For online dating, success is all about creating a personal profile that gets you noticed. Think about it: Unlike in the real world where you can engage your date with a lively convo, warm eye contact and friendly body language, in cyberspace all that is stripped away and your profile is essentially vying for attention with millions of others.

How do you make sure your ad stands out from the crowd? Follow these top tips for perfecting your personal profile, and you'll be on your way to making an online connection.

1. Choose your username wisely

Your username or alias is your first chance to make an outstanding impression. You'd be surprised to know how many daters choose to read or skip a profile based on its username, so pick yours with care. Get creative -- think of something that reflects your interests and attracts like-minded people. If you love travelling, for example, a good username to use is "travel_bug" or "globetrotting_gal"; if you're adventurous with food, try "happy_epicure" or "foodie_amour". As a rule of thumb, select a name that's upbeat and avoid using negative words. (Nobody likes to hang out with a depressed date.) And steer clear of risqué names because all you're likely to get are one-night-stand proposals.

2. Research your audience

Next, do some groundwork on you. Browse the profiles of men you'd like to meet and take note of what catches your attention -- you'll get a sense of what kind of guy you want to attract. Then use this information to fine-tune your profile to attract the very people you're interested in. If you're attracted to, say, profiles that are witty, write yours with a dash of witticism. If you like ads that are quirky, tailor your ad to reflect a similar sense of creativity.

3. Get some inspiration

Stuck for ideas on what to write? It helps to check out the competition -- profiles of other women, so you get an idea of what works and what doesn't. Just don't plagarize their lines -- you'll want yours to be original, and you.

4. Sell yourself

Writing your personal profile is just like real-world advertising -- it's all about marketing your unique plus points with confidence, so don't be shy about listing down all your good qualities; it beats a depressing, self-deprecating profile anytime. Everyone loves a fun date, so keep your profile optimistic and flirtatious -- you'll come across as interesting and approachable, and that translates to more dates.