Reviews are a big part of it.  Why go with an unproven guess when you can select a proven commodity and performer?  $500/hour or whatever girls are charging is a big, big number (do the math, and you will see that a guy making $200k/year needs to work a full day in after-tax dollars to afford an hour with a girl charging that rate).  So we don't want to just indiscriminately risk our money.

The photos are another part of it.  If the photos aren't appealing, I don't give a shit how good the reviews are.  If a girl is not appealing to me, I don't care if some other joes are giving her 8s and higher.

On the subject of photos, we will vet photos with Google Images and Tineye to make sure they aren't stock or fake photos.  If they are, we pass.  Simple as that.  Don't be stupid and use fake photos.

The website comes into play, but not that much.  Let's face it, any person can craft a good website and put in all the trimmings that make you want to pick up the phone or send an email.  Any person can hire a website designer, copy and tweak verbiage from another girl's site, and then have a good site.  It's like having days to write a paper with all the resources at your fingertips.  To me, that's not very telling.  I prefer to see how the girl reacts on an immediate basis.

Which brings me to the other deciding factor:  Conversation.  When communicating with a provider, I need to see that she has a brain and a personality and she is going to be capable of a response more than, "It's $500/hour, baby.  When are you interested in seeing me?"  That's the equivalent of going into the chatrooms of old and saying, "Age/sex/location."  I don't need a rocket scientist or a literary geniusn on the other side, but I do need a girl who pays attention, spells and punctuates, and can put together a nice response, such as, "Thanks so much for responding.  Here's a little about my sessions (and then provide details).  Here are where you can find my reviews."  Or, "I'm new to the business, and I blur my face for discretion reasons, but I am confident you will be pleased.  If you aren't, then you can leave if you are not, no questions asked."

Things like that show me that the provider is worth considering.

good information by everyone. I am in the same boat here as if I proceed it would be a 1st time. I like reading the reviews and information, taking the next step is the hurdle.