Ten tips for your online dating profile
1. Include a picture
You are afraid that someone you know will see your pic on the online dating website and think you are a loser. Or, you are attractive and you do not want every Tom, Dick, Joe and Harry to email you. What to do? First, know that many people will not respond to an ad without a pic. In fact, many of the sites offer a filtering option for profiles with pictures only. So, few may ever see your profile if you do not include a photo.
Face it, many people have definite preferences on attractiveness, and if you do not fit their standard, why would you want to waste your time meeting them to face certain rejection? Yes, you want to be liked for more than your looks. But, your main objective is to get dates. Post your pic.
The other reason is that people lie in their profiles. They give a weight that was thirty pounds ago. They say they are attractive when they resemble Brumhilda. A picture offers potential dates some reassurance as to the person behind the profile.
2. Post a Flattering Picture Targeted to Your Audience
Are you looking for a one night stand? Post your sexiest picture. Seeking a potential life partner? Post a pic that shows you at your best without being overly sexy. Post something recent. If you do not like how you look, this would be a good time to get a makeup consultation, join a gym, shop for new clothes, etc., before getting your picture made. Potential dates can be very turned off by meeting a person who looks nothing like what they were expecting. And, PLEASE, edit out other people like your exboyfriend or children. One tactic might be to post a picture of you doing something that you enjoy such as a hobby. Then, you give an impression of being active and interesting.
3. Check your grammar and spelling
No, you do not want your online dating profile to sound stilted and academic. But, there are people who will form a bad impression if you have misspellings and obvious grammatical mistakes. Have your friends who are good at such things proofread your profile before posting.
4. Sell you
Yes, your profile is really a tool to sell someone on the idea of dating you. Why would someone want to date you, and what do you bring to a relationship? Use action words, and make yourself sound compelling because everyone is in some way!
5. Be truthful
No, this is not true confessions time. But, you need to be honest about the items in your profile. If you hate sports, don’t put that you love basketball thinking that is what a guy would like to hear. If you have kids, it is best to say so. Ditto for pets. You want to find dates that are compatible, so you need to let them know your true lifestyle.
6. Describe What Type of Person You Would Like to Meet
You should include qualities of your dream date. List positive traits. Do not say no such as no liars or no cheats. Stay upbeat and say, for example, that you want someone who is honest and faithful. Unless you are looking to drastically limit the number of people who respond, try not to make a large list of traits that your potential dates MUST possess. List those things that are most important, so you do not eliminate the almost perfect person who is too intimidated to respond.
7. Fill out the profile completely
There is nothing more frustrating than looking at a profile that does not even have the basic compatibility questions answered. Many people will pass on you if you have a relatively blank profile.
8. Stay upbeat
This is not the place to talk about your horrible divorce, dating fiascos or your life struggles. Negativity can be a huge turnoff to many people. Be positive.
9. Be original
There may be thousands of profiles in your geographic area. You could use humor (socially acceptable unless you are looking to attract those on the edge of civilized society), or your writing style to differentiate yourself from the masses. Talk about what makes you unique from others in the dating pool.
10. Use small paragraphs
When you write your longhand description, be sure to write short paragraphs of three to four sentences. Make sure there is a line break between each paragraph. This makes your profile easy to read and more likely to be read. If you write one massive paragraph, your reader may get overwhelmed and move on to another profile.
