Creating your Online Dating Profile
Before writing your profile, ask yourself, “What is unique about me? What makes me special?” Too many people resort to writing platitudes, such as “I like to have fun.” Or “My friends are important to me.” Well who doesn’t like to have fun? If your friends aren’t important to you, then they are not really friends, are they? In other words, inform readers about what makes you unique. Do you like eating Twizzlers while watching science fiction late at night? If so, write about it! Not only will you stand out, but you’ll gain a better chance of attracting someone who either shares or appreciates your interests.
7/30/2007
7/26/2007
Three Tips to Build a Better Online Dating Profile
The competition for attention on online dating services is intense. So intense, in fact, that some people resort to lying or posting outdated photos to try and attract that next date. It's vital that you are honest in your profile and through your photos so that you don't meet (or interact) with others under false pretenses.
So then what are some important things you can do to build a better profile? Here are three specific profile tips you can use to improve your profile right now.
1) Avoid Negativity
Have you ever gone out on a first date where the person you were with complained about his/her work, ex, etc? Such negative talk is a major turnoff. Likewise, negativity is a major turnoff in your profile. Being positive is like a magnet. Being negative is like wearing a skunk aroma. Here's how one person actually began her profile:
"To be quite honest, I have been putting this off as long as possible. I have friends who use Match and have had some terrible dates."
This begs to ask, "what are you doing here?" Now contrast that to this profile introduction:
"I've heard online dating is a great way to meet awesome people and that's why I want to meet you."
Which one of these profile intros is more attractive? The one who wants to date "losers" or the one that wants to date "winners"? Psychologically everyone wants to be a winner. Therefore in your profile, avoid anything negative like the plague. Be positive.
If you have anything negative in your profile ("I hate country music," "the last guy I dated was a liar and cheater," "I'm sick of being alone," "I'm sick of the bar scene," etc.) then go edit it out immediately and replace it with something positive ("I love independent music and artists, like..."). Always be positive; not just in your profile, but also in life.
2) Go From Typical to Unique
Read this profile and tell me if you recognize it:
"I am a fun person who loves movies and music. I like walks on the beach, good conversation, and dining out. I'm looking for someone who is fun and can make me laugh."
Unfortunately, the above describes most profiles - typical and non-informative. Beef up your profile to be more descriptive and unique. Instead of "I like movies," say "my favorite movie is ____ because _______" or use a movie character to describe you. "I'm a lot like _____ in ______ because _______."
Use clever words that are descriptive. Instead of saying "on hot days I like to go to the ocean or on a hike," say, "on a sizzling day my adventurous side leads me to traversing the ocean on a sailboat or discovering a new waterfall that I can cool off under."
Instead of "I like to discover new things," say, "I'm a lot like Indiana Jones in that I love exploring the mysteries of life, while educating my mind to appreciate new things."
Strive to make your profile unordinary by spicing it up sentence by sentence. Be descriptive, unique, and fun!
3) Filter Out Unwanteds
Your profile isn't about getting responses. It is about getting responses from the type of person you are attracted to. Therefore, use descriptions to help narrow your focus to what you want so that you get responses from who you're looking for.
Instead of "I'm looking for someone fun and humorous," say, "I'm looking for a lighthearted man between the ages of 24 and 29 who enjoys the humorous side of life. If you are clean-shaven and can hold a conversation during a 150 mile car journey, then we may be a match. Email me."
In the above example, you created three filters - an age filter (24 and 29), and appearance filter (clean-shaven) and a communication filter (good-communicator). And you did it without offending. But you also created a response filter ("...we may be a match. Email me.") You've helped tell the person what the next step is if they meet your criteria. You've created a call to action, which will help direct interested parties to email you versus waiting.
By Joe Tracy Publisher of Online Dating Magazine
So then what are some important things you can do to build a better profile? Here are three specific profile tips you can use to improve your profile right now.
1) Avoid Negativity
Have you ever gone out on a first date where the person you were with complained about his/her work, ex, etc? Such negative talk is a major turnoff. Likewise, negativity is a major turnoff in your profile. Being positive is like a magnet. Being negative is like wearing a skunk aroma. Here's how one person actually began her profile:
"To be quite honest, I have been putting this off as long as possible. I have friends who use Match and have had some terrible dates."
This begs to ask, "what are you doing here?" Now contrast that to this profile introduction:
"I've heard online dating is a great way to meet awesome people and that's why I want to meet you."
Which one of these profile intros is more attractive? The one who wants to date "losers" or the one that wants to date "winners"? Psychologically everyone wants to be a winner. Therefore in your profile, avoid anything negative like the plague. Be positive.
If you have anything negative in your profile ("I hate country music," "the last guy I dated was a liar and cheater," "I'm sick of being alone," "I'm sick of the bar scene," etc.) then go edit it out immediately and replace it with something positive ("I love independent music and artists, like..."). Always be positive; not just in your profile, but also in life.
2) Go From Typical to Unique
Read this profile and tell me if you recognize it:
"I am a fun person who loves movies and music. I like walks on the beach, good conversation, and dining out. I'm looking for someone who is fun and can make me laugh."
