Online dating is the newest fad. Everyone who is single and everyone who is not so single are doing it. Therefore, if you fall into any of these two categories, you need to join a few dating sites.

1. Select the dating site. There are thousand of these online. All you have to do is type “dating sites” and a plethora of dating sites will be available at your finger tips. These include, gay dating sites, married men dating sites, lesbian dating sites etc. You can join any one or more of these depending on your preferences.

2. If you cannot decide on the dating website, you should do a trial run. Contact a few members or “chat” with some. Check out the profiles and pictures of some of the members. If you like what you see, consider the website and begin by signing in.

3. Once your dating website is selected, you will see a section in your web page which indicates you to sign up or register. Click on these buttons and you will be able to register with this website. Some websites require a minimum fee while others do not. Read their terms and regulations well before signing up. Once you have signed up you can build you profile by including information about yourself.

4. When entering information to build your profile you should make sure that the information you provide is clear and true. Never lie on your profile page. This page will enable you to enter your hobbies, job, likes and dislikes and interests. All websites discourage users from providing personal information for privacy purposes. Therefore do not supply them.

5. If you are adding a photo of yourself do not select the one where you looked 16 and probably were! This is a form of lying which will give the person considering dating you the wrong picture, pardon the pun. Provide a recent picture that portrays you well.

6. Most websites screen your would-be dates before sending them to you. These are done mostly by websites that charge a fee. This will enable you to make doubly sure that the person you are chatting to, came highly approved and screened by experts. They also match you to the most probable candidate which also ensures you that you have something in common with your would-be date.

Joining dating sites are perfectly safe if you do not provide personal information such as names and addresses. How you wish to conduct yourself once you have got to know your date is up to you. If you feel that you know him well enough to entrust personal information to him, then by all means you should do so.