What to Look for in a Dating Service

As you begin your search for a quality, online dating service, you will probably be surprised by the overwhelming number of options. Online dating services are popping up on the internet all the time, making the decision of choosing the "right" service a bit daunting. To help you choose a service that will best match your needs, consider the following tips:

While some of the newer services are fine, try to choose an online dating service that has been around for a couple of years, having established themselves in the industry. The best way to accomplish this is to go directly to the "About Us" page where you will learn not only the date founded but also the company’s philosophy.
Look for an online dating service that will provide you with the opportunity to browse profiles and photos before you join. Some services will actually offer a free trial period so you can talk to people that you are interested in meeting. If you do not have the chance to see how the service works, then you might join only to discover that particular website is not suitable for you.
If you do find an online dating service that offers a FREE trial period, keep in mind that "free" is different for each service. For example, free to one service may mean that you can actually build a profile and upload your photo, browse other profiles and photos, and communicate with people while free to another service may mean just looking.
For safety purposes and convenience, look for online dating services that offer onsite messaging and e-mail services. This will allow you to communicate with people using a special e-mail provided by the dating service instead of using your personal e-mail.

Continued on page 2: What to Look for in a Dating Service