Online Dating Profile: 13 Tips for Creating the Best One

Your online dating profile is the online version of your first impression. These days, online dating has become a popular way of finding a date or even someone for a serious and long-term relationship, so a good profile is important. On the one hand, you want to make a great impression, but you don’t want it to be misleading. Of course, you want it to be appealing, but you don’t want to attract everyone, just the compatible and relevant profiles.

It’s a bit tricky and isn’t as straightforward as just filling in the fields with the first thing that comes to mind. If you’re new to this, creating your first profile may be intimidating. Even for people who are more experienced, it is always a bit daunting to create a new online dating profile or update an existing one. Online dating tips are hard to come by; everyone wants to keep their secrets to themselves. These online dating profile tips for men and women will help you guide you through it!

The dos when creating your online dating profile

1. Talk to friends and family

Don't be afraid to ask the people who are close to you for help. Talk to close friends and relatives and ask them to help you write your profile. You'll be surprised at how well a good friend can describe you. They know you best and will often feel more comfortable writing something flattering about you than you would.

2. Look at other profiles

Sometimes you need a little inspiration, especially if this is your first time doing this. Look at online dating profile examples to give you ideas of what yours should look like. This isn’t so you can copy someone’s profile, of course, but it will help you see what good profiles look like when they’re complete. Look for the best online dating profiles of people similar to you. So, if you’re a 30-year-old school teacher, try to find something similar for inspiration.

3. Choose the right photos

The dating profile pictures you choose are very important. They not only show potential matches what you look like but convey a lot more about who you are. The background, your clothes, jewelry, and what you’re doing in the pictures can tell a person a lot more than you think. Ideally, you want pictures that you look good in but also showcase your interests. For example, if you love fishing, add great pictures of you at a lake or on a boat. If you absolutely love to dance, add photos of you on the dance floor.

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4. Make it easy to contact you

After reading a profile, it can be a bit daunting to send that first message and start a conversation. Sometimes people will even skip to the next profile just because they don't know how to start talking to you. A good way to avoid this is to add a question or conversation starter. Here are a few examples:

• I absolutely love traveling to Paris. Tell me about your favorite place in the world!
• I love a good hike to clear my head. What about you?
• Tell me about fun adventures in your future!
• Ask me about my crazy shark experience.

These examples not only tell readers a little bit more about you but also make it easier for them to send you a message and start a conversation.

5. Be flirty

Don't worry, creating a flirty profile is nothing like flirting face to face, it's much easier. A flirty profile gives a bit of information into your hobbies, interests, and who you are without being too revealing. You don't want readers to think they know you already, but you do want to give them just enough information to give them a sense of your character and get them intrigued enough to want them to ask questions and start a conversation.

6. Read tips from the dating platform

Every platform is a bit different. Check if the one you chose has a blog and articles with tips on how to create a good profile. This will help you get tips that are specific to the audience using the platform and the profile structure you'll be using. eHarmony, for example, has an article about what not to write on a dating profile, and Zoosk has one with great dating profile tips that work.

7. Use proper spelling & grammar

You can have an amazing profile, and one typo or grammar mistake can lead to a bad impression. If grammar and spelling are important to you, and if a profile riddled with errors is a turnoff, then take the time to review your profile once it's complete to make sure it's perfect. If you really want to make sure you haven't missed anything, have a pair of fresh eyes review it, just in case.

The don'ts when creating your online dating profile

8. Don't brag

Of course, you want your profile to mention everything that's great about you, but there's a fine line between describing yourself and bragging. If you can't tell the difference, read it out loud or to a friend and listen to how it sounds. In general, things you never want to brag about are your looks or money. You can say what your body type is and what you do for a living without sounding too in love with yourself.

9. Don't tell lies

Never tell a lie in an online dating profile. It's misleading and dishonest and never ends well, especially if you're looking for a serious relationship. Be honest and don't embellish because it's just not worth it and is not fair to your potential matches.

10. Don't be shy

You're putting yourself out there, and that's not an easy thing to do. That being said, don't be shy and afraid to say who you are and what you want. You don't want to attract the wrong people, so if you're looking for a life partner and not a fling, say it! Describe yourself, who you are, what you love, and be confident so that you find the right person that really is a match.

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11. Don't focus on dislikes

Your profile should be positive in general. It's important to describe what you like and love, so don't focus on the dislikes. In the end, negativity is not attractive. More importantly, people bond over common likes and interests, not dislikes.

12. Don't be all about you

Count how many times you wrote "I" or "me" in your profile and see if you need to tone it down. Your profile is all about you, but you need to find the line between describing yourself and being all about "me me me." One way to help with this is to imagine you're introducing yourself or describing yourself to a stranger at a party. You only have a few seconds to sound interesting, and if you say "I love this, I did that, I went there, I do this" for too long, they'll be bored or irritated and move on. Create a story about who you are using a combination of the fields you have, your dating profile bio, your photos, and a catchy title.

13. Don't be negative

Since we mentioned dislikes, let's talk about negativity. Keep in mind that negative energy in a profile will attract negative attention and should always be avoided. If there is something you want to mention, find another way to word it. For example, instead of saying, "Don't message me if you lack drive and confidence", try, "I am confident and full of drive, so if you're like me, send me a message!" You give the same message while being positive and not negative.

Conclusion

These tips for creating your online dating profile will help you get off to a good start. Remember that good online dating profiles are honest and creative and reflect who you are so that you attract the right matches and find the person you’re looking for.