STOP using sexy and provocative photos if you're searching for an online partner

Have I put up the '˜right' picture? Should I include my age? Is it OK that I also own three cats? In today's world, getting it right is more important than ever.

New research conducted by mobile phone insurance provider Better Buy Insurance has revealed that almost a third (32%) of people say they'd avoid a profile of someone who is dressed provocatively or wearing only their underwear.

Elsewhere, it seems Brits aren't looking for hook-ups. A quarter of people (25%) said they actively avoid people looking for short-term relationships, compared to just 7% that say they avoid people who are looking for something more long-term.

The research also found that our gender has an impact on what we look for in a dating profile.

Almost half of women (44%) avoid a profile of someone dressed provocatively or in their underwear, compared to just 18% of men, while just under a third of women (31%) avoid people looking for short-term relationships, compared to less than a fifth of men (18%).

The survey also found the majority of single Brits are animal lovers '“ with only 8% of daters avoiding profiles of dog lovers and just 7% of people avoiding those of the feline persuasion.

Almost half of people surveyed (43%) also said they prefer a profile that includes a range of pictures.

Responding to Better Buy Insurance's findings, dating expert and founder of website Old Style Dating, Dennie Smith, said: 'This latest research really highlights the adage that first impressions count.

'A profile needs to be easy to read, well-structured and positive. Be honest about yourself and what you are looking for '“ you want someone to be attracted to the real you, not a '˜digital' version.'

Senior therapist and author Sally Baker added: 'This data has highlighted that in the modern dating world of apps, we are searching for authenticity.

'When looking for potential dates, we need a variety of images and honest information, which indicates that users of dating apps are far from naïve and are guarded against being scammed or misled.'

Gary Beeston, Sales and Marketing Director at Better Buy Insurance, commented: 'We commissioned this research as there are so many different dating apps and stories that we hear around '˜catfishing' - and we wanted to find out what Brits using dating apps really thought about them.'

To read the top tips on creating the '˜perfect' dating profile please visit: https://www.betterbuyinsurance.co.uk/blog/love-and-appiness-how-to-create-the-perfect-dating-profile/