Creating a good online-dating profile: Tips & Examples
You might have heard that people used to go looking for a partner in bars, or they just hoped to run into someone appealing in everyday life – but times have changed.
For years, the online-dating industry has enjoyed ever-increasing popularity and has seen steady new growth. In New Zealand, almost every third person has tried a dating site. These portals would like you to think that finding the right person is child's play, whether it takes just a few minutes or just a few swipes. The one thing that these sites don’t mention, however, is that success depends largely on the dating profile.
But what is this virtual calling card, exactly, and why is it so important? Many simply sign up on dating sites and think that the lion's share is done with that. In reality, however, this is where the real work begins. After all, women often say that male profiles, in particular, are written poorly and uninformative. Want to shake things up in the future, stand out with your profile design, increase your chances of success?
In this article, we’ll address three bullet points that will ultimately help you set up a profile that’s worth seeing.
Ready to conquer online dating? Then let’s get to work on creating a great profile!
But first...
1. Why an online dating profile is so important
When you decide to sign up for a dating site, you're one of countless members. How are you supposed to come into contact with exactly the singles you’d like to meet? This is exactly where your dating profile comes into play. Your profile allows you to introduce yourself to other members, present yourself, and arouse curiosity.
For this reason, it's important to take your time when creating your dating profile and not rush into anything. If you’re freshly registered on a dating site, you’d prefer to start searching immediately, right? But then what? Well, you land on certain profiles and those singles want to know who paid them a visit. And what do they find when they do looking? A dating profile that doesn't contain any information and, for all they know, will probably be abandoned soon. Congratulations – you may well have missed the chance to receive a promising message.
However, if you take your time and enter all your information before you start clicking on other profiles, your chances of attracting attention will increase tremendously. For pictures, you should be sure to choose photos that show off your best side. Pay attention to a tidy background and snapshots that show you being natural.
Your online dating profile represents your character and it’s the main way users separate the cream from the rest of the crop. You certainly have ideas about which singles you want to meet in person, right? Here, too, a completed profile proves to be an advantage.
You kill two birds with one stone with a completed dating profile: On the one hand, you introduce yourself to other members and, on the other hand, the site makes a better automatic selection of contacts who might interest you. The time you invest in crafting your profile will ultimately pay off in the search for a partner.
That's why it's so important to prepare for online dating, and you can only do that with meaningful profile design.
But how does it all work?
2. What to write in your dating profile
We now know that a detailed dating profile opens all doors for you. What remains to be clarified is what, exactly, an appealing profile looks like and what things you should pay special attention to.
Countless singles who’re seeking their future partner in online dating fail at this task. An uninteresting profile can be the very reason why you don't receive a response after contacting someone. The truth is: You can be the nicest and most likeable guy – but if it doesn't look that way in your profile, you won't get far with it. In addition to appealing pictures, your profile description also has to be convincing – and this is where you needy a certain amount of finesse.
Many people don’t consider it necessary to fill out the profile description, and that’s a huge mistake. A few pictures should be enough to attract someone promising, right? This is a misconception, because many people take a look at the profile text before sending a message. If they don't like what they see, it ends there.
But what’s right and what’s wrong?
Let's first address the things you can do wrong within your profile text. Ready for some negative examples?
"I'm extremely athletic and enjoy spending my free time on the coast."
...That’s it, that’s the profile. Not only is this merely one sentence, it also doesn't show much personality or creativity. That said, such sentences can be found all over dating sites and dating apps. No wonder people complain about low response rates.
Another mistake you can make with your profile text: You really go for broke and start bragging about materialistic things – something like this:
"After driving my sports car home from the gym, I'm going to make myself comfortable on the roof deck and enjoy an expensive bottle of wine."
And what people are likely to respond to such a profile description? That's right – the ones who would love to take a spin in a sports car and need a fine wine with a scenic view afterwards. Not necessarily people ready for a romantic relationship; it’s a rather superficial start.
You could say: You get what you put into it. After all, with your profile design, you determine whom you want to address in online dating.
You should also avoid common sentences that can be found in every third profile.
"I am spontaneous, open-minded, fond of traveling and romantic."
A string of adjectives that also gives little information about who is behind the profile.
Now is the time to show you a few examples of a successful profile description. Creativity and authenticity are particularly important here. It’s important that you always provide truthful information. A white lie in a dating profile will come to light at the first meeting, at the latest, and may spoil your chances.
A reasonable profile description could look like this:
"I’m up for anything, although I definitely prefer to spend time by the sea. I love being able to see across a vast distance and let my thoughts run free. I would like to have a partner with whom I can enjoy the moment."
