Mid-Winter the Best Time to Sign Up for Online Dating

The holidays are behind us, and we've entered a period of new beginnings. Many of us have put together New Year's resolutions. Maybe we intend to exercise more, eat healthier, get a new job, or take that art class we've wanted to try.

It turns out that many people also make a pledge around this time to go on more dates. According to eHarmony, the peak sign-up time for online dating is between Christmas and mid-February (around Valentine's day of course). So if you've been hesitant about joining a new online dating site, this is a great time to do so.

Match.com reports that 64% of singles' 2013 New Year's resolutions are about finding love this year. At this time last year, the company also reported a 55% increase in registration.

If you have sworn off online dating in the past, you might want to rethink your strategy. With so many people registering right now across all the sites, you're more likely to meet someone special, or at least go on more dates. Online dating is a way to meet people, but much easier than approaching someone at a bar. (Although I like to say keep all your options open, because you never know where you could meet someone special.)

Following are some tips to help you find the right website (and the right frame of mind) for online dating:

Identify what you want. Are you looking for a specific type of man/woman - whether it's someone who shares the same faith, the same interests, or the same ethnicity? You might want to consider a niche dating site instead of one of the bigger mainstream sites. If you are serious in your quest for the right person, I suggest sites with a membership fee, longer sign-up process, and questionnaire like Chemistry.com. If you're looking for something a little more organic, there are sites that connect through your Facebook circles, like CoffeeMeetsBagel, or sites that let you choose people according to their interests instead of their profiles, like HowAboutWe.

Be positive. Maybe you've had a bad experience in the past, or you're embarrassed to join an online dating site. But a majority of singles have tried online dating, so you'd be missing out if your fear was holding you back. There's no reason to be embarrassed, or to think that all online dating sites are the same. Keeping a positive attitude and letting go of your fears is the first step, and will lead to a better experience overall.