Create an Online Dating Profile That Gets Attention

Be truthful, authentic — and post current photos

By Laura Petrecca, AARP, February 8, 2019 | Comments: 0

First the news that is good It’s an opportune time and energy to be solitary and over age 50.

Dating apps and web sites abound, exponentially expanding the pool that is dating. The divorced, widowed and never married can easily connect with potential partners at any time, from any place with a few swipes on a smartphone.

Now the bad news: To engage, you have to create a dating profile that is online.

While the even worse news: To enjoy full benefits, dating specialists state your profile must certanly be upbeat and enticing, and include at the least three present pictures.

Cue the anxiety. For many individuals, it is hard sufficient to help make casual chitchat at a community picnic — much less “sell” their appearance, passions and character faculties to total strangers.

But don’t panic yet — there’s some more great news. Relationship professionals have actually examined what realy works and does not in internet dating pages, and now we’ve gathered some top recommendations. So whether you’re on eHarmony, Tinder or OurTime — or age 51 or 81 — you can find tried-and-true means of making a standout profile.

Here’s how to proceed.

Prioritize your photos. “The value for having great pictures can’t be stressed sufficient, ” says Julie Spira, a dating advisor and a professional when it comes to over-50-focused dating website OurTime. “You’re just as effective as your worst photo. ” Post a number of shots, she states, including a close-up with you smiling (sunglasses off! ), a full-length human anatomy photo, and a task or travel photo. Reticent about showing your system? Here’s some motivation: Users with a photo that is full-body 203 per cent more incoming messages compared to the average, based on information through the dating site Zoosk.

Hog the limelight. Prevent group pictures or intimately provocative shots. Those people who have several person within their picture get 42 percent less communications than normal, Zoosk says. And keep Fido from the framework. Individuals who pose having an animal get 53 percent less communications as compared to average.

Showcase why is you unique. Post photos that highlight the actual, authentic you, states dating mentor and Dates & Mates podcast host Damona Hoffman. “Don’t forget to demonstrate your side that is quirky nerdy part, your goofy part, ” she claims. “That’s what makes you different. ”

Keep your write-up good. Don’t add a washing directory of that which you want and don’t wish in a intimate partner, states Meredith Golden, a ghostwriter for dating internet site and app users, whom helps customers art online profiles. Saying you’ll only date some body with particular characteristics, such as for instance tall or athletic, “makes you appear negative, ” and you also could disqualify an individual who could possibly be a perfect match, she claims.

Sprinkle in engaging tidbits. Ditch nondescriptive and overused expressions such as “I look more youthful than my age” or “I favor to just simply take beach walks, ” Spira says. Rather, share five or six brief, interesting information about your interests, along with basic fun facts, Golden states. A few examples are: “I make a killer grilled cheese, ” “I happened to be the captain swing town website of my twelfth grade bowling team” or “I know the taco place that is best into the city. ”

Offer a conversation beginner. Offer up an opening line, such as “ask me exactly what we’m reading” or “if you’re not sure things to message me personally about, just enquire about my dog, ” in the final end of the profile, states Megan Murray, editor in chief of Zoosk’s on line mag The Date Mix. “It causes it to be less complicated for somebody you have matched with to give you a note. ”

Be honest. Forgo the urge to lie about age, height, body type or absolutely other things. “You want to have truth in marketing, ” Hoffman claims. “People is likely to be upset if you present your self within one means and show up one other way. You’re setting the building blocks for a relationship, and also you don’t wish to set it up predicated on a lie, ” Honesty may be the trait that is top by female online daters 50 and older as well as the second many wanted one by men for the reason that age bracket, based on an analysis of Zoosk pages.

Leave down anything very personal. Don’t post pinpointing information such as for example your property or work target, a web link to your site or an image of a visible license plate number to your car, Spira states. And save yourself any pictures of young ones or grandkids for social networking websites such as for example Facebook, where you can take control of your privacy settings.

Enlist an editor. When you complete your draft, get candid feedback from the close buddy with good judgment, Golden says. Ask that pal to review sentence structure, spelling and tone, along with your photo selection. Revise and continue steadily to make tweaks “until you feel that you’re representing the greatest form of yourself, ” she claims.

The next move: Post your masterpiece.

You, ” says Hoffman, who recommends that users also reach out to others“If you have an excellent profile, then ideally the dates will come to.

Your profile is “like your resume or card that is calling” she says. “That may be the gateway to get more dates. ”