Creating Your Online Dating Profile

At pretty much every dating site you will be required to complete a profile that includes some details about you, your personality, various aspects of your life and also what it is you are looking for in others. The information that you provide will be visible to other members at your site, and your profile is essentially all the information that they have to go on. An interesting and informative profile is far more likely to encourage someone to you make contact with you, so it is vital that you create the best profile that you possibly can.

You should be prepared to spend some time creating your dating profile. There is no such thing as the perfect profile that will guarantee people will be queuing up to date you, but a bit of effort goes a long way and will almost certainly increase your chances of attracting the attention of others. Even simple things like making sure your grammar and spelling are correct will make a difference. Many people do struggle when it comes to writing their profile, so we have provided some help advice for you on this page.

Honesty is the Best Policy

It’s a cliché and it might be somewhat obvious, but it is good advice nonetheless. Quite simply, there is just nothing to be gained in telling untruths when filling out your profile. For one thing, what is the point? If you are looking to build a long term relationship with someone, then it is likely that the truth will come out at some point – and this could damage any trust someone has in you. Even if you are just looking for a bit of fun, if someone agrees to meet you based on you telling them things that are not true then the chances are they will end up being disappointed.

Imagine how you would feel if you were attracted to someone based on their profile and then you met them and the reality was very different from the picture they had painted. You’ll also find that people are pretty good at spotting when someone is not being entirely truthful in their profile, and you could find that you just end up putting people off. Just be proud of who you really are and tell the truth; it will work out much better for you.

Use an Up to Date Photo

A lot of dating sites will insist that you include a photo in your profile, but even if it is not a requirement you should still do so. Most people will automatically disregard your profile if it doesn’t have a photo, as it is a sign that perhaps you are not that serious. This is not to say that your appearance is going to be the most important thing to others, but people will generally want to know what you look like.

There is nothing wrong with selecting a photo that portrays you in your best light – but just make sure you use one that is a fair reflection of what you really look like and is relatively recent. Don’t be tempted to use an old photo that makes you look several years younger than you do now!

Try and Stand Out

Given the popularity of online dating, most sites have a lot of members. This means that everyone will have a lot of profiles to look through, so you need to try and stand out as best you can. You should avoid coming across as too wacky, but you should try and make an impact of some kind. At most dating sites you have to include a headline in profile – a few short words that provides a very brief overview of you are.

This is a great opportunity to try and make a good impression and get others intrigued to find out more. Just make sure that your headline is about you and not about what you are looking for, as there are other parts of your profile for that information.

Avoid Being Too Corny or Funny

One of the biggest mistakes you can make in your profile is being too corny. Profiles that are full of tacky and well-worn -used phrases are all too common at dating sites, and people just tend to be put off by them. It’s also a good idea not to go overboard with the jokes. It is fine to include a few light-hearted comments or a little bit of humor, but try and keep your profile mostly serious. The problem with jokes is that they can be misinterpreted or not understood, and you won’t necessarily get a chance to explain what you’ve written. If you are a naturally funny person or have a particularly wild sense of humor then by all means include that information in your profile, but save the demonstrations for once you have made contact.

Be Positive

Don’t be afraid to be positive about yourself in your profile. There can be a fine line between being positive and coming across as boastful or arrogant, but there is nothing wrong with putting a positive spin on what you have to offer a potential date. If you are doing well for yourself professionally and you enjoy your job then say so. The same goes if you have a particular talent or notable characteristic that you are proud of. Remember that, to some extent, your profile is a chance to sell yourself – so use the opportunity to highlight your best aspects.

The same principle applies to when you are talking about what you are looking for in the person you hope to meet. Try and focus and what traits and characteristics you would like to see in someone rather than those that you don’t. People reading your profile may well be put off if you include a long list of things that you are not looking for as it can come across as being negative.

Final Thoughts

There are a few more points to consider when creating your dating profile. We would recommend that you take the time to provide all the information requested when filling out your profile. Some dating sites have a lot of sections and questions to answer and it can be quite time consuming to complete them all, but it really is worth taking that time as the questions are there for a reason and you don’t want to miss out any details that a potential might be interested in. With that said, don’t feel that you have to write an essay for each and every question. Some will require thorough answers but a one or two line is often all that is needed. People will want to see a comprehensive profile but they are unlikely to want to read through pages and pages of text.

Another point is that you should try and be clear about what you want from a relationship. Don’t just focus on what sort of person you are looking for, be sure to mention which aspects of a relationship are important to you too. For example, you should let others know whether you are looking for a serious relationship or something more casual, or even if you are interested in both. You should also include some information about what you enjoy doing in a relationship and what kind of dates appeal to you.

Finally, don’t stress out too much about your dating profile. It is important and you should dedicate some time and effort to it, but you don’t have to strive for the most amazing profile ever. If you keep it interesting and informative, and follow the advice we’ve provided here, then you will be just fine.

If you are ready to give online dating a try, then head over to our homepage to get a list of the best overall online dating sites for 2014. You will find both free and paid online dating options.