In today’s singles climate it can be all to difficult to meet new people, establish a relationship and find true love. We work longer hours, don’t go to the gym as often and, if you’re like me, don’t care much for the bar scene. For those of us who fit this profile, or have just given up on a face to face encounter, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. Online Matchmaking.

Internet matchmaking sites have been in existence in one form or another since websites went live. It used to be just a small personals section on your dial up provider. Now we have sites like E Harmony.Com and Match.Com. Each boasts that they can find a match for you. EH even goes so far as to say that it matches you on 29 different dimensions of personality. I’m not too certain I want to meet anyone with 29 personalities, I have a hard enough time keeping up with the 3 I have!

All joking aside, internet matchmaking sites can be a great way to meet new people. While not everyone you meet is going to be a winner, you do stand a better chance of making some quality contacts. For the most part these people are in the same boat as you, too busy or too tired to get out and meet someone. Making a connection from the comfort of your own home is quick and makes rejection much easier to handle. You can cruise hundreds of people and contact as many as you like all before your favorite television show comes on. Just use good judgement and let common sense be your guide when using internet personals sites.

1. Is it real or is it Memorex? The very first thing most people look for when cruising the personals is a picture. After all, if there is no physical attraction love doesn’t stand much of a chance. The pit fall here is, can you trust the picture posted. The biggest tip off is if they only have one picture, and it’s not of his face. If you do decide to contact a single picture person there is no harm in asking if they have additional pictures available. The best way to get a response to this is to include a few more pictures of yourself. Guys with no pictures or only a body shot can mean a couple of things, either they are not out of the closet or they only want to hook up. Be aware of this when you contact someone like that. Closeted guys can be very difficult to establish a relationship with.

2. Party Bois! There are a few key phrases to look for that will let you know if a guy just wants to party. “No Games”, “No drama” and “Having a good time” are just a few. These generally mean the guy is just out to ‘have a good time’. You should look for profiles that contain similar descriptions as yours.

3. Taking out the laundry. Profiles that post a laundry list of things can spell dangerous territory. Excessive hobbies can mean the guy has multiple personality disorder or is out of work. Someone who lists just a few hobbies should get more of your attention. The same holds true for things they DON’T want in a man. Things like no fats/fems, under 30 only or no screaming queens need apply could mean he only wants your body.

4. Meeting Mr. Goodbar. A sure sign that a guy wants to be Mr. Right Now is when his profile reads “possible LTR (long term relationship)”. If they are looking for a ‘possible’ long term relationship then they really aren’t looking. They just want to hook up with you and bang all night. If you’re up for that kind of things that is fine, just don’t expect him to fall in love with you.

5. It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. If you’re 20 something then you probably use words like puter (for computer) and boi (for boy). My experience has taught me that guys using this type of wording are either very young or rather immature. That’s not to say that all 20 something’s are like that. I’ve met some really nice 20 year old guys that were more mature that I was. Chances are the boi is just on his puter to get some action. While internet short hand can make someone sound fun, if you don’t know what it means you should probably move on.

6. The sky’s the limit. Don’t limit yourself to responding to just one profile or one personals site for that matter. Answer as many ads as you are comfortable with, although I wouldn’t suggest more than one date in a night. I’ve found it helpful to print all the profiles I am interested in (including his picture) so you’ll know who has written you back. There is nothing more embarrassing that to respond to an e-mail with ‘Who are you again?’. Staying organized is the key to a good first impression.

There are those who feel that meeting a person through wires and modems is very impersonal. I say that is not the case. It gives you the opportunity to meet people you would other wise have missed. And, after all, once you’ve found Mr. Right you still have to meet him. This is where your basic manners and personal skills come into play. Just because you met someone through a machine doesn’t mean you can act like one. Be honest, open and sincere. You should expect the same from the person you meet, and tell them so up front. There is nothing worse than meeting a guy you think is a keeper only to find out that he told you what you wanted to hear.

And speaking of Mr. Right, be sure that when you are cruising the personals that you don’t hook up with Mr. Right Now, unless that’s what you want. There are several sites out there that specialize in hook ups so if that’s what you’re after be sure to check out those first. If you have a specific fetish, such as ‘Daddy/Boy’ relationships, there are sites for that. GayDadSon.Com is one example. For the Leather Man you can check out GearFetish.Com and hook up with some big butch top or a hot power bottom. While I’m not advocating that everyone do this, hook up sites can be a great way to meet hot guys and relieve some tension.

By no means am I’m suggesting that you give up on the chance encounter or the face to face approach in your search for true love. Try to arrange a first meeting with your internet hottie at a gay or gay friendly establishment. This way you at least stand the chance of meeting someone else if your guy stands you up.

Whether you are looking for Mr. Right or Mr. Right Now internet personals sites are a great way to go. If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a go. You never know who you might meet online tonight!

The opinion expressed in the article may not be that of Gay Today, it's affiliates or parent company. Gay Today recommends that you use common sense and good judgement when using online dating or personal sites.