When entering the online dating game, you want to start by putting your best foot forward. Your profile will be your opportunity to impress potential matches, sometimes before you even speak with them! All in all, successful outcomes can often be drawn to a well-put-together dating profile.
But how does one create a profile that’s attractive to their love interests? It can be difficult to know where to start and what to include. After all, your dating profile content can be a vital factor in attracting the right match. Understandably, it can be a stressful endeavor.
Instead of overthinking every last word or under-thinking and basically throwing in the towel, lean on this article for help! We’ll go through time-tested approaches to filling out dating profiles that have shown to effectively help people get the results they’re looking for.
While different dating sites and apps have varying profile features, there are common threads that you can include in practically everyone. By focusing on the type of content that will benefit you, you can use these tips to fill out almost any dating profile. That way, you can find success on whichever platform is best for you!
Honesty Is the Best Policy
If you’re looking for an authentic connection, you must put forth your authentic self! Keeping the information in your dating profile genuine is essential to success. Otherwise, people will be strongly tempted to move on to another dating prospect at the first sign of fraudulence.
This tidbit might seem a little straightforward and obvious, but it can actually be a bit tricky! When creating your online dating profile, it can be very tempting to over-exaggerate the qualities you’re proud of. You want to be impressive and attractive, so a little hyperbole never hurt anyone – right?
Unfortunately, this makes for a lackluster dating profile. Even if you may not think it, efforts like this are usually really transparent. People can typically tell if you’re hyping yourself up to be something more than what you are, making you seem untrustworthy. It’s better to come off as genuinely mediocre than someone who lied about winning a marathon. The first is accessible, relatable, and attractive – the latter is a hefty encouragement to hit “next.”
Also, dating a perfectionist can be intimidating! It can scare the right people away if you come off as someone desperate to convey perfection. At the end of the day, people want to be themselves with their partner more than they want to show off their partner. And you have plenty of qualities that will give them bragging rights to their friends without expanding on the truth.
Don’t lie, and you won’t be revealed as a liar! When that happens, it’s a major turn-off for people you could have a great time with under different conditions. Set the right scene with an honest representation of yourself so you don’t have to provide any unsatisfying explanations later that could throw an otherwise smooth-sailing ship off course.
That said, you don’t have to divulge every honest detail about yourself either. Profiles are meant to be quick and convenient – you can save your life story for when the time is right!
And the need for honesty extends to your basic dating profile elements as well, not just your written description. When you input your height and body type, make sure it’s accurate! You want your match to be attracted to you – the real you, not the height or body type you wish you had or think would attract them more. Put your best self out there, exactly as you are, and you’ll be much more likely to find the right match that’s genuinely interested in you – no embellishments necessary!
Don’t Sugar-Coat What You’re Looking For
Profiles usually prompt you to describe what you’re looking for in a match. This isn’t the place to be vague! Ask, and you might very well receive! If you don’t ask for what you want, it will be much harder for you to get it.
Do you want a casual dating experience? Or do you want a long-term, committed relationship? Whatever your end goal is, here’s the place to state it unapologetically. If you want something casual, don’t waste time speaking with matches who want to get married as soon as possible. That’s a headache for you, and it’s not fair to them, either. If you want someone to share your life with, don’t leave your dating profile suggesting you could go for a casual relationship. That’s an easy way to get disappointing results!
If you don’t know what you want, that’s okay too! You can be honest about that and describe relationship types that interest you. Or you may want a mix of these types of relationships and aren’t sure which one would be best for you. You can talk about that, too! Whatever you want to say, keep it short and sweet – but don’t sugar-coat it!
Feel free to go that route if you can get creative or funny about it. Talking about how you want someone to watch a specific show with you or enjoy a particular activity can make you stand out from other dating candidates. Personalize your message, and it can help you find better matches!
Talk about Your Interests
What do you love that makes you unique? What do you enjoy doing during daily life? How do you like to spend your leisure time? These can all be crucial in finding your perfect person.
