Have you found yourself wondering what all the fuss is about online dating and whether it's right for you? Are you one of the millions of people around the world that just doesn't have the time to go out and meet Mr. or Mrs. right in the traditional way?

Although we seem to have more labor saving devices than we can shake a small forest's worth of sticks at, we just don't seem to have the time to go out and socialize, so taking a few minutes here and there to have a look at online dating sites has become the best alternative for most single people. So what do you need to know to successfully meet the right person?

Although it's not difficult to meet someone that you think you might have a future with, are you sure the person is all that they seem? Not everyone is who they appear to be so you need to be aware of what to do to keep yourself safe as well as what you should and shouldn't do to find the right date for you.

Having talked to your online date for sometime you decide it's now the moment when you should both meet, but what's the best way to go about it? Whatever you decide to do on your first date you should remember to put safety first because, no matter what you think you know about each other, you're still meeting a ‘stranger'.

It's always advisable to make your first meeting somewhere public. That doesn't mean that it has to be in a place that's so crowded that you can't talk to each other in peace and quiet, it just means a place where there's a number of other people around i.e. a restaurant will have enough people around to make you feel secure while giving you enough privacy to talk, as would going for a walk in a public place so long as it's not too out-of-the-way.

For a first date it's also best to suggest a daytime rendezvous rather than meeting up at night. If you meet during the day there will be a lot more people around and it also opens up the number of places you can go. You'll have more access to public transport too should the need arise, as it's never a good idea to get into a car with someone you've only just meet - remember not everyone online is honest so don't take any chances.

If it's at all possible you should try to meet as part of a group. You could try inviting one or two of you friends along to an event during the day and get your date to invite a friend or two of their own. As they say there's safety in numbers so having friends along helps to make sure there'll be no problems on the day. If you decide not to take friends along then make sure to at least tell people where you're going, and take a cell phone with you too.

Once you start to get to know your online date better in real life you'll start to feel more relaxed about meeting up with them, then you can begin to go to more secluded places for your dates. Unfortunately not all of the people you meet online will be what they appear to be, so be on your guard when meeting anyone new, so many predators find their next victims online where they can become anyone that they want to. If you go about it in the right way you can meet and enjoy the company of one of the genuine people out there, so use your common sense, don't take risks and you won't become another of the unwanted statistics.

As the internet increases in popularity, and people get used to communicating without actually meeting each other, the world of online dating has also been booming. There are however things you need to keep in mind when online dating - following these few simple rules can mean the difference between meeting the right person and a ‘fatal attraction'.

1. You can't judge a book... - It's ok to be attracted by someone's looks, after all that's what draws most people to each other in the first place, but it's not something you should get hung up on. Read their profile before contacting them, and if you've nothing other than how nice they look to say then move on, chances are it'll be a very short conversation that you have with them.

2. Are you what they're looking for? - Always check the profile to see if you match up with what they're looking for in a date - thinking that they'll change their mind because they've never met anyone quite like you, probably isn't going to happen. You'll be able to find out everything from age range, distance from where they live, preferences about smoking, are they looking for people either with children or who want children, through to race, religion and sexual preference. If you don't fit their specifications it's best to move on.

3. First contact. - Don't send someone an email that asks them a question they've already covered in their profile, it just gives the impression that you weren't really interested enough in them to read it. Base your email around something in their profile i.e. if they have an interest in watching mysteries you could ask them if they think the TV version of Miss Marple is better than the film version with Margaret Rutherford, and so on. Don't become someone who asks a boring obvious question that leads to a dead end conversation - the more interest you show, the more you'll find to talk about.

4. Know when to give up. - Unlike in the ‘real' world if someone is genuinely not interested it's perfectly acceptable for them to just not write back. Don't start to send them messages wanting to know why they haven't written or whether they've received your previous messages, just move on. If you start to harass people chances are you'll be reported and banned from the site, there are plenty of people out there so start looking for your next idea person.

5. The first date. - Most online dating agencies will have a section in the profile where the person can describe what they'd like to do on their first date. While some people may be wildly ambitious when filling this section out, it can still give you a clue to how to get things off to a good start when you do meet for the first time i.e. you won't arrange to meet them in a park for a walk when they were just hoping to meet for a coffee first time out.

If you follow the 5 tips for successful online dating you'll find meeting the person of your dreams that much easier, and avoid some of the mistakes that most other online daters will be making.