If you’ve been around for awhile, you remember the personal ads in the newspaper that said something like, “Good-looking single gal seeks fun-loving and caring single male for long-term relationship. Must like cats.”

Back in the day, it was like that, and some people actually had pretty decent luck finding people to date that way. In this day and age of real-time connections, those ads are outdated and have been replaced by Internet dating services of every type.

Whether you’ve ever tried one or not, the web is fertile ground for finding the woman of your dreams – someone who shares similar interests and values.

Many men and women find their love interest, great dates, meet new friends and even find Mr. or Mrs. Right through the Internet dating scene. One of the really cool things about trying out these sites is that many of them are customized for things like religion/spirituality, ethnicity, sizes, certain interests, and viewpoints.

If you’re a republican, and you feel the need to only date republicans, you can find sites that cater to you. If you’re a dog-lover, there are sites for you, if you’re a farmer and want to meet someone who wouldn’t mind living in isolation to tend a large farm – there are sites for you.

Dating sites fall into four different categories. They are: general dating sites, specific dating sites, networking sites, and social sites. The last two aren’t technically dating sites, but they have been known to produce romances.

General sites are the kind that let you fill out a profile (sometimes very extensive) and then they match you with women you might be compatible with. Specific sites are like the pet-lovers sites, or the sites for dating within your religion. Networking and social sites have become popular for meeting prospective dates, too. It doesn’t hurt to explore all of these as possible venues for finding the perfect date.

It’s possible that you’ve heard some Internet dating horror stories and have decided to stay away from the possible problems that could occur, but the vast majority of Internet dating sites (and people on those sites looking for a date) are legitimate.

People are trying to make themselves sound as attractive as possible on their profiles, so you don’t hear what’s undesirable about them, and let’s face it, men and women alike have been known to fudge a bit on weight or other things that they feel sensitive about.

When you begin your Internet dating journey, be as honest as possible, but remember to always highlight your best features and characteristics. Assume that the women you’re contacting and exchanging messages with are being upfront with you too – until they give you reason to be suspicious.

There’s no need to avoid Internet dating. You should be trying it and looking forward to good results. For many, Internet dating has been the answer to the problem of finding dates, and even life partners who were hundreds or thousands of miles away and who they wouldn’t have found without the World Wide Web.