Meet online for at least two or three weeks before planning a date in person. The benefit of meeting online is that you can get a better idea of her personality without having physical appearance get in the way. Ask plenty of questions during your online chats and/or emails to get an idea of her personality. For example, find out what she likes most and least in a boyfriend. It would also be a good idea to determine if she is looking for a relationship. Be aware that getting to know someone online can turn into a form of "foreplay" for some people, where intimacy is quickly established and romantic or even sexually charged things are said early on. If it's you who starts this, just be sure she's okay with it. If it's her who begins it, play it by ear and see how comfortable if makes you feel. Things to notice while communicating online include:
Do you do most of the communicating or does she? Or is this about equal? Think about who does most of the initiating for connecting together, too, as this can establish how keen each of you is.
Do you feel comfortable talking about all sorts of things with her? Or have you already noticed some potentially taboo or bristly topics?
Are there any warning bells already? Listen to them as they may be important! Things to be wary of include constant carping about prior relationships that suggest an inability to let go and expressions of resentment or anger.
Are you acting yourself and feeling good when connected to this person? Or are you slipping into a forced persona because it "seems" that that meets her interests and needs more? In the latter case, you may just be fooling yourself into liking her when you're actually not a good romantic match.