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Dating in the digital age is easier than ever, but it also comes with its own set of challenges. If you’re looking to meet someone special, consider trying online dating. It’s a great way to meet new people and see if there’s potential for something more with someone you meet online.

Maybe you are shy in real life and prefer textual communication as a way to break the ice and ease into an initial meeting? Online dating gives you access to countless single people from all over the world—no matter where you live or how old you are.

Here are some top tips on how to succeed in online dating: 10 dos and don’ts of meeting someone online.

Don’t lie about who you are.

Be yourself. Meeting someone in person is a great way to get to know someone better and determine if you’re really a match for one another. You don’t want to start a relationship off with a lie.

If you’re interested in someone, be honest about who you are and what you’re looking for. If, for example, you’re looking for someone to have a casual relationship with or to meet friends, don’t act like you’re looking to settle down.

If you’re not a fan of kids, don’t pretend to be excited about the prospect of becoming a parent. No matter what, don’t lie about who you are and what you’re looking for.

Don’t send photos you wouldn’t want to share publicly.

You don’t have to be photogenic to use online dating — but if you send pictures you wouldn’t want to share publicly, you’re going to give off a very unprofessional and unconfident vibe.

If you’re still overly attached to photos from your high school days, you might want to reconsider. It’s best to send a recent picture — and not to send a selfie. Pictures that are too sexy or provocative can also be a red flag. Make sure you’re sending photos you’d be comfortable having your boss or your grandmother see.

Don’t have meetings in a public place right off the bat.

Meet in a public place — and not right away. If you’re not sure how to start a conversation, meeting in a public place is a great way to ease into it. If you meet someone in a less-than-private setting, you can always suggest moving the conversation to a more private setting (perhaps over coffee or drinks at a nearby café) later on.

If you’ve been talking for a while, you can always suggest meeting up in a less public setting. If someone pressures you or asks you to meet in a very public setting on the first date, that’s a red flag.

Do ask questions and listen to what the other person is looking for.

If you’re new to online dating, it can be easy to fall into the trap of talking about yourself the entire time. Ask your date questions about themselves and be interested in what they have to say.

If you’re having a conversation but you’re not interested in the other person, it’s easy to feel trapped and just want to get away. If you’re genuine and interested, your date will appreciate it — and it will make it easier to find out if you’re a good fit for each other.

Do send follow-up emails to continue the conversation.

If you really like someone you meet online and want to keep the conversation going, send a friendly follow-up email. You don’t want to seem too eager — but you also don’t want to let someone slip away without making another move.

It’s a great way to show your enthusiasm and keep the conversation going. You can also use it as an opportunity to continue getting to know each other better.

Do be cautious about exchanging phone numbers or email addresses too soon.

It’s always better to take things slower than you think you need to. If you like someone, try to avoid exchanging phone numbers or email addresses right away. If you like someone and they like you too, you can always exchange information later on. If someone wants to meet you right away, they may be less interested in getting to know you as a person and more interested in meeting someone — no matter who you are.

Don’t expect too much, too soon — and don’t give out your own expectations either.

It’s easy to fall in love with a photo and jump to conclusions — but try not to get carried away and expect too much, too soon. The truth is, you have no idea who you’re talking to and what their personality is like in real life. You can expect your date to be on time, be polite, and treat you with respect.

Beyond that, don’t expect too much and don’t expect them to be exactly like their photo. It’s also important not to give out expectations you might regret later on. If you expect your date to be exactly like their photo, you may be disappointed.

Don’t be afraid to walk away if something feels off during your meeting.

If there’s something about the way your date acts or behaves that feels off to you, try not to let it bother you too much. Dating is all about meeting new people and finding out how they are. Sometimes, you may date people who are a poor fit for you. Don’t be afraid to walk away if something feels off during your meeting. If you are a victim of abuse, you can find help at the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Don’t use online dating as an excuse to hook up right away or as a way to hop from bed to bed.

If you’re looking to hook up or hop from bed to bed, online dating is not the way to go. If you’re interested in meeting someone and want to get to know them better, treat it like you would any other kind of relationship. You can have fun and meet new people without letting your dating life turn into a casual sexual encounter.