Here the author describes his passion for the sea and at the same time expresses concrete wishes for spending time with his potential partner. The length makes the text seem much more personalized and will probably appeal to more members.
Or take a look at this:
"I've had enough of this game of hide and seek and I'm ready to find you. All you need is to be fond of animals and know exactly what you want. If you’re also enthusiastic about badminton, maybe we should take each other on sometime soon. Loser pays for dinner afterwards."
In this example, the writer not only shows that he has a sense of humor, he also directly expresses qualities that a potential partner should have. This makes contacts who meet these requirements feel explicitly addressed.
The more specific the description in your online dating profile is, the more likely it is to stand out and reach the right members. The most important thing is that you are authentic and honest and don’t get caught up pretending what you’re not when creating your profile.
3. General expert tips for a good dating profile
You're always warming the bench in online dating, always waiting to get in the game? Then we have a few more top-notch tips that are easy to implement and will greatly increase your chances of success.
- Show off with professional pictures
- It's all in the mix
- Be authentic
- Be confident in your description
- Pay attention to spelling
Show off with professional pictures
Many singles claim that they don’t attach importance to appearances, but this is simply a lie. After all, if we’re honest, the pictures on a dating profile are what catches your eye and opens doors. If you don’t like the pictures or classify someone as unattractive, you’re not going to read the rest of the profile with serious interest.
Here, experts even recommend hiring a professional photographer. Poorly composed or blurry shots are just not the key to success on dating apps. The background plays an important role in profile pictures. You only have photos in front of a messy background, drawing attention away from yourself? Such photos have no place on your dating profile. The same goes for pictures that show a whole group of people and make profile visitors guess which one you are.
Your pictures should be good quality and show only you. And with the right shots, you've already achieved half of an appealing profile design. What else should you pay attention to in the photos section?
It’s all in the mix
Of course, there should be more than one picture of you. And it's best to create a colorful mix of great shots in your profile. You like to wear a jacket and slacks, but can do the sporty look? Instead of choosing one outfit for your profile, you should use both and showcase your versatility. Then, add shots of you playing sports or doing your hobbies and your profile impression takes on a whole new personality. While you're smiling happily into the camera in one photo, you might be looking pensively into the distance in another. Remember: Monotony isn't sexy or appealing, and this goes for photos, too.
Use the pictures in your profile to present yourself from different facets, so you’re guaranteed to arouse the interest of more than just one woman. Granted, the one woman would be enough – but even she probably likes profiles that are easy on the eye.
The golden rule is:
Be authentic
It’s important that you feel comfortable with your profile design, that you’re completely yourself in it. There’s no point in creating a fictitious character and pretending to be someone you’re not. As soon as you start getting involved with someone, they’ll notice that you haven’t been truthful and this won’t end well. That's why you should always make sure to be true to yourself, both in your pictures and in your profile description.
Being authentic also means defining your desires and goals. Want to meet someone who shares your love for animals? Then this point should be in your profile – there’s no point in keeping it a secret. It’s only if you yourself are "real" that you can also expect to meet people who really fit you and your personality. If you just try to work yourself up into something you’re not on your online dating profile, you’re not only fooling others, but also yourself.
Self-confident approach in the description
Yes, you're single and that's why you're looking for a relationship online. But that's no reason to be desperate and especially no reason to appear desperate. Sentences like "I'm just not successful in real life and I'm trying my luck here now" just reek of desperation and are not going to arouse interest.
It’s particularly people who don't broadcast a confident demeanor in everyday life that online dating offers an opportunity. No one can see if you're sweating when you write or beaming ear-to-ear when you get a response. So there's no reason to be insecure. Forget the wishy-washy “could” verbs in your profile description and replace them with active sentences. A confident demeanor is a real boost for your online dating profile.
Pay attention to spelling
Last but not least, the icing on the cake for an appealing profile description: Intelligence is sexy and that includes mastering spelling and punctuation. Women who have completed a rigorous education themselves pay a lot of attention to how their potential partner expresses himself. Before you finalize your profile, you should proofread your texts or have them checked by someone else. Don’t let it fail because of mistakes you made when you were nervous in the heat of the moment.
In conclusion
Crafting a great profile is a controversial topic among online dating users. Some think they need to exaggerate in order to appear more interesting while others consider a profile entirely unnecessary. In truth, a detailed dating profile is mandatory. It’s the whole basis for getting a foot in the door when looking for a partner.
But it’s not only about pretty pictures at high resolution. The profile text, in particular, deserves a lot of attention and can be the sole reason you’re passed over. Women pay a lot of attention to how men present themselves, at this stage in the game. Take your time to craft a good profile – don’t rush it. The minutes you invest here will pay off in the end in your partner search.