Once considered the exclusive territory of adulterous men, computer nerds and psychos using false identities, internet dating has now lost it's stigma. In Europe and the USA, It's now the most popular method of finding a partner, with 65% of singletons between the ages of 25 and 50 turning to the net.

Gone are the sleazy chat-rooms, pseudonyms and fake photos, now online daters upload entire photo albums, write lengthy descriptions of themselves and detail their exact preferences - and are happy to admit that this is how they found their partners.

But this new found confidence in the medium has generated a plethora of new dating sites; so how do you decide which is the right one for you and how do you get the best out of your chosen site? Follow these few simple steps and I guarantee that you wont go wrong:-

1. Be honest with yourself about what you're looking for. Do you just want to chat with other cyber folk or do you genuinely want to meet a new partner? If you just want a whole bunch of new pen-pals, there are many sites that aren't particularly bothered about location so if, for example, you're in Manchester, England, you can make new friends in Idaho or Madrid. But if you actually plan to meet anyone you make contact with, then choose a service that's specific to either the country in which you live, or better still, the city or area.

2. Are you seeking a very specific type of partner? There are a great many niche sites out there so if you want to meet, say, other single parents or other motorbike enthusiasts, just type in 'single parent dating' or 'biker dating' into your preferred search engine and you'll probably find that you'll be presented with a choice of suitable dating services.

3. Are you willing to pay to join a dating site? Cyberspace is no different to the 'real' world in this respect - you get what you pay for! If the operators of a particular site aren't confident enough in their offering to actually charge a membership fee, you have to ask yourself why. The average monthly subscription to a high calibre dating site is usually no more expensive than a round of drinks so surely it's worth it if it means you might actually meet your perfect partner by signing up.

4. OK, you've found the dating service that you believe is just right for you. What now? Well, to get the best results from your chosen site, it's up to you to get the most out of your membership by posting a bright, upbeat, confident profile and uploading a photo to accompany it. 95% of dating site users will only respond to people who have bothered to provide a photo of themselves; after all, you want to see what other members look like so it stands to reason that others will feel exactly the same way about you. And don't be modest - if you think you're pretty darn attractive, then now is exactly the right time to shout it from the roof tops!

And finally...and this is the most obvious piece of advice as well as being the most important...once you've signed up to an online dating site, don't wait for others to get in contact, search through the list of members who fall within your chosen criteria and when you like the look and sound of someone, send them a message and introduce yourself. Chances are, if you've identified someone with whom you might have things in common and to whom you are attracted, then you can bet your bottom dollar that they'll more than likely be delighted to hear from you.

So there you have it; if you're single and sick of being so, find the right online dating site and kick start your love life today. Have fun and happy hunting!