We’ve all been there – staring at the blank screen, trying to think of exactly how to fill out your Free and Single profile page in order to attract all the right people and none of the wrong ones. There is a lot of pressure (self-inflicted, I may add) to get your profile perfect. So good that you instantly attract your soul mate and breeze off into the sunset together. What do you write, what picture do you post, what do you say your likes and dislikes are?
Simplest answer? (Slightly cheesy, but hey…)
Be true to yourself!
No point looking like a Chelsea FC supporter when you have never in fact been to a football game and despise whenever it comes onto the TV. Even the adverts. You know what I’m talking about.
So, previously we have taken you through a list of online dating profile no-nos. Here is our next list of top tips to help you out at that awkward, life defining, preventable moment when you upload a five year old photo instead of a current one.
Free and Single 5 Top Tips to Make Your Online Dating Profile Great
1. Be original!
There is no point to spouting the same old clichés we have heard a thousand times before in every rom-com under the sun. Sure, you may really, really love to take long walks on the beach…but spice it up a bit. Is that because you find walking on sand really tones up your thighs? Is it because the sound of the waves breaking take you back to the calm on a childhood spent on the seaside? Do you like dipping your toes in or going rock pooling? Think outside the box.
2. Try not to be aggressive
It is all very well knowing, secretly, inside your head that you could never even bring yourself to date a man who takes more time styling his hair than you do, but ranting about must-haves and must-not-haves on your profile is a serious breach of online dating etiquette. Who wants to hear that, despite otherwise seeming to be a perfect match, you won’t meet up with them because you have a phobia of the colour red…which happens to be their favourite?
3. Lose the silly photos
Yes, yes, it may show that you have a GSOH. It also says that you lack confidence in yourself to just appear, as you are, sans red clown nose or mad Hawaiian coconut shell bra. Tone it down, show your humour with a witty comment or a well-turned phrase in the text part of your profile and know that you can show it off to your hearts content when you actually meet up with someone. No point putting them off at the first hurdle.
4. Stop posting shared photos
You know what I mean. The picture of you and two friends dolled up for a night on the tiles. First off, how does a potential date tell which person you are? Do they assume they get three dates for the price of one? Do they start running unfavourable comparisons between the person in the centre and the person on the left? Do they decide, ultimately, you are too immature to want to date as you can’t apparently represent yourself as an individual? Think about it.
5. Avoid listing your life goals
It’s nice to have goals, drive, ambition. Listing that you intend to be married by 32, with a baby on the way by 33, a second child at 35, a move to the country at 38…that is a leetle tiny bit over controlling. Potential daters want to know that you are going to go out together, have a fun time and maybe/maybe not meet up again. They don’t want to feel like they are being interrogated for a role in the ‘You Show’.
