It seems as though everyone has an online profile somewhere on the web. And for most of us, we’re actually on multiple networking sites – some for work, some for fun, and some with a mix of both of our needs.

Let’s look at two of the most popular – Facebook and MySpace.

Both of these sites have ways that you can proclaim your single-ness to the rest of the world, allowing you to have a free way to meet dates online. But is it really as effective as it might seem? Or are traditional dating sites the way to go?

Here are the pros of networking sites:

• They offer you a look into the personality of your date
• They can give you a sense of who they hang out with
• You can look at their profile before talking to them
• They’re free to use!

But here are the cons of using networking sites as dating sites:

• They can lead to long term issues with people bugging you for dates
• They can lure less than truthful people to your profile
• The security risk is higher

Just as with any website for dating, there are positives and negatives, so you need to weigh the risks before heading into the dating pool of these sites. But the good news? You don’t have to accept anyone as a friend until you’re completely sure you want them to be a friend.

Choose your friends wisely, and you might find your dating life spicing up.

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Without further ado, here are some tips to get some responses for your profile on that online dating site.

Get advice from someone else – Before you post your first profile, have your best friend read it…and then ask them to be brutal about what works and what doesn’t.

Focus on creating contact with someone on a regular basis – Don’t just sit around and wait for people to contact you, try to make contact at least once a week. Email someone or IM someone to get used to talking to others. Soon enough, you’ll be meeting up with all the right ones.

Be honest with those you meet virtually and in person – You want to be make sure you are telling the truth so that you’re actually making a connection with the people who would be the right fit for you.

But…don’t tell everything – Releasing all of your personal history, your divorce, your children, your lack of child support, etc. Until you know that you really like the person, total disclosure just isn’t necessary.

Create time in your life for love – You can’t start dating unless you have time in your schedule to date. You need to start making room for love…before you start adding dates into your day planner.

Good luck!

Dating Essentials Buddy, Chat, IM, Love, Profile

Or does it?

Leave the winter blues behind you with online dating tricks like these:

Register at multiple dating sites – Not only will you get to talk to more people, but you’re going to increase your chances of meeting the right person.

Be the bold one – If you’re usually the one who asks the other person out, try something different and make the first move. And vice versa. If you find that you’re typically the one doing the asking, see if someone else asks you out first.

Change your online profile – While it’s not spring, why not spring clean your online dating profile? Add a joke or a list of what you got for Christmas. Create something fun that someone would want to read in order to get to know you better.

Make a goal – Whether it’s a date a month or a date per week, create goals for yourself to get you and your date out of the house. Just because it’s cold doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the weather. And with someone else to enjoy it with, you might forget about the wind chill.

Personal Profiles, Tips and Ideas Chat, Holidays, Meet People, Winter