How To Write An Online Dating Profile
Online dating profile tips to maximize your success.
Online Dating Tips
Finding a partner can be very complicated when you decide to try online dating. The last thing dating should be is stressful. If the idea of dating makes you cringe, you are probably thinking about creating an online dating profile. With the massive amount of people who use online dating sites to find their match, they might have questions about their own profile. If you are just starting out and do not know what you might prefer other people to know up front, keep reading.
What to write on a good dating profile
1. Hobbies
Telling someone what you enjoy doing is a great way to help them understand you better as a person. Movies, music, books and hobbies help to display the kind of person you are without giving too much information away. It also helps give others an idea for a date if you end up talking and have a connection. Even volunteer work is a hobby for many people. It will show anyone looking at your profile that you enjoy helping others in your free time. That is never a terrible thing to show off.
2. Favorites
Adding a list of favorites is another great addition to your online dating profile. It tells someone looking at it what you really enjoy. If your favorite food is pizza, the person looking at it might decide to take you to the best pizza shop in your area if you decided to meet in person. Even adding some of your favorite quotes is a wonderful way to express yourself without saying too much. Quotes really help others have a better idea of someone without the knowledge of all the little details that might have led you to that particular quote.
3. Pets
Include your furry family friends to the mix. Pictures of your pets and funny anecdotes do wonders for finding a match. Many people bond over animals. This makes it a great way to connect with someone. Adding pets to your profile shows that you're an animal person, which lots of people prefer in a potential match. It's also not a threat to you or anyone you know by posting photos, but if your pet has a collar with a name tag and address on it, be sure to blur it out in the pictures.
4. Photos of Yourself
Be careful with this one. Don't post pictures in front of your work or anywhere around your home that could lead someone to your address. Use photos of yourself that you think look best. Headshots work better for your profile picture than others, because it gives many people the opportunity to see you and only you. It is also the first picture that shows in searches. Sharing diverse different photos will also show off your confidence and help others see you in different ways.
5. About me - description of yourself
Here are few tips on how to write about me for a dating site: The information you share about yourself can range anywhere from being a volunteer worker to a musician. Be sure to include your age and the best qualities about yourself. Aside from your profile photo, the way you describe yourself can make or break your online dating profile. Write it from the perspective you want to be seen without exaggerating any details.
What Not To Put In Your Online Dating Profile
Good dating profiles do not include the following:
Addresses/Phone Numbers
This one is pretty obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many people include their phone numbers and emails to their dating profile. This type of information runs the risk of putting you in a dangerous situation. Never give out your address, phone number or email to anyone online.
Social Media/Job Networking
For similar reasons above, it's never a good idea to include your social media page or even photos from it. If you are uncomfortable with someone, you certainly wouldn't want to make it easy for them to look you up on social media. Don't use the same pictures or link any profiles, including job networking profiles. Including this information is considered to be very unsafe internet behavior. Many people disagree about the pictures and may tell you to do the complete opposite, but it's always best to use different pictures than you use on social media or when job hunting.
What You Don't Want
It's perfectly acceptable to state a few things you want in a match because it shows them that you know exactly what you want, but never post the things you DON'T want. This gives off the impression that you might have set standards most people find difficult to reach. It's almost like a list of demands, in a way. It also gives out information to others without you ever realizing it. If you say in your profile that you don't date certain people, it might scream to others that you have dated those types of people. If it's not something you want them knowing, do not include it at all. Stick to the positives. Leave what you don't want out of it.
Embarrassing Stories
It can be a great ice breaker when you really get to know someone, but this is definitely not something you want to post in your online dating profile. It might make others cringe if they don't really know you at all. It's one thing to tell embarrassing stories on dates as ice breaking anecdotes, but it isn't really something you'd want the entire world to know. You also never know who you might find on dating services and websites. You might find someone you know, like your boss or a family member, and posting your embarrassing stories isn't exactly the most flattering information.
Negative Information
This can be anything from your description to your hobbies and anything in between. Nobody likes talking to someone who has nothing nice to say about themselves or anyone else. Your profile says a lot about your attitude towards dating, but if any of it sounds negative, you could very well be scaring away those who look at it. If a match is something you want, leave the negative side elsewhere.
Bragging
It's one thing to stay positive and post good things about yourself, but avoid bragging about any major achievements too much. It might come off as though you are trying too hard to get noticed. Be positive while staying humble. It is a lot more favorable and complimentary on your behalf than to look conceited to a bunch of strangers you don't really know.
Pick and choose carefully which parts of your profile you fill out. You do not need to list every single of your preferences, or publish your life story for the world to read. All in all, you should definitely keep a more positive outlook on your dating profile. Try to create your profile in the same way you'd want to see someone else's. If you don't like what you see on another person's profile, do not create yours similarly. Always try to be different, positive, unique and safe about the information you post. There isn't really a rule book for online dating, but there is definitely a social etiquette you should consider following. What you put in your profile is ultimately up to you. Above anything else, make sure you have fun talking to people. After all, that IS the point of dating sites, right?