Expert advice for online dating (podcast)

"It's never been easier to find a date," says CyberDatingExpert.com publisher Julie Spira. And when it comes to online dating, she adds, the "stigma is gone."

She credits Facebook with helping to make people feel comfortable about sharing online and about joining an online dating site. Thousands of online dating sites exist, including niche sites aimed at Democrats and Republicans, as well as different religions and even vegans and vegetarians.

Spira is a fan of "truth in advertising" and recommends that people be authentic about their age, photos, and what they enjoy. If you're looking for marriage and children, "don't be afraid to say so," said Spira. "Sometimes they think that they'll be scaring a guy away thinking he's going to have to go ring shopping immediately, and I absolutely disagree." Instead, she added, "you're chasing away the guys that could be the players that would be wasting your time anyway."

She said to be "very specific and avoid the cliches" like "I want to go on a romantic beach walk and like watching sunsets." She said to come up with a catchy screen name and something "very specific about what your favorite song is rather than 'I like music.'" She also said it's best to post three to five photos of yourself, including a close-up shot, a full-length body shot, and an activity shot such as "hiking, a travel trip where you have the Eiffel Tower behind you, sailing, anything that makes you unique to show that you have an interesting life."

For more, click below to listen to my podcast interview with Spira.