Don’t be intimated by free dating web sites. They are easy to use. Here are the four steps of getting started.

If you’ve never used free dating web sites before, you may be surprised by just how easy they are to master. Below you’ll find a guide through the four main steps you’ll need to take in order to get started in the world of online dating.

Sign Up

The first step is to find the right free dating web sites to use as part of your search. Recommendations vary and you can find some great reviews of different sites – both paid and free ones – on the Internet. However, you need to decide whether you want to use a general site that is open to everyone or a niche site that is geared towards people with certain interests or issues. For example, there are some sites geared towards certain ethnicities, certain age groups, certain interests, certain locations, and more.

Once you’ve chosen one of the free dating web sites, you can sign up. Even the free sites will usually ask for some basic information before you are considered a member. You may also be asked to respond to a confirmation email sent to your inbox to ensure you are providing correct contact information.

Create Your Profile

Whether you’re using free dating web sites or paid services, you’ll still need to create a great profile if you want to get attention from other members. Profile information will vary depending on the service you use but most will ask you to provide details about your hobbies and interest, your employment and education, your relationship status, your general location (e. g. Midwest, California, northeastern U. S.), and other relevant content. You can usually do a short write-up about yourself. Remember to keep things brief but interesting if you’re hoping to catch someone’s eye online. And don’t forget to post photos of yourself. Try to keep the number at three or less.

Search Other Profiles

Although the free dating web sites may have their own ways of proceeding after the profile, some will give you the option of browsing through the profiles of other members. Generally, there will be a search feature that lets you look for a certain gender, age, location, keyword, etc. so you can find potential partners that would suit your interests. Once you’ve identified some of these individuals you can send them a message or initiate contact through the service. Again, the specific details about how to reach other members via the profile vary depending on each site. If the person is interested, he or she can visit your profile and choose to return the communication.

Be Contacted

While you can take a proactive approach like the one described above, many members choose to let others seek them out instead. If you choose this method, basically you’ll be on the receiving end of the process described in the previous paragraph. Once you are contacted you’ll have to decide whether you’re interested or not. If you are, you may be required to communicate directly through the site for a period of time or you may be able to start emailing or phoning each other on your own.