Online Dating Has More Singles Clicking

"We met online."

Those words, once taboo, have now become mainstream. As more and more individuals give online dating a chance, the stigma that once surrounded the topic has dissipated.

"I think in the past, the original stigma came from a few elements," said Sam Yagan, cofounder of OKCupid.com, a free online dating service.


"Back in the 1990s, the early adapters were nerdy, geeky, techy people," he said. "The other issue is the introduction of money into dating. That is what makes some people feel like it is desperation."

But the face of online dating has changed, Yagan said.

"Now, if you're under 30, you use the Internet for a bunch of reasons," he said. "Online dating isn't a big deal," once you're used to using the Internet for shopping, news, information and more.

Why People Try Online
"It's not an either/or situation. Really, many peoples' dating strategy encompasses online and offline dating," said Yagan. "It's just another element that you can go through at your leisure."

Online dating is different than trying to meet someone at the bar, bookstore or library.

Plus, you're exposing yourself to a larger pool of potential dates.

"When you cut out all those people you wouldn't date, online dating gives you access to thousands of people you wouldn't have met otherwise," he said.

"Online dating works for everyone," said Evan Mark Katz, author of "I Can't Believe I'm Buying This Book."

"Whatever you want, it's out there," he said. "If you're looking for a relationship or something short-term, it's out there."

Preventing Bad Dates
Searching for love online might also be more appealing for singles who have survived dating disasters.

"Time and time again I hear from people who go on dates that are dead on arrival," said Yagan. "That's the kind of thing a good dating site can help you avoid, all that time and money wasted on poor first dates could have been saved."

There's an element of matching found on online sites that can't be matched in real-world interaction.

"Just because you share the same favorite bands is a great reason to interact," said Katz. "That doesn't mean that you'll be together until you're 80."

Assessing Your Options
There are any number of dating sites available online. eHarmony and Match.com are well-known sites that help people find potential dates for a fee. JDate offers matchmaking services to Jewish individuals. People seeking potential dates must pay for these services, but the providers also boast marriages and relationships formed because of their sites.

Another site, Date My Pet, is a free service that helps people find love with the help of their furry friends. OK Cupid helps people find potential dates without paying, after answering questions that range from, "Do you like to do drugs," or "Have you had many partners?" to "Do you want to get married?" and everything in between. The difference between these sites really depends on what an individual is looking for and if they are willing to pay for the service.

"You can see people who are taking the same quiz as you and hit it off because of common interests," said Yagan. "You can't really replicate that in real life."

Finding Your Partner
Because of the number of participants on dating sites, it's worth your time to be specific with your questionnaire. That way you don't have to deal with having to choose among too many fish in the sea.

"Decide for yourself what is important to you," said Yagan. "If you smoke, you want someone who is accepting of you."

If you don't smoke, you don't want to spend weeks or months dating someone who does, just to find out that they'll never quit the habit that you can't stand.

"The best part is that it's all in the users' hands," said Yagan. "Tell us who you're looking for; do you want to settle down, have kids -- you'll be matched with someone who matches your preferences."

Questionnaires vary among dating sites. Some take minimal information and let you search for your mate. Others give you a list of individuals from the site that you can date, while keeping the rest of the potential dates from being able to learn about you or contact you. Some sites give you the tools to determine your perfect partner and find them.

Taking The Step Online
"People turn to online dating because they want to find more people," said Yagan. "They are ready to find someone."

Online dating "empowers users to find the kind of person they want to find," he said.

"It is essential that you are honest, patient and original," said Katz. "If you don't know what makes you different, no one else will, either."