How to Write a Great Online Dating Profile

The whole idea of your online profile should be to attract and interest those you want and keep away those that you don’t. Because online dating profiles are primarily written with words it can be difficult to truly get a ‘feel’ for someone. We are very dependent upon facial expressions and body language to determine meaning and, of course, personality when we meet someone. Because a written profile doesn’t have these advantages you must take care in your choice of words and the tone that you set with them.

Before you Begin

Prior to beginning, take the time to read the rules and guidelines of the site. Many times they include tips and tricks to help you in authoring your profile. The next area where many people fail is in their preparation. Take the time to outline the things you want to talk about. After making the outline, reorder it so that topics will flow easier into one another and not feel forced. Always write in a word processing program that will help you check for spelling and grammar errors. Another benefit of a word processing program is that you can stop and come back later and pick up where you left off. It also gives you a chance to reread what you have written before it is posted to the dating site. When you are happy with what you have written, then you can simply copy and paste it into the website’s designated fields for uploading. This is also handy if you decide to post your profile on multiple sites, not a lot of retyping involved.

Answer the Questionnaires

A lot of different sites will offer questionnaires that will help you create your profile and also can be used in locating potential dates. Don’t forget that if the questionnaire asks certain questions you are not limited to answering only those questions in your profile. Don’t let the questionnaires lead you into omitting information that you find important and want in your profile.

Don’t Get in a Hurry

If you want your online profile to be nearly perfect, then you have to be willing to take the time necessary to work on it. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and chances are, your profile will not be either. Don’t let yourself feel rushed or hurried in building your profile. You should also be aware that you will probably not get it perfect the first time you post. As time goes on you will probably have to nip and tuck and add and/or remove certain things from your profile based upon the types of responses you receive. Make sure that you get another person’s opinion on your profile, preferably someone trustworthy but who doesn’t know you too well. If you ask someone who has known you for years it is very likely that they will be influenced more by their experiences with you than what you have written in your profile. Ask them what kind of ‘feel’ they get from what you have written. When they respond, really listen and hear what they say. You don’t have to rush out and change things just because of what they say, but remember it in case you need to utilize the information in a future nip/tuck session.

Username Tips

The first thing anyone will see is likely to be your username. Make sure that it will grab their attention but not reveal personal information like age, birthday, phone numbers, etc. People start determining your personality based upon your username, so choose carefully. If it is a descriptive username, like “Diva4U” then make sure it is an accurate description and that the tone of your profile fits the username you choose. Make sure it’s positive; you don’t want to influence people in the wrong direction. A username like “Hillbilly-Betty” might be funny and describe your Country flavor, but others might find “Hillbilly” offensive or associate negative connotations with it.

Pictures Speak Volumes

Many people will not respond to any profile, regardless of how well it is written, if there isn’t a picture. Make sure you post a good picture. Don’t forget, you are making a first impression, so a blurry snapshot with a mobile phone camera probably isn’t the best idea. Don’t be too concerned about someone you know seeing your picture online. The only way they will be seeing your picture is if they are online looking for someone too!