Unfortunately, the above describes most profiles - typical and non-informative. Beef up your profile to be more descriptive and unique. Instead of "I like movies," say "my favorite movie is ____ because _______" or use a movie character to describe you. "I'm a lot like _____ in ______ because _______."
Use clever words that are descriptive. Instead of saying "on hot days I like to go to the ocean or on a hike," say, "on a sizzling day my adventurous side leads me to traversing the ocean on a sailboat or discovering a new waterfall that I can cool off under."
Instead of "I like to discover new things," say, "I'm a lot like Indiana Jones in that I love exploring the mysteries of life, while educating my mind to appreciate new things."
Strive to make your profile unordinary by spicing it up sentence by sentence. Be descriptive, unique, and fun!
3) Filter Out Unwanteds
Your profile isn't about getting responses. It is about getting responses from the type of person you are attracted to. Therefore, use descriptions to help narrow your focus to what you want so that you get responses from who you're looking for.
Instead of "I'm looking for someone fun and humorous," say, "I'm looking for a lighthearted man between the ages of 24 and 29 who enjoys the humorous side of life. If you are clean-shaven and can hold a conversation during a 150 mile car journey, then we may be a match. Email me."
In the above example, you created three filters - an age filter (24 and 29), and appearance filter (clean-shaven) and a communication filter (good-communicator). And you did it without offending. But you also created a response filter ("...we may be a match. Email me.") You've helped tell the person what the next step is if they meet your criteria. You've created a call to action, which will help direct interested parties to email you versus waiting.
By Joe Tracy Publisher of Online Dating Magazine
7/24/2007
Choosing the right online dating service
With hundreds of online dating services, narrowing the choice down can be a difficult task. The important thing is to always read the Privacy Policy, About Us page, and the FAQ page. Each of these will give you a good look into the philosophy of that service, helping make the decision easier.
The information provided below is reputable and the sites have worked hard to make each member’s experience a positive one. Although there are hundreds of other options, these are considered the top choices, being great sites for bringing people together, whether as new friends, or in a romantic aspect.
Top Dating Sites
* Match.com - Probably the most widely used personals site.
* Meetic - Another popular site with great functionality.
* MillionaireMatch - A popular site for finding wealthy soulmates
Also, there are many review and comparison sites out there, just like this one. Each of these online dating services has amazing features and hundreds of singles all looking for the same thing – a connection. Just remember that the key to developing a good, healthy relationship at any level is honesty. You want to present yourself as someone with integrity who is interested in learning about other people.
If you find that you are not getting very many responses to your profile, look at other people of your gender and age to see what they are writing about so you can change your profile to be more appealing. Be sure to include your photos and provide interesting information about yourself without giving out personal information that would compromise your safety. Before you know it, you will be talking to new people and maybe making your own love connection.
Tips for finding that special someone online
The online dating services of today have changed dramatically over the years where now, you will find a service for every situation imaginable. For example, online dating sites of today feature romantic opportunities for people of all ages, financial status, religion, ethnic groups, and geographic locations.
The problem that most singles deal with is not having access to other singles. After all, you can only visit so many bars, restaurants, and coffee houses in hopes of meeting that someone special. For this reason, online dating is a phenomenal solution that provides access to people all across the globe easily, efficiently, conveniently, and affordably!
The technology of today allows you all kinds of options to ensure your dating experience is fun and successful. If you are ready to step up and give online dating a chance, the following tips will help you get started.
1. Location
If you are not in a position of moving, you want most of the online dating services to provide you access to people in your area. While some people can move to a new geographical area, most cannot or will not. Keep in mind that most of the major online dating services feature the option of searching for people where you live while still providing the opportunity for other people in different cities, states, or countries to view your profile, and vice versa.
2. First Impressions
If you were going out to a bar or restaurant in anticipation of meeting someone, you would dress nice, have your hair just right, and smell great, all as a way of making a first impression. Although you would not make these same preparations for online dating, you do need to make a positive impression. Start with your profile. Be honest, witty, and always check your spelling and grammar. Make sure your profile does not ramble on about "stuff" but provides the right type of information to intrigue. The same is true for e-mail communication. Keep the conversation light and fun, providing just enough of the right information to want the person to come back for more.
3. Photographs
Make sure you post photographs with your profile and choose several that show your fun side. The key is to make the person on the other side of the computer smile!
4. Flirt
Can you flirt online? Absolutely you can. In fact, many online dating services provide you with special tools specifically for flirting. You can wink at someone, blow kisses, and send special messages.
5. Options
Keep your options open. For instance, you may receive an e-mail from someone that does not capture your attention right away. However, before you discount that individual, take a minute to read the profile. After all, if it is not a love connection, this person might make an excellent friend.
Good luck finding that special someone online...
The problem that most singles deal with is not having access to other singles. After all, you can only visit so many bars, restaurants, and coffee houses in hopes of meeting that someone special. For this reason, online dating is a phenomenal solution that provides access to people all across the globe easily, efficiently, conveniently, and affordably!
