Especially for dating neophytes, it’s all too easy to get lost and overwhelmed with the number of online dating websites that proliferate on the Internet. So to give you an idea of where and how to start, below is a list of some of the general types of online dating services offered by various websites:
Personals dating websites
The most common type, and perhaps the earliest form, of dating service are the personal ads. Originally posted on local newspapers or distributed in the form of flyers, personal ads are used by romance-seekers who have a defined idea of what they’re looking for in a partner. The way personals dating websites work is that the sites visitors can view and browse through dating profiles or personal ads of different users, and pick out the ones which they deem they’re most compatible with. Depending on the website host, viewing of profiles may be part of the 100% free dating online service, restricted, or require registration and membership.
Matchmaking websites
Matchmaking websites are a lot like personals dating websites in that users can browse through individual profiles. However, matchmaking websites give that extra push in helping you find your partner by matching you with users who have similar contents in their profiles. This can be done by looking for your matches according to musical taste, hobbies, location, type of relationship desired, etc.
Niche online dating
Because of the gazillions of websites that offer online dating and matchmaking services, people are constantly cooking up ways on how to help love searchers narrow down their choices. Using categories and classifications is the most common approach used in online dating sites, but there are those who raise it up a notch and host dating websites based entirely on a single common interest. As the name implies, niche online dating sites focus on the users specific characteristic or interest around which the online community is built.
Niche online dating websites are usually based on religion, passion, specific hobbies, famous TV shows, or belief. There are various dating websites that cater to dog lovers, sci-fi fanatics, Catholic singles, Jewish eligibles, and tons more. The popularity of niche online dating websites is proof that one of the easiest ways to connect with someone is to have a common ground to start from. By being able to establish right away what that common ground is, users will have more time getting to know the other facets of the personality of their potential mates.
These are just some of the general types of online dating services you can find on the Internet today. If you plan on trying out online dating websites, make sure you visit and browse through several ones first to see which site and type of service would suit you best.