If you want someone to watch your favorite show with you, tell them in your profile! The right person might see it, notice it, and reach out to you directly so you can start watching it together as soon as possible.
Do you love a certain activity? Hobbies are an excellent way for couples to spend time together. In fact, most successful mates have shared activities that they enjoy with each other. This helps them thrive and fortifies their relationship.
Building a foundation from a shared activity is one of the easiest and most organic ways to form a successful relationship. It’s naturally occurring and can feel like second nature to people starting to date. Set the scene by bringing up these potential activities in your dating profile! It can get your dating experience with the perfect match off to a great start and can also serve you well in the long run!
Feel free to share your favorite hobby, even if it’s not the most popular activity out there. Set yourself apart from the rest of the pack to find better matches! Standing out is better than blending in when it comes to online dating. Make matches stop in their tracks by unapologetically expressing how much you love building leggo structures.
It’s all about YOU – the real you, and finding someone who will jive with who you really are! So take the step to write that extra sentence, and let the other leggo builders come to you.
Passion projects are also great to include in your dating profile. If you do something just because you love it, it’s worth mentioning! Do you write poetry in your spare time? Are you a singer, musician, or athlete just for fun? These qualities can be very appealing to potential dates. Don’t leave these passions out of your dating profile – make sure they stand out instead!
Describe Your Work Life
Knowing what your everyday life looks like can paint a portrait of what life would be like dating you. That’s why talking about your work life can be significant to people checking out your dating profile. Your job might be extremely attractive to the right person, no matter what you do.
Doing physical labor? You probably have a fantastic body. Working your way up the corporate ladder but have yet to make it there? Being in a cubicle is good if you’ve got an attractive endgame. Stuck in the same grind for the rest of your life with no ambitions? Thank goodness they’ve finally found someone who knows how to be content!!!
Are you unemployed? That’s okay, too! Many people out there want someone to spend time with, and you’ve got time to spend! Companionship is key for many daters out there, and you can offer it to them in droves.
The point is, it doesn’t matter what you currently think of your work life in terms of being attractive to others. It’s still worth sharing because it will attract the right matches to you!
Spell Check Can Save You
Maybe you’re not the best speller in the world – and that’s okay! But when you’re making a first impression, having misspelled words isn’t going to serve you well. Everyone knows that it takes minimal time and effort to put some text through one of the numerous free spell checkers out there. It’s not so much about how you spell – it’s about the effort you’re putting into filling out your dating profile.
Don’t let spelling get past you in your profile. When you move on to sending messages, it’s another story! Messages can be more casual and aren’t as formal as a dating profile. Your profile is you presenting yourself at your best – it’s not a casual conversation with someone.
Make sure you don’t get overlooked because of a simple spelling error! It only takes one spell check to present yourself in the best possible way. After that, feel free to use whatever form of “your” you see fit! Your content deserves to be read by any potential match, and spelling errors will just distract them.
Positivity is Key
You don’t need to be a downer right off the bat. It’s okay if you’re currently having a rough time in your life, but this isn’t the place to vent! Your dating profile is a way for you to find a match to improve your life by finding someone who works with you. And dragging negativity into your profile can stop that positive experience from becoming a reality.
Misery loves company – but the company doesn’t love misery. You might really want to rant to someone about what’s bringing you down, and your dating profile might seem like a great place to be heard. But this isn’t the platform to find an empathetic ear right off the bat. Your potential companion wants a good time and a fun experience at the start. They’ll be there for you later if you earn their compassion by showing them a positive experience first!
Keeping it positive also involves not listing what you don’t like. Keep things focused on what you do like! While stating your dealbreakers can seem like an effective way to narrow down the dating pool, it can be a turn-off for people who would be good candidates for you. Stick to the good stuff, and leave your dislikes for when or if they come up in conversation later.
