When it comes to online dating, your profile is how other users see you. It is all about making a good first impression, and your online profile accomplishes this, if it’s done correctly. Hopefully, this article will help you to create an online profile that gets a lot of attention.

Contact Information

The first part of this online dating guide pertains to your safety. If you failed to read it, take a couple of seconds to do so. It isn’t a boring or long article, but it lists plenty of facts that will help keep you safe.

Understand that you should never provide personal contact information on your online profile. Reputable dating services won’t allow this, which means they have safeguards in place for your protection. But on the other hand, a few dating services don’t have these types of checks in place. So, never put contact info on an online dating profile.

As an added precaution, use a separate email account when signing up for online dating services. If successful, you’ll get a lot of emails from interested users. Keep dating emails separate from personal or business emails. Set up an email account that is used specifically for online dating.

Your Picture

Your picture is the first thing that other users see when looking at your profile. If it is a bad one, most users will just move on to another person. Thus, use the following tips for choosing the right profile picture:

- Never use a passport photo. These pictures are never flattering.
- Don’t attempt to be cutesy picture by making funny faces for the picture. Yes, you are probably nervous, but this will only exaggerate your insecurities. Just be yourself and act natural. Let your true self shine through.
- Don’t show a cheesy smile or grin. Once again, just be yourself and act natural. Get someone in the background to make you smile.
- Tilt your head slightly to the left or right. Do not take a picture where you are turned forward and staring directly into the camera. Don’t earn the nickname of “moon face.”
- Choose the best lighting. Make sure the picture is in a soft lighting environment, which means avoid direct sunlight. This is why photographers use reflective umbrellas. They do wonders to spread and soften light. Too much sunlight is bad, but you also want to make sure the area is well lit. Consider taking your picture by a window that has soft lighting.
- Keep it clean and professional. Yes, you want to look attractive, but don’t make it too sexy. Remember, whatever you put out is probably what you’ll get back. Think about the type of person that you’re trying to attract. Also, if you are a man, don’t mention anything about sex in your profile.
- Hire a professional photographer, if it’s in the budget. This is probably the best way to get a photo that not only makes you look great, but it’ll also attract a lot of potential dating prospects.

Your Introductory Line

Numerous dating services let you write an opening or introductory line. It is shown as a link on the home page, and it links to your detailed profile. This opening line is just as important as your profile picture, and it could be the main attention grabber for your profile. If it isn’t interesting, a lot of people won’t clink the link to see your detailed profile.

Quite naturally, you want people to click through to your profile. Don’t write something that makes you look creepy, outdated or crazy. Write the best intro you have ever written. What do you want the dating world to know about you? Think about what you have to offer and put it into your opening line. Grab their attention and make them want to learn more about you. However, do not use this as a way to be dishonest.

You want to make yourself more desirable, but don’t lie to do it. For example, if you aren’t a millionaire, then don’t give the impression that you live a luxurious life. What if you finally get a chance to meet someone new? What happens once they find out that you don’t live in a mansion or drive an expensive car? How will you salvage the relationship then? It is best to tell the truth about yourself in the best way possible. But don’t make your opening line too boring either.

Basically, you want someone to look at your profile and tell who you are just by looking at it. This includes providing great answers for the dating service’s questions. Giving honest straightforward answers will help you in two different ways. First, it will help others to see you for who you really are. Secondly, it helps the dating service to find better dating matches for you. If you lie and exaggerate the truth when answering these questions, you may never find the right match.

There is another reason why you shouldn’t lie about who you are. Remember that your picture is associated with the answers that are provided on your online profile. What happens if you meet someone offline who has viewed your online profile, and you provided dishonest answers about yourself? Not only does this jeopardize your chances of meeting someone online, but it could also mess up your chances of meeting anyone offline as well.

All in all, the goal is to find someone special. This requires being honest and grabbing the attention of potential dating prospects. Thus, answer the dating service’s questions as honestly as possible. Although being honest is very important, this doesn’t mean that you have to give boring answers. Consider adding a little humor to your answers.

Yes, you may be nervous or doubtful about the whole online dating process, but don’t show it. If your profile shows you as being a happy, confident person who is full of life, you’ll probably attract the same type of people, which is a good thing overall.