Don’t forget that online dating is just that: online — so treat it like you would any other online interaction.

Online dating is a great way to meet new people and see if there’s potential for something more with someone you meet online. It’s also an easy way to stay in touch with friends and family no matter where you live.

But it’s important to remember that online dating is just like any other kind of online interaction: You don’t actually know who you’re talking to, and you can’t see their body language in real life or hear the tone of their voice.

Stay safe and be smart when engaging with people online — and remember that you don’t have to find love online to be successful in dating.

Don’t rush into anything — but don’t procrastinate, either!

You might be excited to put yourself out there and start looking for love online — but don’t jump into anything too soon, or too fast. If you are brand-new to online dating, it might be a good idea to take it slow and not rush into meeting anyone in person right off the bat. Don’t commit to anyone too early, but also don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.

Most people decide to try online dating because they’re tired of sitting at home waiting for someone to come to them or happen upon them in their everyday lives. The best way to find love is to get out there, interact with people and put yourself out there — rather than waiting for someone to approach you and hoping for luck to strike.

Be smart, be safe, and have fun!

Before you begin your search for love online, make sure you have a safety plan in place. That means having a good set of dating strategies in place — and not just for meeting someone in person for the first time.

Meeting someone from an app also means having a plan for getting yourself out of potentially dangerous situations. Make sure you meet in a populated, public space — and let someone know where you are going and who you are meeting.

If you sense there is potential for something unsafe happening, get out and get home as quickly as possible. If you are meeting someone from a dating app and feel the situation is unsafe, try to find someone who can help you — like a security guard or police officer.

Don’t give out any personal information until you know someone better.

While it’s a good idea to share some information about yourself with a person when you first start to talk to them, don’t reveal too much, too quickly. Keep your contact details, social media accounts, and other personal information private until you get to know someone better.

If you are worried about giving out information to someone you’ve just met online, you can use an app like Cloak to protect your information and keep it private.

Do pay attention to your instincts when meeting someone for the first time.

You might be eager to jump into a new relationship after signing up and joining a dating app — but don’t jump into bed with someone you’ve only just met online. Don’t let your eagerness or impatience get the best of you and cloud your instincts.

If you don’t feel comfortable meeting someone in person, or sleeping with someone you’ve just met, don’t do it. Don’t let a date lead you into a situation you don’t feel comfortable in or that makes you feel unsafe.

Don’t only rely on the app to meet new people either. Go outside!

While your dating app is a great way to meet people, it’s not the only way to meet new people. Join clubs in your area, go to events, and meet new people face-to-face. Join a class, go to a club or try a new sport — there are plenty of ways to meet new people.

This will also help you to meet people outside of your dating pool and help you to avoid being “that dating app person.” Don’t just sit inside and swipe away at the app. Get out and make some new friends!

Do ask questions and listen more than you talk.

Online dating is a great way to get to know someone — but don’t throw questions at someone and expect them to respond to everything. Do ask questions, but do it in a way that doesn’t make the other person feel interrogated.

Ask questions that are open-ended and start with “what” or “how” to get your date talking — and not make them feel like you’re grilling them or interrogating them.

Do be honest about what you’re looking for.

You don’t have to lie about what you want in a relationship or what you are looking for — but you also don’t have to share everything with someone you’ve just met online. If you are hoping to find something long-term, tell your dates right away.

If you are only looking for a short-term fling, let people know that, too. If you are being honest, you won’t have to deal with people who are disappointed in your expectations — and you will attract the right kind of people to you.

Meet in a public place

You don’t want to wait to meet someone you’ve been talking to online in private. For your first — or maybe even second or third — meeting, meet in a public place. While you’re meeting for the first time, make sure to take some extra precautions.

Make sure you have a friend or significant other meet you there or have your date bring a friend along. You should also be prepared to leave if you feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

Don’t rush into meeting in-person

Online dating is great, but don’t rush into meeting in-person. If you’ve been dating someone online for a while and have talked about meeting in person, that’s fine. If you’ve only been talking online for a short time, don’t rush into meeting in person.

Online dating is a great way to meet new people, find out more about yourself, and find potential partners. Follow these tips, and you’ll be well on your way to finding love online.