There is practically nothing that the Internet cannot help you with today. If you’re having trouble with a math equation, all you have to do is type it in and you’ll get the answer. If you need directions to a specific place, just type it in and within seconds, you’ll know how to get there. Best of all, though, if you’re looking to meet the love of your life, just go online and she’s right at your fingertips. There are literally hundreds of internet dating sites to explore and join. However, if you really want to have dating success with these, try following these 5 tips along the way.

1. Choose the right site for you

With all the sites available to choose from, you should be careful before joining a specific one. The first option you should consider is membership sites vs. free ones. For each there are pros and cons. Yes, free is great, but most of the time the other members are not seriously looking for someone special. These are people who have come together just for something to do. Also, these members are not tested, so you don’t really know what you may be getting yourself into.

Paid sites, on the other hand, offer you a sense of security. The other members have to pay monthly too, so you know they take online dating just as seriously as you do. These sites also offer compatibility tests, making it easy for you to find someone you’re a better fit for. The cost of paid sites is usually less than $30 per month.

Another consideration is the type of site. There are sites geared toward just about anyone these days: Christians, African-Americans, lesbians, people looking to have flings, and so on. Choose your site based on what you are looking for to achieve the greatest success.

2. Never judge a book by its cover

The first thing you will see when you start searching is a photo of a woman. The general rule is to never post an image that is more than five years old. You want it to be as current as possible. You might take a look at the photo of her and say, “No, not for me.” However, has it ever crossed your mind that she just doesn’t take good pictures? Some people aren’t really photogenic, but they are the most beautiful people in person. If you keep this in mind and continue to profile her, you might find that she is the one for you.

3. Be completely honest

It’s no secret that people lie, especially on dating sites. However, if you really want to find someone, be honest. When you write your profile, keep it interesting and fun, but be honest. Women appreciate this in a man. Even if you are only on the site for casual hookups aka sex then put this up. Otherwise, you may receive messages from women who really want a long-term relationship only to have their hearts broken by you.

4. Trust your gut

You were given an instinct for a reason, so use it. If a girl you’ve been talking to suddenly doesn’t seem like who she says she is, then go for it. If she can only talk at odd hours, or if she doesn’t want to give you her phone number after you’ve been on the site for a while, she may be hiding something. On the other hand, if she seems normal at first, she then starts to get jealous and possessive when you talk about a friend at work, it’s time to go.

5. Everyone has feelings.

Just because you’re dating in the virtual world doesn’t mean the feelings are any less relevant. Whether you’re simply cheating on a woman, say something to intentionally hurt her feelings, or cut off communication suddenly one day, it does just as much damage online as it does offline. You still need to treat women online with respect.

Internet dating is an exciting way to meet new people, quite possibly the woman you’ve been waiting for your whole life. However, you must go into this undertaking with the right expectations and have the same amount of respect for yourself and others if you want it to be a success.