Seven Dating Mistakes: Online Profiles
by Sara Musfeldt
On three separate occasions I tried online dating. I was terrified the first time and frustrated the second time. The third time I read up on profile writing, talked to my friends about their profiles and experimented with mine until I got the attention I wanted.
Don't make the same mistakes I did, do yourself a favor.
Mistake Number One: Ignoring the Competition Weeks went by before I looked at another woman's profile. It didn't occur to me to compare myself to others and one-up my competition. If of women in my zip code have a picture of themselves at a baseball game, then shouldn't I make myself stand out by posting a picture of myself playing the game?
Mistake Number Two: Your Photo Never Changed I picked a new photo and changed my profile a bit every couple of weeks after I found a guy whose profile stayed exactly the same for months. Even though I liked the guy, I didn't write him because I thought if his profile was the same for so long, then he wasn't interested in impressing anyone. I realized that I should spice up my profile from time to time so I didn't get passed by more than once.
Mistake Number Three: Uploading the Wrong Photo We've all been in relationships before. It's also safe to assume we all have friends of the opposite sex who like to hang or hug on us. Avoid photos where someone is obviously cut out or way too friendly.
I think that pictures with puppies and babies are cheap. Nice try.
And then, of course, are the photos of you in your bathing suit. It's great that you're hot and want to tell someone, but keep it classy.
Mistake Number Four: Writing a Novel Five-hundred and eighty words describing your ideal date is too much for our attention spans. Written portions in your profile should never be too long. In the second, third, and fourth e-mails to your match it's ok to write a novel because that will certainly let that person know you're interested.
Mistake Number Five: Putting on a Broken Record An important aspect of your online profile is to make yourself sound unique-even if it is difficult to do. Phrases like "My friends say that I'm" or "I'm laid back" are clich. Instead, focus on your distinctive attributes like the fact that your eyes change from hazel to green depending on what you wear.
Mistake Number Six: Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve No one cares that you just broke up, or that you've been hurt before. Let me take that back, everyone looking at your profile cares, but not in a good way. Don't say things like, "I just got out of a relationship and am just looking to have fun" or "I've had bad luck finding a good man, and now I'm here to find Mr. Right." It's ok that you're heart-broken; just keep it to yourself or you risk scaring a lot of great suitors away.
Mistake Number Seven: Forgetting to Get a Second Opinion It's hard to write about yourself, let's be honest. Asking a friend to write or review your profile is one of the best things you can do. If that's not an option, for a small fee there are many services that will help you put together the written portions of your profile.
Online dating shouldn't be hard and isn't scary. Like all types of dating, with the right expectations and attitude-the outcome will only be positive.
About the Author: Sara Musfeldt operates a website with dating stories and dating profile tips for everyone. Sara has also produced an online dating advice to help singles everywhere find love. Click here for other unique 'online personality profile tips' articles.
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