It used to be that finding a person online to date was something that would make you feel like a loser, an object of derision, and.
But the reality is that what used to be an outlier form of behavior is now straight in the mainstream. In the 1970s, going to singles bars was a top way to meet people to date.
In 2013, online dating is one of the more popular ways to find a significant other.
Even Martha Stewart is trying her hand at online dating these days.
So whatever stigma there used to be about online dating is long gone – it is now a billion dollar business, with millions of Americans meeting dating partners online.
There are some real advantages to finding someone online: you have a much wider pool to choose from,
you can learn more quickly about the person’s interests than if you met them randomly, and you can seek possible dating partners on your own schedule.
Of course, there are disadvantages to online dating as well, most notably safety issues and people not saying they are who they are,
but those problems also can happen in face-to-face dating situations as well.
Life coach experts advice this when coming up with a terrific online dating profile
So how do you write a dating profile that others will find enticing? Here are some tips.
Use a photo – a real photo — of you
Even if you are shy, life coach professionals say it is important to put a photo of you on the profile. Because if you don’t, most online daters will think that there is something very wrong with you and move on.
(Yes, they are superficial. Just like real life.)
Here are some things to consider about the photo:
- Put up a recent photo of yourself, please. You may have put on a few pounds, gone bald, or are not comfortable with the way you look now.
But even you looking, well, human, will be better than no photo.
But skip the shirtless or swimsuit shots – they come across as awkward and desperate.
- Do not use a photo of you with somebody else in your profile shot: Many would-be matches will reject you if they see you in the picture with somebody else.
What is even worse is when the photo is obviously cut out from a picture with another person.
Awkward. If you don’t have a good photo of yourself, then get one taken professionally, or have a friend take it. It is worth the effort.
- Don’t be too demanding, but don’t be a doormat, either. It is fine – even encouraged – to write down a basic list of what you are looking for in a partner.
But having too many demands is too much. Unless you’re as wealthy as Bill Gates or as attractive as Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie, you don’t have that much to offer.
On the other hand, just wanting a warm body isn’t really appealing, either.
Be honest, but don’t share too much
Life coach experts say that you should show the real you, but don’t do it all at once.
Just how in a real-life date you wouldn’t tell everybody your problems with the IRS, and how you don’t get along with your mother, don’t do that in your profile, either.
Click here to learn more about how best to present yourself.
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Lisa Swan writes for a variety of life and career coaching sites. She lives in New York City.