Maybe you’re single again. Or in a dry spell. Or maybe you’re just curious about what’s new in online dating. For whatever reason, if you're thinking about trying online dating—or trying it again if you went for a spin a few years ago—you’ll find a number of cool new features. The Internet dating world has evolved rapidly in the last 5 years as new technologies have emerged and new waves of people have signed up. In fact, online dating sites have kept right on prospering through the recession. Here are the top 10 changes in Internet dating and how they can help you find love online:

The pool of online daters has grown more diverse.
“The online dating community is more representative of the world at large,” says Greg Blatt, chief executive officer of Match.com. Several forces have brought more varied groups of people into the fold: There’s less of a stigma associated with it now as compared to years past, there are many more sites, the social networking boom has made people less wary about “meeting” others online, and so forth. This is great news if you’re searching for a partner over age 40, as the largest growth in the online dating audience has been among the older crowd. The number of Match.com members age 50 and older increased by almost 70 percent between 2005 and 2009.

The sites offer better search capabilities.
Rather than just searching by vital statistics, such as height, weight and geographic location, you can now get extremely specific. Profiles have become lengthier and more detailed, and search algorithms have become more sensitive, helping you find that woman who speaks Mandarin, studied medieval literature and loves canoeing. “Today, you can search for virtually any characteristic,” says Blatt. As carrying extra weight can be a liability in online (and offline) dating, more refined search capabilities can help make you more visible to a woman who’s looking for someone with your unique qualities—and vice versa.

There are free options.
Sites like Plentyoffish.com, OkCupid and SpeedDate.com cost nothing to join. They make money through advertising or selling premium services.

You’ll find an endless variety of niche sites.
In addition to the large general sites like Match.com, there are many more dating sites that cater to people with specific interests. Here are just a few of the hundreds of niche dating sites operating today: TattooLovers.com, www.TallFriends.com, BlackPeopleMeet.com, LargeFriends.com (for plus-size singles), VeggieDate (for vegetarians) and Datecraft (for video gamers). To find niche sites, do an Internet search on “online dating” plus the name of your hobby or interest. A disadvantage? Some have few members.

Forget the computer. Use your cell phone.
Mobile online dating is a hot trend. “Scrolling through profiles on the iPhone with MatchMobile is actually a richer experience than using a computer,” says Blatt. Several apps also allow you to use your cellular phone to find nearby members who fit your preferences, says Whitney Casey, a relationship expert with Match.com. “If you’re visiting a city, you can quickly find other people in that area code that fit your profile,” she explains. “I think of it as my ‘singles GPS.’” Services like Skout, foursquare and MeetMoi will show members in your vicinity and allow you to connect with them if you wish.

You can “meet” via live chat or video chat.
On sites such as SpeedDate.com and WooMe.com, you can have a live text chat—or video chat via a Webcam—with another member. “Over the last few years, dating sites have really moved more towards live chat as a platform for screening prospective dates before one wastes a good Saturday night with a possibly dull counterpart,” says Jason Jacobi, vice president of marketing at SpeedDate.com. Expect more sites to offer live chat and video chat soon. A video chat can be reassuring, as many online daters post photos that were taken years ago or are otherwise deceiving.

Some sites integrate with Facebook and Twitter.
Do you have a profile on Facebook, Twitter or MySpace? Some online dating sites pull profile data from these social networking sites so potential mates can get a fuller picture of your interests, habits and passions. The most popular is Zoosk.com, which claims 50 million users (though most are under age 30). Thread and Gelato are other examples, and Are you Interested? is a popular Facebook application.

There are new ways to stand out from the crowd.
Many sites sell virtual gifts you can send to a member. They’re usually icons that resemble chocolates, roses or gold bars, and prices range from a dollar to more than $50. Why would any guy waste money on such a ridiculous thing? To get a woman’s attention—or show her that he has cash to blow. “An attractive woman may get 50 to 75 emails a day,” says Kate Bilenki, director of love at Plentyoffish.com. “Sending a paid virtual gift shows that a man has gone the extra step, and it distinguishes him from the crowd.” Match.com allows members to send four “VIP emails” a month, which lets the recipient know that you’re emailing dozens of women every day in a shotgun fashion, hoping for a few responses.

She can phone you—gladly.
It’s wise to talk to a person you met online before deciding to meet in person, but that has long meant revealing your phone number. No more. Some sites now offer a “double blind” feature that assigns members unique phone numbers they can use for a call, keeping all personal phone numbers private. Two examples are eHarmony’s Secure Call and Match.com’s matchTalk. “This makes it much easier for women to have a phone conversation with a guy, because they feel safe,” says Casey. If you’re more charming and attractive in person (or at least on the phone) than in your online profile, which is true for many overweight people, this can be a boon.

You can take her on a virtual date.
For $5, you can select an avatar and go on a “virtual date” on www.weopia.com with a person you met on most any online dating site. Your avatars can stroll through the countryside, sit at a café, lie on the beach or enjoy other virtual destinations. “Virtual dating allows users to interact in 3-D worlds to get to know each other better before taking things offline,” says Mark Nicholson, a vice president of marketing with Weopia.

About the writer:
Ron Geraci is author of The Bachelor Chronicles. He’s been on more than 400 dates with women he met online. Virtual reality was not an option.