How To: The Online Dating Profile

Because this blog's title is: Feminine Wiles & Urban Survival 101, I feel that maybe I should include some dating how to's here. (God knows I've had my fair share of bad dates!)

I must admit I have online dated for a while...and although I no longer want to meet men online(I'm going to attempt to meet more offline!) I can definitely offer up some advice for profile writing!

1. Stay positive and upbeat!
You would be shocked at the number of dating profiles I have seen that have either outright slated women or questioned whether there are 'decent' women out there. The same goes for women..don't diss men as a group! Your dating profile should be about how wonderful you are, not about how horrible your dating history has been, save it for your girlfriends (or your blog. ;) )


2. Use proper English and good grammar.
Even if your English leaves a lot to be desired, you know that 'UR' is simply text-speak for You Are. Stay away from short forms and text-speak, even moreso if you are dealing with women/men over the age of 25. Have your online profile proofread. You wouldn't send out your resume without making sure everything was as it should be, same goes for your online dating profile.


3. Stay away from generic likes/dislikes.
Sure you like long walks on the beach, holding hands and comedy flicks. But really, who doesn't? Try and be very specific in your likes and dislikes!
If you've seen every Hitchcock film or think Canadian films rock...say so. If thrash metal is your thing and you once sprained your neck in a particularly awesome moshpit, I wanna know and odds are... someone else will really like the same thing!


4. Be honest.
Don't say you are of 'average' weight when you know you are thinner or heavier, don't say you have brown hair when you are bald. Don't say you are 6'2" when you are 5'9". Same goes for your profile picture, try to keep it fairly recent (ideally within the last 6 months) and update it frequently.
Being successful in online dating means meeting people...offline. So don't look like a stranger to the person you are meeting.


5. Know what you want: Be specific.
Have a pretty good idea of what you want. If you are not interested in dating a drug user, someone who is divorced or someone who has children, know it and don't be afraid to say so. It will help weed out the people who contact you and you'll avoid getting into any situations down the line that you don't want to be in. Don't be afraid to say what you are looking for either!
You want a man who can recite the alphabet backwards, flip pancakes and has one green eye and one blue....bring it up! You never know who is out there perusing your ad.


6. Go after what you want.
Don't be afraid to start your own communications with people! Send that first email. Be brief, be polite and definitely mention something about their profile that you found interesting and why you chose to write...oh, and don't forget to introduce yourself with your first name!


7. Go offline.....
Try not to make too much of your dating life 'online'. Get out there and actually meet the person at the other end of the computer within a short amount of time. Don't chat for hours online or on the phone without arranging to get together. If you talk for weeks on end, but never actually make plans to meet, something about that person does not ring true...listen to that inner voice in your head.

So there you are! 7 tips for your online dating profile. Not bad huh? Maybe I should give it another go.

What are your tips for writing an online dating ad?