You've decided to take a chance with online dating. Making that choice was no easy task - you're putting your name, images, likes, dislikes, and baring your desires to your potential soulmate (as well as the many others looking at your profile). If you phrase your story one way, you can sound conceited. If you change a few words around, you could sound desperate.
Before you go crazy deciding what you should and should not post on your profile, here are some quick tips to make your profile stand out amongst the others.
Ask a friend
A friend may know you better than you know yourself. They have been there through all the great moments in your life, as well as times of struggle. So, why not ask them for some interesting facts and stories about yourself that are worth sharing.
Avoid clichés
Everyone enjoys long walks on the beach or saying they are 'laid back, easy-going, and love going out with friends'. You are trying to tell your story. Say something unique; something that only you would say. The people looking at your profile know nothing about you. Give them a reason to read further.
Stay positive
Of course, everyone has had bad stuff happen to them in their lifetime. Everyone has gone through heartache and slumps. And yes, down the line, those are topics you should share with a potential significant other. But, for now, you should avoid negativity and always be positive about yourself.
Be specific
Do you love traveling? Share where you have been and where you would love to go next? Do you enjoy going to the movies? What was your favorite moviegoing experience and why? Anything concrete like this makes you more of a real person to anyone reading.
Be honest
It's simple - honesty is the best policy. If you want to form a strong, meaningful relationship with someone, they should accept you for who you really are. There is no need to embellish or lie. Sooner or later the truth will come out, and that won't be good for either parties.
Check your grammar
Not everyone has the keen eye of an editor for The New York Times. Typos and other grammatical errors can happen to the best of us. In the world of online dating, poor grammar is a big turnoff. This is especially true if the error was intentional, and you are typing as if within a text message. So, be careful. Have a friend look your profile over or put it through a word processor before making it public.
Short and sweet
You wouldn't introduce yourself to someone in a bar with your entire life history, so don't do it online. You want to write enough to give people a good idea of who you are and what you are looking for. Having said that, you should save some for the actual chatting.
Have fun
Most people want to find someone who can make them laugh, so show people you have a sense of humor. If you can make someone laugh, it's a great icebreaker and could get your conversation off to a great start.
Your profile is all about you, which means you get to talk about what you like, what you love, and what you want. The more your profile highlights what's great about you, the better.