Use Quotes as Resources
Not everyone is a wordsmith! Finding the best way to say something meaningful to you that would amp up your dating profile can be challenging. Fortunately, you don’t have to come up with the words yourself.
Finding a quote that accurately represents what you want to say can bring a bit of finesse to your dating profile. It doesn’t seem like a cop-out, it makes you seem like you know what you want to say, and there’s simply no better way to say it than with the quote you found.
Romance quotes are not off the table! Choose a quote that speaks to you, and use it as a resource when writing your dating profile. As long as it’s something you feel represents you genuinely, it’s an excellent choice.
With that being said, don’t start spouting Shakespeare for no reason, either. If it’s not a quote you’re authentically choosing, it will not work for you! Quotes that are thrown in so you can seem bright come off as just that – and it’s easy for others to read that. Keep it genuine, and you’ve got nothing to worry about! But if you don’t even know what the quote means, it’s best to leave that one out.
Include the Details
There are some things that potential daters should know about you before trying to get into a relationship with you. Don’t leave these details out for people to be surprised by later. You don’t want to catch someone off guard with the fact that you have kids, pets, or are a caretaker to your parents. Being upfront with these factors in your life ensures you’re going to find matches that will be supportive of you!
And if people can’t handle those details, they shouldn’t be in your life anyways. Including the details weeds out the ones who wouldn’t make the cut. This saves you time, energy, and disappointment. It’s also fairer to matches who aren’t interested in dating someone with a more responsible lifestyle.
Maybe it’s not your responsibility – maybe your life detail is that you travel a lot for work, or you work 65 hours every week. If there’s something that people should probably know before getting to know you, you should mention it.
When in doubt, ask yourself, “would I really want to know this about someone before deciding to date them?” If the answer is yes, it’s time to disclose that detail in your dating profile. Don’t be afraid that you won’t be a candidate for some daters, because those aren’t suitable matches for you anyways. Honesty about the important things will help you attract the right person!
Keep It Short
You can include all of this information in a paragraph or two! There’s no need to write a long, drawn-out explanation here. Honesty, interests, work life, details, and a quote can be stated in a couple of sentences each.
Remember, you’re trying to capture the attention of matches without having a one-sided first date! When you start a conversation with an interested party, there will be plenty of time to get into the meat of every matter. And if you describe everything right from the get, you don’t leave yourself too many topics to delve into later.
Dating is a process, and your profile is just the first step! It’s more than sufficient to introduce each of these aspects with a quick blurb. You don’t want to write an essay because fewer people will read it, and you don’t want to narrow your net that much.
Think about it – would you read an essay about a person without ever speaking to them? Even if you would, and even if you’re looking for someone who would, they may just not have the time available at the moment they find you to read it all.
The best approach is to keep it short and simple, include the critical information, and leave the rest to your dating experience with the right person. That way, you can spend time getting to know each other and learn about them in a back-and-forth about the things you want to tell them more about.
Wrap It up with a CTA
In marketing, the term CTA means a call to action. On the last line of your dating profile, break out the big guns. Call them to action – ask them to reach out to you if interested!
You can get creative and have fun with this as well. You could ask them to reach out to you so you can tell them why you are interested. You could even ask them on a date!
It’s up to you. Try leaving a lasting impression on your match, so they don’t forget about your dating profile after checking it. This is the time to coax them into a conversation and break through any nervous energy they’ve got holding them back!
Everyone gets anxious from time to time, especially when it comes to dating. Your CTA is your icebreaker to get the conversation rolling, so you can start getting to know your perfect match.
Your Perfect Dating Profile
When all’s said and done, you’ll have a meaningful, attractive, and effective profile if you follow these tips! You’ll likely attract matches who will be fulfilling for you to speak to. You’ll be making a loud and proud statement to people who will match your lifestyle and are genuinely interested in dating you.
So what are you waiting for? Sign up for your favorite dating app, start writing your perfect dating profile, and watch the messages come in!
