You took a risk and decided to Facebook message that friend of a friend you secretly dig but don't really know.
Only time will tell if that was the best idea, but the fact remains: That sad looking "Hey, what's up?!" message is currently sitting in his or her inbox and now you're freaking out over what to do next. (When. Will. They. Respond?!)
We can't make the wait any easier, but we can pass on a little advice on what you shouldn't do once they do reply. Below, some of the biggest mistakes the women of Reddit say they've witnessed guys make while flirting online.
Read what they had to say, and please, just do the opposite.
1. Don't forget to check if their relationship status is listed.
"Check the relationship status first! It's there for a reason. There is nothing more obnoxious than a guy striking up a flirty conversation on Facebook messenger then going 'Ohhh, you have a boyfriend? Well, shit I wish I had known that. Thanks for leading me on, bye' after you've brought up your boyfriend for the 10th time. I mean, you're messaging me from my Facebook profile! IT'S RIGHT THERE!"
2. Don't be overly flirty. Try having an actual conversation instead.
"I would rather a guy try to have a genuine conversation with me than try to hit on me. It's way more interesting and less awkward. Flirting comes naturally with good conversation. There's obviously nothing wrong with a comment here or there to imply that it's more than platonic, but I don't like that to be the topic [of discussion]."
3. Don't shy away from meeting in person.
"No [pick-up tactics] on social media! If you're a friend of a friend, figure out a way to meet me in person at a party or something and flirt there. If you want to strike up a conversation on social media about something we have in common, by all means. But it should feel friendly, not 'he's totally hitting on me.'"
4. Don't use pet names. It's waaaay too soon for that.
"I've had a lot of guys call me a random pastry name as an endearment after, like, three messages back and forth. You are not being smooth by calling me a croissant, scone, or crumpet. I am not edible and I barely know you!"
5. Don't "like" every one of his or her statuses, photos, check-ins and wall posts.
"I wouldn't mind if someone left slightly flirty comments on my pics or Facebook statuses, but I don't want someone 'liking' every single status, or constantly commenting on my appearance. I like teasing or someone giving me a hard time followed by a winky face, stuff like that."
6. Don't use the same flirty lines on everyone you encounter.
"You're expecting some kind of one-size-fits-all strategy for talking to women? That's adorable but it doesn't exist."
7. Don't buy into the belief that calling on the phone is old school.
"If you're interested in me, call me. Don't hide behind a screen -- it can be creepy!"