One of the primary benefits of in-person dating compared to online formats is that you can gauge in-person chemistry immediately. Before you ever even ask someone on a date — call it the pre-dating phase - you will be able to assess how effortless a conversation is or whether you should remain friends.

Traditional first dates largely occur after a couple already has a decent idea there is some chemistry there, so it's not entirely fair to treat the two "first date" experiences as analogous. Still, online dating unquestionably requires more time and effort to reach a first date, and only then can you determine whether there is chemistry. Research suggests it is worth the effort; however, thanks to online marriage's higher marriage satisfaction and lower divorce rates.

If you are serious about finding a match, it's worth considering whether online dating is worth the extra time and effort, particularly considering online dating's convenience when it comes to finding great matches.

While pictures are very important for assessing chemistry, avoid making determinations on who to message based solely on pictures. Take the time to see what your matches say and consider what it is they are hoping to find as well. Yes, this will take more time, but it will likely lead to better first dates that are more reflective of what you are hoping to find in a match.

If you are thorough in your review of profiles — which is a good thing — some people may find the excitement and mystery of online dating is removed. Realistically, this is an accurate description and a potential disadvantage of online dating for anyone looking for the thrill and mystery of dating.

The bottom line is there is no guarantee in dating, but online dating is not boring by any stretch of the imagination. Yes, some of the mystery is removed since you know who you will be meeting, but you have no idea whether there will be chemistry or what the topics of conversation will be. Treat each first date as an opportunity to have a quality conversation with a great match, and you will likely not be disappointed by an lack of "mystery" to the online dating process.

If you have been stuck in the rut of traditional dating and the bar lifestyle, online dating is capable of expanding your potential matches exponentially. Odds are good that there are hundreds or thousands (for the largest metro areas, perhaps even millions) of potential matches you would have no way of finding in your traditional day-to-day. The reality is you are either going to college, working, pursuing your career or some combination of activities that keeps you from seeking out all your options in the real world.

Online dating brings these options to you in a nearly instantaneous way. Even for a moderately sized city, it could take years to meet these matches in an organic fashion. Yet, with online dating, you are able to browse hundreds of profiles to assess your romantic options in just a few hours. Despite the vast opportunities available, be sure to limit yourself and take your time. This, in turn, prevents you from falling into the aforementioned trap of making hasty judgments.

As a unique individual, your personality is itself a unique imprint that will go a long way toward determining who are the best matches for you. Online dating helps you cater to your own uniqueness by filtering based on your perceived dating needs.

Online websites will let you filter by things like religion, political affiliation, and drinking/smoking behaviours. Even physical traits such as hair color, body type, height and ethnicity can be accounted for based on your chemistry preferences. In the real world, in all likelihood you first find potential dates based on physical attractiveness and who catches your eye. From there, you then have to discuss religious similarities, political agreements/disagreements and the like. With online dating, you can instantly screen for all this criteria in seconds, saving yourself the headache of finding great physical chemistry, only to find that you disagree on virtually every important issue.

Let's face it, traditional dating can get expensive. The amount of first dates spent just to find out whether there is chemistry will often revolve around dinner or drinks in some way, shape or form. Online dating, by contrast, is entirely free or a low monthly fee depending on the website or apps you choose.

This isn't to say you can't choose low-cost options via traditional dating, but there are more expectations placed on date night when you already know the person. Online dating takes some of the pressure off, making cost-effective first dates more acceptable as a general rule.

Limiting online dating to finding love puts needless pressure on yourself, but it also prevents you from exploring some of its other noteworthy benefits. Online dating may introduce you to a range of interesting people in all walks of life. It isn't uncommon to run into a lawyer, an accountant and a doctor in a given month of online dating.

There are certainly legitimate reasons why online dating is not the right choice for everyone. Only you can decide whether online dating is a worthy addition to your search for romance. That said, online dating is an excellent tool for the majority of today's daters. Even if you simply use online dating as an additional dating source while you continue to date traditionally as well, online dating only helps expand your dating options in meaningfully beneficial ways.

No matter what dating strategies you employ — online dating, traditional dating, or some combination of both — we hope this guide will help you weigh whether online dating can be a useful tool for finding great matches during your romantic search.