Attractive, smart, and successful men everywhere may be puzzled by the lack of response to their online dating profiles. This article outlines five top reasons why women may be quick to reject certain men on dating sites.

Online dating is an increasingly popular way for eligible men to meet interesting woman, but, unfortunately, this avenue isn’t immune to the snap judgments and superficial filters commonplace in conventional dating. In fact, because dating sites allow women to effortlessly search, block, and favorite potential mates, creating the illusion of a never ending supply of suitors, guys must be especially careful when crafting their online dating personas to avoid immediate dismissal. Here are some top reasons why your profile might have women quickly fumbling for the back button.

1 – You sound unbelievable full of yourself

Resist the urge to treat your profile like a diary/resume, as you risk appearing painfully self-obsessed. Yes, we want to know more about you, but your 2,000 word essay detailing your ten year ascension into your perfect job just makes you sound pompous and self-aggrandizing. Instead, opt for more generalized language, like ‘successful financial planner,’ or ‘very happy with my job.’ This brings home the point, while still piquing our interests.

2 – Your picture is kind of creepy

Online dating has the distinct advantage of giving users full control of first impressions, making it almost inexcusable to display strange or unflattering pictures. Avoid pictures that were taken from an awkwardly low angle, that include your shower curtain as the backdrop, or that feature you in a fedora. Forgo the hard, aloof expressions best suited for male models, using instead pictures that showcase a warm, genuine smile. Try pictures from a night out with friends or from your best friend’s wedding, as you will likely exude personality and confidence. Just remember to crop, particularly if your buddy is slightly more attractive. And if you like to include body shots, please adhere to a 2:1 ratio of clothed to shirtless photos.

3 – You create unreasonably high expectations

Even a beautiful, confident woman may be taken aback by a laundry list of partner requirements, particularly if they’re mostly superficial. Instead, politely mention deal breakers, such as smoking or having nine cats, while describing a few of your preferences using welcoming language. (“Although, I appreciate women of all shapes, I find myself often attracted to curvy women.”) Refrain from posting any pictures with a svelte, devastating hot friend or ex-girlfriend, as this just invites women to see how they stack up. And, under no circumstances, mention by name any models or actresses who you think are the ‘ideal woman.’ Not only is it exceedingly unlikely you’ll woo her carbon copy, but you run the risk of sending away an attractive women with feelings of inadequacy.

4 -You sound stupid

Yes, you list your occupation as a civil engineer, but your grammar and syntax are deplorable. Is it fair to conclude that you’re unintelligent because you failed to use the past perfect tense while describing your recent vacation? No, but without the benefit of conversation or nonverbal cues, we are forced to use something to gauge your intelligence. So turn off caps lock, spell out any text shorthand, and take ten minutes to copy and paste text into a word processing document for spelling and grammar help. This way we can focus on what a great guy you are, not your inadequate use of punctuation.

5. You sound like you’re looking for sex

If you are actually looking exclusively for casual sex, feel free to skip this one. But for those men who are looking for something more, please be aware that certain words and phrases, such as ‘healthy sex drive’ or ‘enjoys being physical,’ send the message that a shallow, physical relationship is your main objective. Either you will attract women who seek that particular type of relationship or repel the ones who do not. Rest assured that any woman reading your profile assumes you like sex, so don’t feel compelled to needlessly reference your carnal desires. Instead, use that space to describe your most enduring personality characteristics that would make us swoon at the chance to be with you emotionally and sexually.

Remember that the real key to online dating is capturing a woman’s interest enough to set up an offline meeting. With some thoughtful editing and mindfulness to presentation, you can increase your chances of finding a wonderful mate.

Personal Profiles First Impressions, Men, Personal Profiles

If you’re taking someone out on a date, you want to make the best impression you can, right? And while you’d like to think that your car isn’t going to be the thing that your date judges you on – think again.

The truth is that having a great car will certainly get you noticed but if you find that your date is actually judging you on your car….watch out.

That said, you don’t want to show up in a clunker either.

So, if you don’t have a Porsche (and how many of us actually do?), there are some ways to make sure that your date doesn’t recoil in horror when they see you pull up.

Get the car washed – Really, this takes only a few minutes of your time and it will certainly make it look like you care about your car and about how you look to your date.

Vacuum the inside out – With just a regular vacuum or one of the vacuums that they have at the local gas station, vacuum out the inside of the car. Take your time doing this and make sure that you’re removing all of the pet hair, dust, and dirt that might have built up.

Grab an air freshener – One of the little trees that you can hang in your car can help to make sure your car smells fresh – but don’t hang it from your rearview mirror. Put it in your car for the entire day before your date and remove it right before you leave for the date itself. That way, you’re not overpowering the car with ‘new car’ scent, but it still smells great.

While you’re saving up for a fancy car, you can make your car look as nice as possible. And hopefully your date will be focusing on you and not the price tag of their ride.

Tips and Ideas Clean, Date Ideas, First Impressions

Though the pressure to be ‘on’ during a first date is high enough, when you are dating during the holidays, it can be downright terrifying. You don’t want to make the date too special, but you also don’t want to ignore the holidays and come off as a Scrooge.

Relax.

Here are some fun holiday date ideas:

Go to local light shows – Many towns will have tree lighting ceremonies or places where lights will be strung up in large displays. Go to these with a warm mug of hot chocolate for a fun night.

The theater is filled – With many holiday inspired ballets and shows, you might be able to impress an artistic date by taking him or her to the theater. Look at the local high schools and churches too for options.

Find lights on your own – By driving around your local neighborhoods, you can find homes with extensive light displays – for free. This will give you plenty of time to talk while exploring the city.

Go completely opposite the season – Instead of thinking about frosty walks, try going to the beach (if you have one) during the day. The change of scenery can remind you that this is still any other time of year and you’ll certainly get points for originality.

Tips and Ideas Date Ideas, First Dates, First Impressions, Holidays