Why is it that some people sign up for internet dating services and are going out on fun dates every week and have their choice of suitors, while others sit at home staring at their PC all frustrated? Maybe the frustrated people made the first mistake in internet dating - picking the wrong service for their goals and needs.

Internet dating has become so popular and normalized in the last decade that the options of internet dating sites from which to choose is almost overwhelming. Being clear on what types there are will help you make a good decision.

The first differentiation you need to make is brand name site or niche site. Here’s what this means.

Brand name internet dating sites are the “big guys”, the names you already know that advertise on television and so forth. They have the biggest membership pools. The larger their community, the better chance of meeting people you like.

Top online dating sites also have easy to navigate user interfaces. If you are addicted to your smart phone you’ll find most of them have apps to keep you connected on the go. Other advantages include that they are usually reasonably priced and many offer lots of value added services such as tutorials on how to write great online dating profiles and articles to help you be successful.

Niche internet dating sites are sites who cater to a specific membership base. For example, there are sites dedicated to members of a specific religious preference, ethnicities, sexual preference (or fetish - yikes!), special hobbies and interests or age demographic. Only looking for Christians? Only looking for other single parents? You get the idea.

Niche sites have a smaller membership base and as they have less resources, many have less fancy bells and whistles. But they can still get the job done. The brand name sites obviously let you screen by age, gender,race,economic background and so forth also, so many people argue against needing to go with a niche site. But if “Sugar Daddies” for example are your heart’s desire, then a niche site might be for you.

Note that any decent internet dating site should let you browse their membership base before you commit to a subscription. Also, beware of inflated membership numbers. Having 500,000 members is no use if most of them have been inactive for months. A good online dating service should have a feature to see who is currently online (instant messaging is fun!) or when the last time was that a member checked their email or logged on.

One other important factor to consider when choosing any dating site (brand name or niche) is how they match people. Are you able to browse through the database and contact whomever you want, or does the service go through your online dating profile, match you with candidates and let you move forward only that way. In the latter scenario you may only be presented with maybe 5 matches a day, whereas with the former you may get suggestions, but you can “window shop” for dates as much as you please.

In summary, there are many kinds of online dating services. Knowing what they are and being clear about your relationship goals will help you pick the right one for you and ensure your online dating success. With some research and persistence, you should be having your pick of fun dates within no time. Good luck!