Online dating is a fabulous way to get to know other people from the comfort of your own home, maybe on your commute, or even whilst you're sipping coffee in Starbucks on a rainy afternoon. The world is now in your palm of your hand and those potential lovers are ready and waiting to get to know you! But what if you find the messages aren't coming in as quickly or as often as you had hoped for? Here, we point you in the right direction for getting those messages and replies you have been waiting for.

Our personal profiles are the first impression we make to people online, before we have typed a single word to these people directly, we are judged on what we have put out there into the world wide web for everyone to see. Unlike meeting people face to face, we don't have the same leeway and opportunity to make use of our facial expressions or charm to convey who we are. It's certainly a little trickier online, but far from impossible!

Take a few moments to think about your sense of identity, what makes you who you are? What words would you use to describe yourself? Are you a joker, the funny guy? Are you cerebral, academic, hard working, laid back, virile, active? There are a plethora of words at our disposal to accurately convey who we are, the trick is using the right ones and making them pop! This is your opportunity to sell yourself, to stand out be the person you see yourself as without and preconceptions or input from others, make use of this great chance.

Some people can find it odd or embarrassing to talk about themselves, which in itself is a very sweet and admirable quality! It shows you aren't always concerned with yourself, so if you are one of these people, it might be worth stating that in your profile. Let them know that perhaps this is new for you and you are working hard to get across who you are, this honesty and openness goes a really long way.

Try and be comprehensive with your writing, what you find unremarkable may well come across as wonderful to those potential matches. Your hobbies, interests and pastimes all help paint the picture of who you are, don't be afraid to use your profile space as a blank canvas to paint the picture you want to show the world. You're great, you have lots to offer and you have interesting aspects to your life, and we want to read all about them!

A nice little "trick" is to put a question at the end of what you have written, it's a great opener and creates something for people to respond to even before you have spoken to them. People like to engage online and feel involved, so reading what you have written and feeling like it's speaking to them, and inviting them to get in touch is a very clever and interesting thing to see, consider giving it a try.

We have all heard the old chestnut "honesty is the best policy" and it couldn't be more true here. Always remember your reasons for being here, whether it's to find a friend with benefits or find a life partner, you are going to be meeting these people and forging relationships, don't let them be built on the foundation of untruth. You most likely know yourself when something doesn't ring true, and so do others. Remember that you are wonderful as you are, there will be things about you that make you unique and attractive, focus on those.

Now you have some fresh ideas, have a look at your profile and see if you can apply any of the information here to make your profile pop and get those messages flowing in thick and fast!