Finding Love Through Free Online Dating Services

Looking for love can be hard enough without some help along the way. Dating services tout matchmaking capabilities and computer programs as the key to finding romance, but some would disagree. Matchmakers and love "gurus" can be quite expensive. Dating sites are usually expensive and uncertain. And they require a fee to gain access to their "full" services. Free Online dating services are a step above these dating sites. Membership is free. Members can contact potential dates anytime. They can also select from a wide range of potential mates. There doesn't seem to be an end to all the positives. But even the free dating sites miss the boat in a number of ways. These problems can be fixed. Some sites are closer to fixing the issues than others. Below are some of the major flaws in online dating services. Also included are ways to get around those problems.

1. Lack of physical details: Some sites allow users to provide profiles without posting a picture. This is good in some ways. It allows people to judge not on appearance but on other compatibilities. But a person who is not physically attracted to another can't always get past the difference in appearance. Shallow, perhaps, but true. To avoid issues like this, dating site users can post their picture on their profile. The technologically challenged can provide a written description so that readers have at least an idea of looks.

2. Not enough members to choose from: There can be a considerable difference between choosing from millions of potential mates to choosing from a few thousand. There are many dating sites out there. Each is limited by how many people join. This dilutes the market. In effect, searchers can only pick from those who join that particular site. To combat that problem, those searching for mates can join a few dating sites (as long as they are free). Or they may focus their energy on free online dating services that cater to people with similar values or beliefs. Christian sites or single-parent sites, for example.

3. Not a consistent choice of mates: This means that there is a high turnover rate on the site. This problem occurs for a number of reasons. Maybe a person finds the love of his life and simply does not delete his profile. Maybe he gives up finding the love of his life all together. Or quite possibly he moves on to another site. Dating site administrators can help this problem. They can delete profiles that have been inactive for long periods of time. Searchers can also avoid the problem by watching for signs that the profile has been inactive for a time. Some sites have a "last activity" log with the profiles that will tell viewers when that person last logged in.

Using free online dating services to find a date has its advantages over the paid member sites. For those looking for a lifelong partner, the advantage may be more than simply that the service is free. Dating sites can be the final stop for many people. Especially for those who are tired of the dating scene and just don't want any more hassle. For those who are just beginning the long road, online dating services might be the positive dating experience that they need to keep searching.

Jason Hulott is Director at UK Dating Online, an online dating website with reviews of the major dating services as well as lots of useful articles, resources and tips to help you make the most of your dating experience.