What should you do on a first online date?

Striking up a conversation with someone on an online dating site is only the first step of the journey, as once you have achieved this you will soon be planning your first date together.

In such a scenario, it is important you do everything possible to set a good first impression that will leave your date wanting to meet up with you again.

YourTango has published a guide to some of its top tips on what to do and how to behave in order to ensure your first online date goes down a storm – and hopefully sparks the beginning of a wonderful new chapter in your life.

For starters, it said you should be yourself all the way through, so do not pretend to be something you are not or hide what you believe to be your less desirable traits. These are only going to come out at some point, so you should give your date the chance to get to know the real you.

This starts from the moment you are asked where you would like to go for the date. Instead of leaving it up to the other person, feel the confidence to state where you really like to go.

That brings us on to the publication's next tip, which is to do something fun. Long-term attraction is often defined by how much fun someone has in your company, so be sure not to choose a boring activity for your first meeting.

You should be positive at all times, even if you do not feel you have immediate chemistry with someone.

Do not rule people out too quickly, as it is always possible that they will change over time and start to pique your interest just when you are least expecting it.

And finally, remember to wear something comfortable on your first date that you feel confident in.