I had a lot of success--most of my boyfriends, including my current one, have been guys I've met there, because I'm a hermit and don't leave the house. I think a key thing to remember is that if you are looking for something to translate to the real world, then be totally honest on your profile. Especially with your pictures. It may be shallow, but physical attraction is a must between partners and there is nothing more disheartening than meeting someone in person, having them look you up and down and just walking out the door because "you don't look like your picture." Luckily this never happened to me, but it did happen to two of my friends, and they cried for hours. And that's one of the things I was complimented on most--my open and blunt profile (finally! Aspie bluntness has a use!) and the sense of humor that shone through it. So make it honest and make it entertaining and don't seem butthurt--"I'm such a nice guy but girls are just shallow twats. Why doesn't anyone like meeee?" I've seen this on profiles, for real. It is not attractive. If the only thing you're bringing to the table is that you're a "nice guy" then you need to do some work. Think of it as a job interview. Would you hire someone to be a rocket scientist if the only positive thing about themself was that they were a "nice" person? No.
Also, if you do give it a try, have a system worked out for dates. Bring mace or something pointy ( I used to carry around a box knife) and tell a friend or family member where you are going and who you are going with, so in case you go missing, they can give the cops some information to go on. I also advise having a quick escape plan in place in case a date is going terribly wrong and you just need to scram without causing a scene. I used to have a code word worked out with a friend; if i texted that word to her, she would promptly call me with an "emergency" that I had to tend to, she would sound frantic or be crying or freaking out, giving me the perfect out of an overly awkward or uncomfortable or scary situation. Later on, I would text them and tell them I didn't think it would work and apologize. You can call it bitchy or weak, but I'm horrible at confrontation.
This is super long and ramble-y, I apologize. I had a panic attack earlier and took some xanax and now I'm SO UP and EVERYTHING IS AMAZING and I did the online dating thing for a while, so I have that s**t down. My weakness is that I attract crazy broken people. Always have though.