Are you new to online dating, or thinking about joining a dating service? There are a few of important tips you should know before you get started. If you're newly single after being in a long relationship you're in a slightly vulnerable position.

It doesn't matter how long ago you became single again, you should be aware that you'll have an unavoidable bit of psychological 'baggage' that your online dating could be affected by. Your mental scars might only be small. What's important is to be on the lookout for ways this baggage creeps into your profile.

Your profile needs to be positive in nature so you should stay away from writing anything that shows you are heartbroken in any way. These emotions often creep out in subtle ways, so don't assume it will be something obvious. You could ask a friend for an opinion on your profile before you post it to the world

You may have deep feelings that you're not aware of and this could show instantly in your profile. You might give your profile a headline like "Are you out there?" This may seem innocent enough to you, but to others it suggests you might be desperate in your search for love.

Let's look at another example. Many new singles write their profiles around the list of things they don't want in their next relationship, based on their past one. This is a common mistake in online dating. To win people over at an internet dating service you need to list the things you do like as opposed to the things you don't.

Being positive is important if you want other singles to contact you when you're online dating. Know in advance that you aren't likely to meet your match right away. Instead, you'll probably meet a few duds and few people who become really great friends before you finally meet that special someone. This is normal at a dating service. Be proud of your single status. It means you have the freedom to choose, and freedom of choice is half the battle!.