Make time for online dating

Signing up to an online dating site is really just the easy bit, as the hard work only begins once you are trying to find someone you like the look of enough to get a conversation going.

While some people might see registration as a key step and the defining moment of a romantic journey that has led them to online dating, it is really nothing more than answering a few questions and choosing a username.

Instead, you must be prepared for what is to come over the days and weeks after you have joined a site. Firstly, you will need to be good at making small talk, as the opening exchanges with any prospective date are vital.

Secondly, you need to be capable of putting together a good profile that will make people want to get to know you. Making the minimum effort here is not a good idea, so instead upload more than one photo and take some time to write a good description of yourself.

But most importantly of all, make sure you find the time to visit the site on a regular basis. The biggest mistake people can make is to think that just signing up will lead them into the arms of Mr or Miss Right.

It almost certainly will not, so putting in the hours required is a shrewd move. The good news is that online dating sites are available 24/7, so no matter when your free time is, you will be able to log on and start chatting or browsing profiles.

If at first you do not succeed, you must try again. Online dating is no different to meeting someone in a bar or restaurant, as the chances are you will not click with the first person you speak to.

So keeping the faith and continuing to spend plenty of time online is the only way to ensure success in the long run.