BreakingModern — If your New Year’s resolution was to find love, how’s that working for you now that it’s spring? “Fall in love” was the ninth most popular resolution in 2015 and relationship-related goals made up more than 30 percent of all resolutions. Online dating sites report an annual spike in activity each year after the new year, with Match.com’s new member signups increasing 30 percent every year in the period between Christmas and Valentine’s Day.
Now, as we slide into spring, it’s time to take stock of your wannabe relationship status. Here are three tips to amp up your online dating profile.
For singles, this means January is a great time to join a site like Match.com or eHarmony. But while heavy activity will bring a greater pool of dating possibilities, it also means heavier competition. To stand out in pages full of photos, an online dater must put together a winning profile. Here are three tips to help improve your chances, regardless of the online dating site you choose.
Choose the Right Photos
On many dating sites, users peruse pages of photos, searching for ones that stand out. A good profile photo often means the difference between someone giving a profile a second look or moving past it. There are certain types of photos that do betters than others on online dating sites and your profile picture is the most important of these.
Your profile picture shouldn’t be the only photo of you. In fact, one eHarmony study revealed that the more pictures your profile has, the better. Try to add a variety of pictures in any number of scenarios and, most importantly, be honest. Posting photos that are outdated or heavily altered with software will only result in a disappointing first date that leads to no second date.
Write to Impress
Before you write your profile, spend some time looking at other profiles on the site. What stands out? What makes you want to hit the back button? Craft a description of yourself and your interests that is positive and true to your personality.
Most importantly, proofread your profile before posting. If you’re grammatically challenged, consider asking a friend to review your profile statement for errors. While this isn’t an English paper, a profile full of typos and poorly-structured sentences can scare people off.
Approach Others
Instead of posting your profile and waiting for someone to contact you, search profiles and initiate contact with those who catch your interest. Your first message should be casual, using proper grammar and avoiding sounding like a pick-up artist. OKCupid advises looking at the member’s interests and mentioning something from that area of the profile, rather than saying something about his or her physical appearance.
Online dating is now the second most popular way to meet through matchmakers, with friends being first on the list. While these services aren’t for everyone, they can serve as a great way to meet other people and learn more about what you do and don’t want in a mate. With January being such a popular month for these sites, there’s no time like the present to check them out. Good luck.
For BMod, I’m Stephanie Faris.
First/Featured Image: © sakkmesterke / Dollar Photo Club
Second Image: © Johan Larson / Dollar Photo Club