First impressions count, and when it comes to online dating your personal profile is a vital link between you and other singles. It's directly responsible for the level of response that you receive and your overall dating success.

You are the best, most interesting person in the world. You know that, but the rest of the world doesn't...yet. Your personal profile is the perfect chance to grab people's attention and show them who you are, the type of lifestyle that you lead and why they need to contact you right now. So here are a few things to bear in mind when the time comes to create your dating profile.

People browsing through dating sites fall into two categories, some look at the pictures, whereas others focus on the story that people have to tell. So if you want to attract the greatest number of people who are suited to you it's important to create an effective profile that includes the right words and pictures.

1) Look At Other Examples

Most dating sites provide free basic memberships, so once you sign up, check out some of the profiles just to get an idea of the way people write their personal profiles. When you see a profile that interests you take a few minutes to work out why it appeals to you. Before long you'll begin to develop an understanding of what makes a profile stand out from the crowd.

Once you've done that, take time to think about who you are and who to describe your life before you start writing.

2) Mak Shure U Spel Ur Profil Corectly

If your profile is full of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors many people will just move on to the next person. After all, if you can't be bothered to make sure that your profile is spelt correctly it reflects badly on your attitude towards life.

And with all the spell checking software available on computers and the internet there's no excuse for posting a profile with sloppy spelling. If necessary, get a friend to read your profile and suggest any alterations before you post it online.

A well written profile that's easy to read will encourage people to continue reading and increase your chances of online dating success.

3) Be Positive

Dating is all about having fun and feeling good. How many people do you think will be eager to meet you if your profile is full of doom and gloom?

Anger, depression, selfishness, negativity and self-pity are all major turn offs for most people, and will send them straight to the next person's profile.

So make sure that your profile is positive and upbeat. One of the best ideas is to wait until you're in a good mood to write your dating profile. Think of all the good things in your life and be happy as you write about yourself. Stay positive and more people will want to contact you.

4) Be Specific

The idea of dating is to find someone special who is compatible with your personality and lifestyle. So if you have any requirements about who you want to meet, it's best to state them clearly in your profile. For example, if you want to meet someone who shares your religious beliefs or someone who is involved in the same sport, put this in your profile. And the more important it is to you put it nearer the top so that you attract the right type of people.

5) Honest Is Always The Best Policy

Make sure that everything you write in your profile is an accurate, albeit positive version of your life. Write about who you are, rather than who you think will attract the most people to your profile.

For example, if you claim that you're into rock climbing, but have never been up as much as a ladder, you'll have some tough questions to answer from people who have the same interests and have contacted you because of the contents of your dating profile.

Lies and exaggeration might work in the early stages, but ulltimately you're just wasting your time, because if you get to the stage where you meet they'll soon realise that you're not who they thought you were. They'll work out that you're a liar, it will be briefly embarrassing and then they'll walk out of your life forever.

At that point you'll finally realise it was a mistake to post the picture of a model and mention "your" Porsche in your profile.

So save yourself all that trouble and keep it real. In the long run you'll find it much easier and be more likely to find someone special if you tell the truth and allow them to fall in love with the real you.

6) Be Interesting

When you write about your lifestyle and your interests, it can be a difficult task to get the right balance. Obviously, you want to write enough to sound interesting and allow people to start to get to know you, but if you add too many items it might make you sound rather vain and full of your own importance.

So the best idea is to take a couple of your more interesting activities and expand upon them. But instead of making bare statements such as "I like outdoor activites", be more specific. "Hillwalking is one of my favorite activities" is better, but a more descriptive account sounds the most interesting.

For example, "I was walking in Scotland last month on Ben Nevis which is the highest peak in the UK. The mist was rolloing over the hills, but as I reached the summit the mist cleared to reveal the most breathtaking view of the sun against the mountain. If we get a chance to chat, I'll send you a photo of how it looked." Learn to think like the best writers - learn to show not tell.

And finally, make sure that you update your profile from time to time. This will reflect the changes in your life and help to provide a more accurate snapshop of your lifestyle.

Like everything worthwhile in life, online dating takes a little effort. But if you bear these tips in mind your personal mailbox will soon contain a message from someone special.