Remember the days when dating meant gentle courtship over leisurely romantic meals, walks in the park and flirtatious love letters? Well for the most part, they're long gone. That's all been replaced by IM, emails, message boards and video mail. People are hooking up with others from all over the world using the internet and you better get on board, or you'll get left behind.

Online dating used to mean creepy men in raincoats heavily breathing over their computers as their greasy palms typed away trying to seduce some unsuspecting woman 300 miles away. Or so the urban myth goes. Now it's de rigeur to chat and flirt online. In fact, if you've never had a date online, you're missing out on what over 20 million people are enjoying every month.

So, now you know you want to be in the mix, but you don't know where to start. There are so many dating services available that cater to every taste and desire. You know you want a reputable service that attracts quality profiles, because at the end of the day, you are looking for someone to either share your life with or other unmentionable stuff, if you know what I mean.

If you want to avoid parting with your hard earned cash, only to be ripped off with fake profiles and creepy dates, then check out dating reviews, do your homework and research the sites. Open a few free accounts and find out exactly who is online, then make your decision and go for it.

Here are some top tips to help you get on the dating road to success:

1. Research dating sites and open a few free accounts to investigate further

2. There are lots of 'niche' sites out there, so if you are into biking or bungee jumping, there's bound to be a site out there for other crazy, sorry, I mean adventurous people too.

3. Write a fantastic profile. Who wants to read a dull profile that gets lost in the sea of thousands? Make yours stand out, be honest, be funny, be intelligent and intriguing

4. Take a great photo. Don't show the same ole black and white one from your high school graduation. Invest in a great picture that shows you off at your best.

5. Don't give out ANY personal details when you're getting to know someone. It's just not worth it. Wait until you're really sure you trust them

6. Don't be disappointed if a date doesn't work out. Just have fun and move onto the next one. Online dating is no longer some weird geeky or creepy thing to do. It's perfectly acceptable in society, fun and you know what? Even people who you think don't do it are doing it all the time!