What should you never do when online dating?

Online dating has shot to prominence in recent years, going from an often mocked method of finding a partner to one of the most popular and socially acceptable of all, with thousands of couples now together thanks to the powers of cyber romance.

It is not hard to see why it has become such a huge trend. With so many people signed up, it is relatively easy to search for those you might be interested in and, what's more, you can do it at a time that suits you. If you fancy hunting for love first thing in the morning or late at night, online dating sites will be available to you.

But that is not to say everything is easy and straightforward, as there are still some mistakes you can make that will hamper your chances of finding love.

For starters, you should never appear needy and overly enthusiastic when you first get chatting to someone. It is likely that they will have been speaking to other people, so if you demand too much of their time then it could easily be a major turn-off.

Presuming you are looking for a long-term relationship, then it can also be a huge error to flaunt too much flesh in your photographs or appear to be focused on the physical side of things. This will come in time, so to start with talk only about your personality, ambitions and passions.

Choosing any photographs that show you in a poor light can, in itself, be a move that has a negative impact on your chances of success. It may be a tad shallow, but the reality is that many users look at images of a prospective date before reading what they have to say, so chose wisely.

There is plenty to remember and a number of new rules for you to learn, but if you do so then you stand a great chance of finding a like-minded individual who is ready for a relationship with you.