You’ve filled out your online dating profile with all of your biographic info and created a charming, concise write-up. Now comes the big challenge: creating a catchy headline.

Not all of us are born writers, so it can be difficult to try and distill your personality into one or two attention grabbing lines. Because of this, the headline becomes an afterthought for many people. But, headlines are important. Along with your photo, they’re the first thing that potential dates see. And no, “A nice guy who likes to have fun” probably isn’t going to cut it.

Good news: creating a memorable headline isn’t as difficult as one might think. Here are some of the top DOs and DON’Ts that will help you craft the perfect online dating headline.

1. DO use humor.

People like people who are funny. eHarmony, recently analyzed 12,000 online dating profiles and found that both men and women chose “funny” as a characteristic they are looking for in a partner, ranking it sixth out of a list of 10 enticing words. So, if you’re able to inject some humor into your headline – go for it!

If you’re not quite sure what to write, pop culture references from things that have already been determined to be funny – ie. your favorite song, TV show or funny movie- are always great bets. Best case scenario: your date recognizes your obscure cultural reference and thinks you’re awesome. Worst case scenario: they don’t know the exact reference, but you still come off as having a good sense of humor.

2. DON’T be gross.

Be careful: there’s a fine line between being funny and being tasteless. It may be cool for Tracy Morgan to say he’d like to “take that sandwich behind a middle school and get it pregnant;” but references like that, while funny in the correct context, do not belong anywhere near your your online dating profile. Same goes for cheesy, crass pickup lines like,

“Are you from Tokyo? Because I want to get in japanties!” Ugh, no.

The rule of thumb here: if you don’t think your mom would find it charming, it doesn’t belong in your online dating headline.

3. DO talk about love.

Like attracts like. When Plenty of Fish did a study of 1.2 million dating profiles, they found that  women who got into a relationship online used the word “relationship” 16 percent more than women who were still online looking for love. It makes sense, referencing love and relationships (in moderation) is a great way to attract other singles who have the same goals in mind. Just don’t get weird about it.

Stumped for a headline? Try quoting your favorite Pablo Neruda poem, line from Shakespeare (“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.”) or even Ann Landers (“Love is friendship that has caught fire.” Let’s play with matches!”) When in doubt, say exactly what’s on your mind – but don’t get desperate.

Good: “Sassy and outgoing woman who’d love to find a  relationship with a guy who knows how to laugh.”

Bad: “Single man looking for his soulmate to complete him and save him from lonely nights .”

4. DON’T talk about sex.

Whoa, slow your roll with your “japanties” references! The easiest way to turn someone away from reading the rest of your profile is by talking about sex in the headline. It’s like the online dating equivalent of that creepy guy on the subway opening his raincoat and saying, “look at this!” Do not list in your headline that you’d like to “Add the D to your ABC’s” or use any other weird, thinly veiled sexual innuendo. Just don’t.

5. DO describe yourself and mention your interests.

According to the same eHarmony study, if you’re hoping to create a stunning headline: describe yourself – but, make sure you only use positive terms. As per eHarmony, women should use words like sweet, optimistic, and thoughtful, while men should use words like passionate, spontaneous, and perceptive. Mentioning one or two key interests is also a great way to draw people in. For example:

“Sweet and thoughtful woman who loves the outdoors”

Or

“Passionate, perceptive guy with a taste for spontaneous adventures”

6. DON’t describe yourself in negative terms.

As per above, the inverse is also true. Don’t use negative attributes to describe yourself. You may think it comes across as brooding and self-deprecating, but really it falls flat. No one wants to date, “Awkward and lonely man in distress, just waiting for his princess to rescue him” when they can date “passionate and perceptive” guy. Just saying.

7. DO know your audience.

If you’re looking for someone who is delightfully nerdy and bookish like you are, don’t be afraid to play that up in your profile (“Espresso and Bukowski loving NPR fan looking for his very own Sarah Koenig”) or tap into gender stereotypes. Research has shown that men like it when women reference their physical attractiveness in their profile, while the ladies like it when guys use attributes that showcase their intelligent, brave, altruistic side. For example, here’s mine: “Katy Perry meets Audrey Hepburn meets Tina Fey” It conveys that I’m sexy, flirtatious but still classic and a little nerdy, with a wicked sense of humor.”

Still feeling stumped? It all comes down to knowing your audience. Look at the people you are interested in and what their headlines say. Play to that.