In Beijing, the rise in popularity of Chinese flirty hook-up app Momo - which has in excess of 16 million users to date - culminated with an "official" Momo party last month at Fubar, Chao­yang district.

Momo and other apps like it - such as Weixin and gay app Grindr - are popular because they allow you to hook up with like-minded people who are nearby.

This month heralded the start of "Hi Neighbor" month, a zany December holiday few of us are even aware of. So in the spirit of a holiday that compels you to say "hello" to your neighbors, Metro Beijing outlines five simple steps to better "stand out" in a crowd of online avatars.

1. Get straight to the point

"I'll just get straight to the point and tell them what I want," says "Anthony," 30, a media marketing manager living in Beijing but originally from Hong Kong. "It's a high risk strategy, but if you're going to do phone app dating then you have to realize that it's a numbers game."

Anthony is quick to point out that Chinese girls may be less forthcoming than their Western counterparts. However, he says it's important to be humorous, otherwise you may just get ignored or receive a terse response.

"If guys are direct with me on Momo I just ignore it," says "Cindy," 26, a Chinese video editor based in Beijing.

2. Feign a lavish and exciting lifestyle

Like many online user profiles the "life" presented in an avatar profile is almost never as exciting or lavish as it is in reality. This is something everyone is guilty of. That nice fake gold watch you got at the market: take a picture of it and post it up on your profile.

Got any pictures of you and your buddies on a boat or hanging with some minor celebrities? Put them up as well.

3. Be cheeky, cheerful and humorous

If you don't have access to a treasure trove of lavish and exciting "lifestyle" pictures, being witty in conversation may be your only saving grace when approaching the opposite sex.

According to "Lindsey," a 29-year-old Chinese marketing manager of a car brand who used to date on Momo: "Ninety percent of guys approaching me would just say super boring things like 'Hello' or 'Can I be your friend?' If they were handsome I might click on their profile and look further, but if they were not I wouldn't even reply.

"However, my current boyfriend was different. Of course he was handsome, but he was funny as well. I lied about my age on my profile, but he noticed through the pictures that I was perhaps a little older. To me that showed he was smart and perceptive. But he did it playfully so I didn't mind. He made me curious about him."

4. A car is important (sometimes to some girls)

For "Richard," 30, an Englishman living in Beijing who works in PR, your main profile picture is of utmost importance when "selling yourself" to Momo girls. "At the moment my main profile picture is of me standing next to a BMW with the keys in my hand. It's a bit of a hazy picture but I did that to protect my identity."

Richard tells Metro Beijing that the BMW is not even his and that he borrowed it from a friend.

"I make sure my friend has it [the BMW] available to me when I go on dates."

5. Caution: Momo is not reality

Realizing that "standing out" or attracting attention by any means can be fun, it's important to be aware that unless you are confident in who you are as a person when on a real date, any façade you have created will be ultimately pointless.

"For a time Momo was fun," says Lindsey. "It's fun to flirt and play. I loved the attention most of the time, as it was a little ego boost when I received a message. However, nothing beats conversation with someone you like who is right in front of you. I guess I need to give Momo some credit though, otherwise I would not have fallen in love."