No great detail is needed for your online profile. Just write like you're writing to the man or woman you seek. Write a little about yourself, give a little background, state one or more of your unique qualities. Next, write a little about the person you're seeking. You'll save some time if you write and save all your profile data to a text editor or word processor file. Then, you can COPY and PASTE it to the proper areas of your online dating profile. As things change, and as you grow, you will want to update and modify your profile statements.

Next you need to upload a picture. As you know a picture is worth a thousand words. You will generally get a 3 to 10 time's better response with a posted photo than without. People don't generally spend much time on profiles with no photos... so take the hint.

If you don't own a digital camera, web cam, or scanner, take a few photos and a diskette to your local Office Depot, Staples, or general office supply store. They should be able to scan and copy your photos to your diskette. Then you can easily add one or more to your dating site profile. You could also ask friends and relatives who own a digital camera or scanner. Digital cameras are very inexpensive these days. Check eBay for some of the best deals.

Once you upload your picture and profile the key is to stay focused and be active in your particular dating community. You may want to start a journal to track your "love search" progress. Make notes on how many profiles you've looked at and how many people are looking at yours. Tweak and update your profile periodically to keep it fresh.

When I first started, I also wrote out a statement describing what I wanted to accomplish by joining a dating site. You may want to do the same. These statements and a well-kept journal will help keep you focused and organized. Organized endeavors always yield greater results than haphazard approaches.

One final thing when you're dating online is to be careful and always use sound judgment. Don't give out any personal information like your address or social security. If you decide to meet someone in person always make sure it's in an open, public place and always let a friend know where you'll be and when you'll be returning home.

Setting up a good dating profile is not hard at all. Just be yourself. That way you're bound to find a great match.