How long do you spend getting ready for a night out? At a guess
I would say that if you're a woman you can probably spend 1 hour
upwards preening and titivating and if you're a man you can be
showered, shaved and out of the door within 20 minutes (unless,
of course, you're a metro-sexual in which case you probably take
longer than a woman!).
Now let me ask you how long you would spend (or have spent)
writing a profile for an online dating site? Less than 5
minutes, possibly 10 minutes maximum?
When you consider that you literally have minutes to impress
someone and stand out from the rest in the online dating scene,
don't you agree that more time and effort should be put into
writing an online profile? If you are an online dater, I'm sure
you will agree with me that when you are searching for a partner
online you will first of all look at the profiles with photos
and, secondly, you will look at the profiles where people have
taken the time to write something about themselves. So if you
have no photo and/or an incomplete and uninformative profile,
don't be surprised if you inbox isn't full to the brim with
messages!
I'm going to share a few tips with you to get you started
writing an eye-catching profile. Once you've read them take some
time to think about what you are going to write and jot down
some quick notes before hitting the keyboard.
1. Grab a friend
If you don't like writing about
yourself or think you are going
to get writer's block it's a good idea to enlist the help of a
friend; the kind of friend who is always saying to you "I can't
understand why you're still single, you're such a catch". Ask
your friend what your star qualities are and he or she will come
up with a million and one positive things about you which you
would have never thought of or dared to say about yourself.
2. Strike a pose
The most effective way to get noticed online, is to include a
photo. Choose a clear photo that shows in your best light and
preferably smiling - it makes much better viewing!
3. Choose a fun username
This is the name which you will be known as by members on the
dating site. I would advise you to use a name other than your
real name to remain anonymous. Try and choose a name that is fun
and reflects your personality, i.e. Sporty Sam or Disco Queen.
Do not use a name which is sexually provocative or offensive.
4. Captivate your audience
Make your profile really stand out so that any person reading it
will think "Wow, I have to get to know this person!"
Online dating sites have made it easy for you when completing
your profile by providing drop down menus for basic questions
such as your appearance, lifestyle, hobbies but you will also be
given additional space to write something yourself. Use this
space wisely to provide a more detailed
description about your
personality, your interests and what you are looking for. The
key is to be confident and talk positively about yourself
without coming across bigheaded.
5. Don't leave an empty space
If you feel you have covered everything by answering the profile
questions - please do not leave the additional space blank or
write "ask me", "tell you later" or "I don't know what to say".
Members will see your profile and think you're either not
serious about dating or that if you can't be bothered to put
some effort into writing a profile you will have the same
approach in a relationship - effortless! Instead extend on the
information already provided, for example, if you have stated
you like travelling talk about some of the places you have
visited.
6. Ask questions
If there is a particular place you visited and fell in love
with, ask anyone who has been there to get in touch with you so
you can reminisce together. Asking a question in your profile
makes it easy for other members to respond to.
7. Be Honest
Don't lie about interests; you will get found out! For example,
don't say you love long walks in the countryside if you really
like to dance the night away in nightclubs every weekend. You'll
attract the wrong person and waste both of your time.
As with any other kind of dating, it is always best to be honest
from the start so answer all questions
honestly and finding your
perfect match will be much easier!
8. Show your funny side
I think if you can make someone laugh or someone makes you
laugh, you're on the path to a good relationship. Show people
that you have a sense of humour, e.g. talk about a scene from
one of your all time favourite comedies and you may strike a
chord with someone else who found the same thing just as funny
as you.
9. Dream a little
Write about your dreams and ambitions. If your dream is to
travel the world but you haven't quite got round to it there may
be someone out there who would like to share this experience
with you. If you've been lucky enough to fulfil your dreams,
share your story with other members.
10. Don't mention the ex!
Ok, so you may have just come out of a relationship and be
feeling sad and lonely but don't write about it. It will put a
lot of people off and you may come across desperate, which is
not an attractive trait. Make online dating a new start for you
and promise yourself not to dwell on past relationships.
11. Your expectations
What are your expectations from joining an online dating site?
Tell people the kind of relationship you are hoping to find but
don't say you are looking for marriage if you are really looking
for a casual fling and vice versa. Again, you will waste both of
your time.
12. Write a chapter, not a
book
By this I mean, don't tell your whole life story in your
profile. I encourage you to provide as much information as
possible about yourself but use short bursts of information,
sectioned by paragraphs, rather than writing a long essay so
whoever is reading it is intrigued to find out more about you.
13. Be safe
Finally, do not include any personal information in your
profile, e.g. your e-mail address, home address, work address or
telephone number. A reputable dating site will remove any
personal information before it appears live on site; this is to
ensure that they provide you with a safe online dating
environment. Once you've completed your profile, read through it
or ask a trusted friend to read through it and ask, would you
reply to this person? If yes, it's all systems go. If no, look
at the areas where it can be improved until you've created that
winning profile. It may take longer than 5 or 10 minutes but the
results that will show in your inbox will be worth it!
About the author:
Alison Edwards runs http://www.SnappyDates.com/ a UK based dating site. If you are stuck for ideas about your
online profile, members of SnappyDates.com can write
to Alison at Alison@SnappyDates.com for advice on how they can
improve their profile.
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