You have finally taken the plunge, and signed up to an online dating site. You’ve heard all of the stories about married couples who met online, and are sure you could be part of this era of tech savvy daters.
However, what the heck do you put on your profile? Is less really more, or should you put every detail of your personality? After all, if they don’t like you for you, what’s the point – right? Wrong!
When you meet someone IRL, you don’t know everything about them – you know what you see – and you learn from there. So what should we share and how should we approach online dating?
Don’t be negative
Can you imagine if someone gave you a list the moment you met them, detailing their flaws, or worse – all the things they hate? You would walk away. This is what often happens on dating sites, we run into negative profiles and don’t pursue what could have been a fruitful opportunity.
People would rather read about the things you love doing, your passions, and the things that motivate you to get up in the morning. The world can be a crazy place, and it’s better to see the positives and spread a little bit of that around.
Don’t overshare
Your profile is your opportunity to give prospective dates a snapshot of your personality. The aim is to make people wonder about you, and intrigue them enough that they spark up a conversation.
If you go into this listing your pets names, what grades you got in high school, what your star sign says about you, and a day in your life, people will probably have lost interest by the time they know you got a C in Maths.
If you’re interesting, they will learn all of this when they meet you, so just give people a short insight into who you are.
… But Don’t undershare
So you’re tall, dark and handsome/cute, fun, blonde? NEXT! What makes you different and special? Chances are if your profile consists of a few words, and you are relying on your image to get you noticed, you may only be noticed for the wrong thing.
No Bio at all will make you seem uninterested and distant. If you are really committed to finding someone, put the effort in and write a little about yourself, to attract someone who is likeminded.
Don’t lie
Claiming that you love the beach (when in reality you like lying in a sun lounger and moan the moment a grain of sand gets between your toes) is both pointless and unhelpful for the person trying to get to know you.
It is also not wise to fib about your age (it’s just a number after all), and nothing good ever comes out of starting with a lie or relevant omission.
Don’t be too trusting
We are used to exposing our whole lives to the world via social media nowadays, yet we should still remember that the people on the other side of your computer are complete strangers.
It is crucial to NOT reveal personal details such as your telephone number and address online. Your parents warned you about years ago, and the same rules apply today.
Protect yourself, but ultimately, have fun with online dating, and you should find that a little effort goes a long way.
