With Internet dating becoming more popular, you need to pay particular attention to your dating profile to increase your chances of finding dates. As competition is fierce on most dating websites, a poor quality profile can significantly dent your success.

Your Username
Most people create an online username without paying too much attention to it, but it can have a big effect on how you come across to other members of the website. This is not that surprising when you consider that your username is often one of the first things that prospective dates will see when they encounter you. Choosing something original and quirky that reflects your personality can draw attention and spark interest.

Your Profile Photograph
If you do not include a photograph as part of your profile, it is likely that it will not receive too many views. Research has suggested that you are eight times more likely to be contacted by other members if you upload a good quality photograph. Most prospective dates will want to see what you look like before making contact with you. Make sure that the photograph is up-to-date. If you upload an older photograph to entice other members, you will not be able to maintain the pretence if one of your admirers wants to meet you.

Be Truthful
It is tempting to expand the truth or even lie to appear more interesting to prospective dates, but this is not the best idea. Lies and half truths are likely to catch up with you sooner or later. Even if this is not the case, being economical with the truth is not the ideal start for a new relationship.

Be Positive
Using active language can make you appear more confident and assertive to prospective dates. For example, you can encourage prospective dates to get in touch with you if they like your profile. It is often a good idea to include a list of qualities that you desire in a partner to discourage responses from members who would not be compatible with your requirements. At the same time, avoid listing the qualities that you do not want in a prospective partner as this can make you come across as too negative and choosy. Generally speaking, positivity will work wonders in terms of how you are perceived.

Your profile can make or break your online dating success, so it makes sense to spend time making it as good as you can. Most people will find that either their “about me” section or photos could be improved, but it is often hard to look at it objectively. If this is the case for you, ask a friend to look over what you’ve done and suggest areas that could be improved. A friend can often suggest or highlight positive aspects about your personality that you hadn’t thought of or weren’t even aware of yourself!

By Sally A

Personal Profiles Personality, Photos, Profile

Let’s face it, online dating is a hot bed of lies. Everyone does it, it seems, whether it is small little lies (fudging on your weight, shaving a year or two off your real age) or great big whoppers (you’re married? Really?) of all kinds.

But even though we all know just about every online dating profile contains at least one lie or half-truth, how good are we at spotting that little lie? It turns out there is research out there that reveals the most common areas in which people lie, and not surprisingly there are some differences between what men lie about and what women lie about.

Men, it turns out, are most likely to lie about their income and their height. I suppose this isn’t too surprising, given how many women talk about looking for that “tall, handsome, wealthy guy” as their ideal dating partner. And if you have any doubts about whether this is true, the next time you’re online at a dating site take note of how many men claim to be at least six feet tall and have incomes of over $85,000 per year.

As for women, they too have weak areas when it comes to lying in their online profiles. The most common lies told by women are their weight and their physical build – surprise!

At least there is one area of common ground when it comes to not quite telling the truth in an online profile. Both women and men are just as likely to lie about their age, especially those who are over the age of 40. These are the people who are most likely to list themselves as in their mid to late thirties.

Don’t say you haven’t been warned!

Personal Profiles Height, Income, Lies, Profile, Weight

When you’re browsing through love profiles online, you might be blinded by the love. You might find that all of your potential love interests seem to be into you, so you’re willing to do anything – even catch and pass on a dangerous love bug.

A computer virus.

Just like other more intimate moments, you need to make sure you’re protecting yourself and others from viruses that plague the online dating world. Even if you’re certain your computer is clean, another person’s computer may not.

And not everyone is exactly what they seem to be.

First of all, never, ever click on any links in emails from others you don’t really know. These can be routes into your computer for phishing attacks and hackers. Yes, this means you even need to avoid those cute-sy e-cards that everyone is sending. They can be virus-toting time bombs.

It’s also a good idea to avoid giving out your personal information to anyone – especially password information. While this should be common sense, you need to realize that hackers know how vulnerable you might be as a struggling single.

But you need to make sure they don’t get what they want – your money and your data.

To further protect yourself, make sure your email address for your online dating account isn’t your ‘real’ email address. Sign up for a free account with Hotmail, for example, to keep your life and your dating separate. This will only hinder cyber attacks more.

You can be safe and clean from this modern love bug. And don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Safety Cyber Attacks, Disease, Identity, Love, Money, Online Safety, Profile, Virus