Online dating has grown by leaps and bounds the last few years, mostly due to technology and the world wide web. A dating magazine reports that 20 million people use on line dating every month while other studies report as many as 40 million people use online dating per month. Whether it is 20 million or 40 million that is a whole lot of people using online dating.

Just what is online dating? It is a dating system that allows individuals, couples and groups to make contact and communicate with each other. Online dating has added a whole new element to cultural notions of attraction, companionship and love. Online dating can be done from the comfort of your own home in your pajama's and robe or underwear. All you need is a computer, an online connection and away you go. Before you sign up for an online dating site, be sure to read all the fine print. Some dating sites require a one time member fee to participate or it might be a monthly fee to join. Most will offer free membership but will require a fee to communicate with someone of interest

Many discuss the merits of dating online. Is it for losers? Does it really work? Dating online is for everyone. And who decides who is a losers and who isn't anyways? Online dating works if you follow a few simple rules and use a little common sense. Joining an online dating service offers a wider circle of potential friends or dates. 1 in 3 singles are members of such sites and are available for conversation with someone like you for friendship, lunch, dinner or more. Online dating gives you the opportunity to find out a little about each person before you communicate. If their profile information is attractive to you, the person attached to it may be also. If their profile information doesn't catch your interest, you simply move on.

Services for finding dates online do the preliminary work for you. Based on your criteria, which you should enter honestly, is compared to those in the system and those that match your criteria are sent to your mail box for consideration. To make the most of dating online don't just wait for others to contact you, scan the data base for your desired criteria and take the first step and contact others. Let them know why you think the two of you might be a good match. Remember some people are shy and could use a little nudge once in a while. If you use a photo in your ad, make sure it is a photo of just yourself. If others are in the photo a potential friend will have to guess which is you and just decide to move in instead.

Be sure to check back with the site regularly. You may want to stay tuned in to new members and respond to anyone that has sent you a message. Always respond to someone who has contacted you. It is the polite thing to do and it doesn't leave the sender wondering.