea is to get to know someone and then meet them. If you were meeting someone in person you meet them first and then get to know them.

People work very much from a visual aspect. Research has shown that body language and even tone of voice can account for up to 90 per cent of the way we come across.

When you’re meeting face to face you’re picking up lots more information like body language and tone which is very important when you’re trying to suss somebody out. When online, you’re missing the tone and the body language and that means you could potentially get to like somebody before you assess chemistry.

People spend too long emailing and then they start to really like this person because they sound good on paper and then they meet up and either one of them has been lying or there’s just no chemistry. That can be an enormously emotional letdown.

In the introductory stage, a person should never give out any personal information like their name, address or phone number.

A number of sites advise that if it does get to the stage where a meeting is arranged, it should be in a public place and to let a friend or family member know where you’re going. Also, don’t accept a lift from anyone to pick you up or drop you back at home.

Depending on how you go about it, internet dating sites can have varying degrees of success.Your chances of finding a partner on the internet are increased manyfold because you are virtually putting yourself in front of so many more people than you could in person. Your dating site membership profile will be viewed by thousands of people at a time.

Others would argue that online dating sites could put us out of step with our social skills. The internet is just a modern adaptation of what men and women have been doing for centuries. Online chatting is another popular form of the social side of the internet that has taken an age-old habit and put a
modern spin on it.

In the past we were used to writing letters to each other. Online chatting and email is nothing new, it’s just that the technology is so effective, so easy and so instant that more of it is happening.

For many users, the anonymity of chatting online can lead to what many feel is innocent flirting. But this can also be considered cheating if either or both are already in a relationship: If it’s taking time and energy out of your relationship it’s cheating. If you can’t tell your partner what you’re doing, then it’s a dead giveaway. The Internet has made therapists and councillors redefine what cheating means.

Internet dating sites can be excellent places to meet new friends for everything from a casual relationship all the way through to marriage. And there are just as many dating site members who simply want a bit of quickie sex in the form of a one night stand. So no matter what you fancy, there will always be someone online waiting for you to say hello.