Dating sites are brilliant fun and a tried and proven way to find love. Here are some top tips for women to get the most out of online dating.

Photo

A good set of photos, and particularly a knockout main photo – is key to online dating success. This is the first thing anyone looks at when scanning a potential dating partner so you should make an effort to get it right if you want a good response to your dating profile.

Be natural

It’s best to keep it real – a spontaneous, natural photo is better all round than a specially organised studio portrait or a picture which is heavily posed for. Studio pictures may be good for posterity but they can seem a bit suspicious on an online dating profile. They could also lead to a bit of an awkward moment when you meet your dating partner in person and don’t look entirely the same as your profile picture!

A picture speaks a thousand words

Along with your main shot you should have a range of extra photos which help to illustrate your interests and hobbies. Bear in mind that people will probably look through these before they get around to reading much of your profile, so if they show you know how to enjoy yourself and have fun then you’re already a step ahead of the crowd.

Get a second opinion

If you ask a few of your male pals to choose their favourites out of your potential dating site pictures, you might be surprised at what they choose, but it’ll give you a good idea as to what men tend to look for in an online dating picture. Their choices might be quite different to those of your trusted female friends but you are trying to attract men this time it could be an idea to go with their opinions!

Make a move

It may traditionally be a man who makes the first move on a woman, and it’s easy for girls to get into the habit of waiting to be swept off their feet. Online dating tends to be fairly ‘equal opportunities’ when it comes to meeting a dating partner, which means women usually need to be quite proactive in order to find their dream man.

For some people (particularly newcomers), it can be disappointing to send an email and not to receive a reply. However, it is perfectly normal to get less than half the number of responses to the emails you send, so don’t let this get you down – just send some more messages!

Meet your dates face to face

While it can seem easier to continue emailing without meeting your online dating partner, the truth is until you meet them face to face you won’t really get to know them. As soon as you feel comfortable with it, try organising a short date over coffee.

Keep the first date brief

While there might be sparks flying in your email conversations, the real test of a dating match is whether the chemistry is there in person. If not, there’s really no need to string it out – a boring first date is a slight disappointment. A really long, boring first date can be excruciating! See if there’s a spark the first time you meet and, if so, organise a more full on date for the second meeting.