How to Present a Great Online Profile Part 1

When you’re getting ready to prepare an online profile, know that first impressions still count, just as much, if not more so, online than they do in a face-to-face meeting. After all, online, someone can close a browser window or click right past your profile, whereas in physical space, you have more time to get to know a person.

It is not to say that you should hire a professional writer to pen your life’s story, but you will want to take some time and mull over the details because everyone who reads it will think it is the “real you”. Your online profile should be a true and accurate reflection of who you are because it will attract people that you may be genuinely compatible with. If what you write is full of embellishments and inaccuracies, expect to be disappointed at the type of matches you receive. Keep in mind that the whole point of dating online is to find someone who complements the deeper parts of who you are, so be yourself, first a foremost.

It isn’t easy to sit down and write about yourself in a way that is meant to be more of an advertisement than a biography. What should say? What should you leave out? Is it even possible to write a great online profile for yourself objectively? Yes. Often times getting started with your profile is the hardest part, so if you feel like you are suffering from writer’s block, do what writers to – write.

 Sit down and compile a grocery list of all the words that come to mind when you think of yourself – funny, articulate, good at math, creative, reliable, calm. Use a thesaurus, be creative and don’t hold back. Make another list of what words your friends would use to describe you. Make a list of all of the activities that you like to do. Next, write down some words that describe your life – crazy, hectic, scheduled, full, happy, calm. Soon, you’ll find that you have handfuls of words to use, which should help jumpstart the writing process by getting you into the mindset of you. Now you just need to build sentences around them.

 Talk about You

 This section of an online dating profile is what most people will read and judge for themselves. They will browse your paragraphs for words that pique their interests. This is where your lists will come in handy. Be sure to use as many of the words as you can without sounding mechanical. This method will give people an idea of what to think when they are wondering who you are. Your words will paint a positive mental picture in their heads of what kind of person you are.

Be aware of how you craft your profile. Vary your sentences. Don’t make them all the same, or, no matter what you write, people will get bored. Don’t be afraid of big words and bold statements. This is the time and place to toot your own horn. It’s your personal advertising space and it’s meant to help you attract as many new shoppers as possible, so spend some extra time on making things interesting.

Part 2 continued next month