The Do’s and Don’ts of Your Online Dating Profile

Photo Cred: William Iven

You’ve just signed up for an online dating site. Whew! Now, what? It’s time to face your online dating profile. Don’t sweat it, you’ve got this! But you need to know that your chances of finding the right person are reduced if your profile isn’t up to par. How important are spelling and grammar? What type of descriptors should I use? Should I mention my flaws? Should I mention my pet peeves? Should I say I was married and have kids? You’ve got questions and we’ve got the answers!

Below are helpful tips to help you put your best foot forward with a “just right” online dating profile:

What Your Online Profile Says About You:

•           Spelling and Grammar—Don’t forget to do a spelling and grammar check when you’ve completed your profile. Bad spelling and grammar are the equivalent of having bad breath when you meet someone in person. It will also make you look careless or like you’re part of an online scam. No one is interested in dating someone that comes across as if they haven’t even finished elementary school. And now “The Grade” dating app has members rate a person's profile quality but also their grammar. So don’t flunk this one. You want your first impression to count in a positive way.

•           Be Honest and Specific When Describing Yourself—If you want to attract the right person straight away, be honest and specific when you describe yourself and your attributes. Then when you message someone or someone messages you, you’ll be able to look at the profile, find similarities, and decide if this is someone you’d like to meet. Are you quiet or outgoing? Do you like sports or art house movies? Are you a creative type or in finance? Are you just interested in meeting new people or are you looking for marriage in the future? Skip statements like, “People tell me I’m really nice and fun to be around” or “I like hanging out and getting to know new people.” General statements like this describe half the population and say nothing distinct about you.

•           Don’t Focus on Flaws—No one wants to read a bunch of negatives like, “I’m fat, but working on a fitness program. I’m short and don’t like my knees.” While you might view this is as a problem, people might not realize your flaws. You’re basically throwing yourself under the bus and giving them reasons not to like you. And if you write about your flaws, you will make everybody aware of them. Let’s be honest, bad knees are hardly a deal breaker:)

•           Lists of Things you Dislike—If your profile is full of stuff like, “I hate liars, I hate cheaters and I hate smokers,” you will be turning off most potential dates. It’s ok to dislike stuff, but a list of everything you dislike seems pessimistic, grumpy and unhappy. No one will be overly interested in a Debbie Downer. If you’re allergic to smoking that’s one thing, but a profile full of “hates” won’t make you seem like much of a prize.

•           Past Marriages—If an online dating website requests you own up to a previous marriage, that’s one thing. But avoid mentioning the second and third marriages. Also, wait to mention kids until the conversation goes in that direction. You don’t want to be dismissed right off the bat.

•           Pick Your Profile Pic Wisely—Be honest in selecting your profile pic. It will only backfire if you choose an image that’s 10+ years old, that is blurred or doesn’t represent the true you. It’s ok to do a little photoshopping or add a filter, but don’t go crazy. The last thing you need is someone showing up and announcing you don’t look anything like your profile pic. Sites like OK Cupid have posted helpful info on what makes for a good profile picture, description and more so use this data to help you improve 

About Justin Lavelle

Justin Lavelle is Communications Director at Beenverified (www.beenverified.com), your go-to source to check whether your date is who they say they are. Beenverified is a leading source of online background checks and contact information. BeenVerified allows individuals to find more information about people, phone numbers, email addresses, property records and criminal records in a way that’s fast, easy and affordable.