How much do you really know about online dating? Perhaps you find singles online rather than going to bars or nightclubs because you enjoy the convenience. You can also find out so much about the person at the other end of your message exchanges before you actually commit to a face-to-face date. The world of Internet dating certainly offers a diverse range of opportunities to anyone signing up, whether that’s to a matching website or an app on your smart device. But if you’re new to the whole experience, you need to keep certain things in mind if you are to have complete satisfaction with the process. So here are five rules about online dating you should pay close attention to.

Online Dating Rules You’ll Want To Know

Honesty is always the best policy

One respect where online dating is no different to any other type is where clear lines of communication are concerned. You should always aim to be open when it comes to establishing an online connection. Granted, there may be certain aspects of your history you would prefer to keep a lid on until you get to know this person a bit better. Perhaps you’ve spent a stint in rehab or have experienced a messy marriage breakup. This can be divulged in good time. For the most part, it is advisable to come clean about everything.

Learn to read between the lines

The nature of online dating is potential partners attempt to provide a snapshot of their personality and interests in a succinct manner. Nobody is going online expecting to have to plow through life stories. But you also have to learn to be able to read between the lines when it comes to assessing someone’s character. Always look for clues which may highlight aspects which need further explanation. You can fill in the dots by exchanging more in-depth messages. In time, you will get a handle on what type of person they are.

Never judge a book by its cover

It’s so important you never judge a prospective partner on appearances alone. Profile photographs are often unreliable at providing an ideal picture of the person you are communicating with. Some people choose deliberately flattering photographs which are far from recent. Others use Photoshop or similar software to manipulate images. But at the end of the day, it is the character of the individual that should be most attracting you rather than some superficial presentation. The true picture will be revealed when you eventually meet face-to-face.

Switch to more convenient communication

Dating sites are only really meant to serve as an introductory platform. You sift through the profiles until you come across someone you like the look of, then you go about establishing a sense of chemistry. But the moment you do get a hint you are building an excellent rapport with this person, you should switch to other communication methods. Once you get to know them a bit better you can swap email addresses. You could progress to web chats and get a fuller picture. Literally.

Always think of safety first

One of the most important rules about online dating is to put your safety first. At the end of the day, even if you are getting on like a house on fire, this person is still a relative stranger to you compared with the friends you have known for some period of time. Until you can be sure they are 100% above-board, avoid divulging too many personal details. There are always unscrupulous individuals using these websites who are seeking unnecessary information such as your bank details.