AuSingles online dating tips
for writing your perfect online profile.
Writing your perfect online profile isn't rocket science,
but it does take a little time and practice!
The biggest disappointment for both men and women, men especially, is the lack of responses to their singles profile, personal ad or initial contact emails. Guys, it not rocket science if your profile or email is boring, derogatory, sexually suggestive or is to skimpy the chances of attracting a favourable response is nothing short of zero!
To write a compelling and enticing profile takes a little time, a little practice and a little thought. I used to spend up to an hour (sometimes longer) writing a profile or personal ad, changing, amending, rearranging and adjusting till I was happy.
The greatest tools you have when writing your singles profile is your word processor (wordpad or word) and a spell checker. Create your profile information, or a number of different versions of your profile or personal ad, in a word processor and save it. That way you can adjust it when necessary and work on it over a couple of days, and when you join a number of singles sites you can save time by simply copying and pasting the profile information into the appropriate areas of the singles profile creation form.
So many singles profiles and personal ads have typos or spelling errors and, I know this may seem hard to believe, but people can see typos and errors and this can be an instant turn-off. It is for me! :)
CREATING AN ATTENTION GRABBING HEADLINE:
OK, so now you have a blank worksheet in front of you, what do you write? Let's start by creating an attention grabbing headline. The headline (and photo if included) are the first things people see in the search results of singles sites. This is your one big chance to create a lasting favourable impression and to entice and attract the person reading the headline into looking further into your profile and finding out more about you.
The headline needs to be creative, eye-catching, a little flirty (within reason), funny (maybe) and written to create that instant desire for the person to find out more information about you. Think about the headline carefully, and think what would catch your attention and entice you to find out more about a person... avoid clichés and acronyms. (EG: MNQAS seeking COGXHS... what the?!? :)
Headlines guaranteed not to entice:
- Joe C...
- Hi I'm Rodney...
- I'm bored and have no life...
- Good time wanted, apply within...
- sally73 wanting real commitment!...
- Dateless Dan seeks Desperate Dames...
- Sex kitten looking for the purrrfect Leo...
- I just broke up and now I am depressed...
- Toyboy looking for someone to play with...
I think you get the idea of what I am meaning. These are either boring, negative, derogatory or sexually suggestive. Most people, especially women, are not overly impressed or enticed by negative or sexually suggestive comments in headlines, in your profile, or in contact emails for that matter. It is best to avoid these type of lame headlines and create a positive, complimentary and fun headline that reflects the essence of your personality.
Think of how you would summarise yourself and/or what you are looking for in 10 words or less, create a few different headlines and use them on different singles web sites. Monitor the responses and make adjustments or use the one(s) that attract the most attention and email contacts.
Creating a singles-stopping headline is difficult at first, but you can always browse other singles profile headlines for inspiration when you have writers block. Search some singles sites and see which headlines grab your attention and which you find compelling, entertaining and enticing. Once you get into creating headlines they will flow like the water over Niagara falls. :)
ONLINE DATING PROFILE PHOTO(S) TIPS:
It is entirely up to you to include a photo or photos in your singles profile. Profiles with a photo receive far greater contact email response than those without. A nice, natural photo is all that you need and you can always send other photos to your contacts if they are requested.
If you do not want to have your photo publicly shown you can password protect your photo making it invisible to the general public. This way you only allow those singles that contact you to see the photo by giving them your photo password. Make you photo password different from your account password for obvious reasons.
Password protecting your photo will result in fewer contact emails than those profiles with a public photo. Password protecting your photo is another way of reducing emails if you are becoming inundated with suitors.
Profile Photo tips:
- Ensure you use a clear and in focus photo.
Speckled, dark or blurred photos are not very appealing.
- Use a recent photo in your profile.
There is no point including a 20 year old photo in your profile as this will be nothing like the real you of today.
- Avoid smoking or drinking in your photo.
I have nothing against smokers, but smoking in photos does looks tacky and we wouldn't want to give the impression of being an alcoholic or easy drunk now would we :)
- If possible use a head and torso shot.
As profile photos are fairly small in size, head and torso photos provides greater detail and better clarity. Look happy and natural and avoid fake over smiling, expressions of concentration, sadness, or misery... and guys (men guys that is) avoid the topless torso look, you can show this privately if and when you may be asked for them. :)
- Avoid professional glamour photo shots.
Apart from copyright infringement, these type of photos generally do not portray what you would look like in everyday life, also avoid using the just got out of bed look photos.
- If you must use a full length shot have a natural, casual and relaxed pose.
- Avoid using photos with ex-partners partiality showing or cut out.
THE CONTENTS OF YOUR PROFILE:
The guidance is simple, as with your headline, avoid boring, negative, derogatory or sexually suggestive topics or comments in your profile. Keep your profile text simple, fun, interesting and above all be HONEST! A few well written paragraphs is really all you need inspire and create the desire for a person to contact you. Writing a huge "War and Peace" profile will only serve to put prospective contacts to sleep. Remember you can expand on your profile and introduce more topics once you start communicating.
The most important tips I can offer for writing your profile is to be honest, accurate, specific and positive... did I mention being honest? Being honest will avoid embarrassing and awkward caught-out situations later down the track. Your profile is your widow to the world and should reflect your personality, what you enjoy doing, what you are looking for in a partner and what aspirations, goals or dreams you may have.
If you like pacific island cruising say so, if you are into extreme sports say so, if you are a "home body" or you like clubbing till 5am in the morning then say so. The more topics and interests you can touch on in your profile will provide an invaluable insight and will create a solid foundation for further email communications.
Include the type of person you are looking for in your profile, be as broad or as specific as you like. If you are looking for a 7 foot Nebraskan ice skater, a 4 foot Bohemian chess player with 3 or more children, then say so. Being a little more specific will narrow the number of responses you receive, but this can save both you and the reader a lot of time by eliminating the traits, topics and interests that do not appeal to you.
Now you have the basics of what to include when writing a compelling and enticing profile you can start putting words to word processor and swing open your window to the world!
Wishing you every success in your quest for new friends, true love and complete happiness. :)
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