Conversations with a Stranger

So when people make conversation with the opposite sex and it's someone they don't really know like you just met each other whether online or offline. What's your way of making conversation?

I just experienced something like this:

Me: Hi!
Girl: =)
Me: What's up?
Girl: =)
Me: Are you Filipino?
Girl: =)

and that was online.

well...she certainly was happy

Sometimes that's all you could do in response.

Read the mood and go from there?
Pacing for me in online convos are usually difficult because I can't always be sure of what to say to keep things moving along.

I'm a lot more keen at it in person.

That's very very true, it's so hard to make a conversation online plus with someone you don't know as well... I try my best to read the person's mood but with just plain smiley faces how can I determine? XD

That just comes off as they don't have much to say or aren't interested in talking.

Tell something out of the blue
Then if she responds back, laugh a little, then "Hi, my name is --"

Works for me.

I say my hellos, try to talk about random things then the conversation gets stale because they don't make any effort and I never speak to them again.