The technology of today allows you all kinds of options to ensure your dating experience is fun and successful. If you are ready to step up and give online dating a chance, the following tips will help you get started.
1. Location
If you are not in a position of moving, you want most of the online dating services to provide you access to people in your area. While some people can move to a new geographical area, most cannot or will not. Keep in mind that most of the major online dating services feature the option of searching for people where you live while still providing the opportunity for other people in different cities, states, or countries to view your profile, and vice versa.
2. First Impressions
If you were going out to a bar or restaurant in anticipation of meeting someone, you would dress nice, have your hair just right, and smell great, all as a way of making a first impression. Although you would not make these same preparations for online dating, you do need to make a positive impression. Start with your profile. Be honest, witty, and always check your spelling and grammar. Make sure your profile does not ramble on about "stuff" but provides the right type of information to intrigue. The same is true for e-mail communication. Keep the conversation light and fun, providing just enough of the right information to want the person to come back for more.
3. Photographs
Make sure you post photographs with your profile and choose several that show your fun side. The key is to make the person on the other side of the computer smile!
4. Flirt
Can you flirt online? Absolutely you can. In fact, many online dating services provide you with special tools specifically for flirting. You can wink at someone, blow kisses, and send special messages.
5. Options
Keep your options open. For instance, you may receive an e-mail from someone that does not capture your attention right away. However, before you discount that individual, take a minute to read the profile. After all, if it is not a love connection, this person might make an excellent friend.
Good luck finding that special someone online...
7/21/2007
Facebook as a dating tool
Finding Facebook friends can be a little intimidating if you are new to the massive social network. There are so many different ways to find people with common interests, and possibly even people to date, that it is certainly worth it to take the time to seek out some good quality Facebook friends.
Facebook is a great place to make friends, but as with any online situation, you need to be careful about what you say and how much information you give out. Everyone in your networks, not just friends, can view your profile, which may include a lot of personal information you don't want to make public. Make sure you review the security settings on your account and block access to anyone who you don't want to be able to see your information.
What is Facebook?
For those who don't know about Facebook already, it is a huge online social networking website. Originally designed for people in college to share information and meet people in the offline world, it has now expanded to include networks of high schools, employers, geographical locations, and more.
Facebook helps people share information and photos in a public setting closed off to people who are not in your particular group, that is, your Facebook friends. Facebook has more than 14 million users and more than 40,000 networks. It is one of the top 10 most visited sites and the number one photo sharing site, according to comScore.
Getting Started with Facebook
Facebook is similar to MySpace in the way it is set up. You'll have a personal page with a blog-like section where you can add information as often as you like. There is room for your name, location, school and work history, birthday, and relationship status.
You can also note whether you are looking for a relationship or just want to make friends on the site. This is a great way to tag your site and let all your Facebook friends know that you're on the lookout for someone special.
The site allows you to post photos, videos and articles, and a list of your Facebook friends will also appear on your site. When you log in you can see the activity of your friends, new messages, friend requests, and more.
Registration is simple, requiring a little basic information to place you in the proper communities. After confirming your registration, you can add yourself to the communities that interest you, update your profile, and search for friends.
Finding Facebook Friends
One interesting function of Facebook is the ability to enter your e-mail address (Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL or MSN) with your password and Facebook will look for the e-mail addresses in your address books to see if any of those people are in Facebook already.
You can also search for keywords such as your hometown, school, other places you have lived, or anything else you want.
Once you have joined a few networks, such as the one for your state, your hometown, your college or employer, for example, you can browse or search those particular people to find more prospects you would like to have as Facebook Friends.
Look at profiles randomly or search by gender, age, relationship status, what the person is interested in or looking for in political views. You can also search by residence, school status, graduation year, and religious views.
It's pretty easy to narrow down the list of hundreds or thousands of contacts to those you're really interested in. Click on a person's name for a more detailed profile and to see their pictures, posts, and friends. You can send people messages or add them to your friends list here as well.
The other person must agree to be your friend in order to be listed as your friend, but most people on Facebook are pretty friendly and interested in increasing their numbers of friends.
Using Facebook for Dating
Facebook, like MySpace and Craig's List was not originally designed as a dating site, but that doesn't mean you can't use it as such. Spend time building up your profile and looking for people with common interests. Ask them to be your friend first, and then get to know them through their blog postings, photo albums, and the comments they leave on yours and other people's sites.
As time goes by you'll probably want to send private messages or off-Facebook e-mails to the person you are interested in. Arrange a meeting in a neutral location (in public) and have fun getting to know each other in the real world.
Facebook is decidedly young in it’s demographics, which is fine if you're young, too, but it might not be that useful to people who are older than probably 35. Because the site started with and grew from college students, that age group represents the majority of people on Facebook. If you're looking for friends or maybe more in that age group, Facebook is a great place to find them.
7/19/2007
Welcome to Dating For The Masses
Welcome to Dating For The Masses.
This blog is dedicated to online dating and will offer hints, tips and help for you to be successful in the online dating scene.
We will also review online dating sites, offer links to new services and explore the world of social networking site that will relevant for you whether you are based in Cape Town, London, Tokyo or New York...
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