Online dating sites are extremely good at promoting their products. They pepper the Internet with photos of sexy singles and inject catchy tunes into their television advertising campaigns. One of their best marketing techniques involves using real life love stories from thousands of happy couples who found love online. Since online matchups are no longer considered taboo, it has quickly become the more logical and convenient way to find companionship.

A recent trend, however, suggests that dating sites are being used for more than just love and romance. Many singles have discovered that it can also be one of the best places to develop long-lasting friendships with persons of the opposite sex.

Many online dating users say their friendship-base grew tremendously after subscribing to a site to pursue dating or marriage interests. While roughly 89% of online daters seek partners for long-term relationships, many will walk away acquiring several valuable friends.

"I grew up with no brothers, I was extremely shy, and I work in a female dominated industry. That means my exposure to men and learning about them has been limited over the years," says Lakeshia Dell, a "thirty-something" registered nurse who is single and never married.

"Meeting men online has allowed me to talk to guys I never would've known. I won't find a love connection with most of them, but I have learned a lot about how men think and have a better idea of what to expect," Dell said.

Lakeshia's experience is just one of several reasons why online dating has become so progressive over the past 10 years. Traditional friendship development between men and women isn't always easy, and rarely exists after romantic interests disappear. Online daters say it is much easier to maintain friendships because communication (by email or phone) is mandatory from the beginning and romance oftentimes never enters the picture.

This is especially true for men who generally focus on physical attraction and less on communication when pursuing women by traditional means. In the online environment, men are forced to communicate, which allows women to gauge communicative skills before exploring face-to-face meetings.

Men and women who use online dating sites in search of compatibility often find persons who possess desirable qualities, but lack one or two important characteristics. Those one or two critical characteristics are often considered deal-breakers to the searcher and may prevent them from pursuing a long-term endeavor.

"I've met a lot of women online who didn't really fit the profile of what I was looking for," said Markus, a 27-year old mechanical engineer from Little Rock, Arkansas. "We might have several things in common... like sports and comedy clubs, but she may not want kids or have the same religious beliefs I have. Since I think those things are important, I wouldn't want to marry her. But she may be a good friend to talk to and share laughs with," Markus stated.

While most people don't join dating sites looking for friends, it should be noted that the discovery of a meaningful friendship is a distinct possibility. Online daters tend to use more caution, and spend days, weeks or even months chatting before visiting in person. This is time well spent, and helps individuals better focus their attention on people with whom they share common interests.

Unlike social networking sites such as Myspace and FriendSter, online love-seekers have a specific goal in mind and search for others who have similar relationship ambitions. When they don't find someone who fits a particular profile, they're often left with several quality people they choose to keep as friends.