Dating sites like Global Personals are growing year on year, giving us all the chance to meet people through the relative safety and security of the Internet, without any need to take things further if you don't wish. One of the more modern features of online dating sites is the ability to chat through a special chat box. This takes away the need to sit there and wait for email type messages to be returned to each other, and instead you can talk in real time.

To do this the first thing that you need to do is choose an appropriate dating site to sign up to. Some large services like Global Personals comprise many sites, while others will be extremely niche specific. Go ahead and choose that fit with your personal needs, likes, and preferences. Also, be sure to find out whether the site offers the chat feature at all!

You'll then need to set up your profile. So just go ahead and find some good pictures of yourself and fill out your description. Remember that this is your time to shine, and will be the public profile that people see when they look for potential matches. So, make as good an impression as you can, but be honest while doing so. In other words, don't exaggerate everything about yourself!

Now you can search through for potential people to chat to yourself. When you find someone, send them a very quick introductory message to suss out whether they want to chat with you or not. This can be something as simple as: 'Hey, I like the look of your profile. Check out mine and if you like what you see, lets chat'. Any variation along those lines will work fine. What you don't want to do is spend a long time crafting a perfect message only for the person to not respond. It's time consuming and can be extremely off-putting as well. It's better to spread the net wide by sending short messages to more people if you can.

When you get a response, remember to keep your personal information protected first and foremost. Even if you like the person, don't go and give out your phone number of full name. Keep things light and be yourself, and try to have fun. The whole point of it all is to enjoy yourself, so don't take it too seriously and try to have a laugh with the person.

As you chat you'll be able to get a better idea as to what the person is like. This is a good opportunity for you to decide whether or not you'd want to take things any further and progress towards actually meeting them in person. Don't be pressured into doing so if they ask you, but instead pace yourself and try to get to know them a little bit first. It will help you make a more informative decision.

If you do wish to take things further, still refrain from giving out your personal info. You should be able to arrange to meet at a certain time and place without having to give out your phone number, and if you do need to coordinate en route, you can simply use the dating app that comes with the online site.
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