How to Make Your Dating Profile Stand Out

We’ve all seen those outrageous online dating profiles. You know, the ones that say the most ridiculous, sometimes insulting, lines in their “About Me” section. Leaves you wondering just how serious they really are about finding ‘the one’.

Then there’s the pictures where every other one shows them half naked, in the bathroom, and nearly showing everyone the goods. Or there’s zero of them smiling. Then there’s the group pics where you’re left wondering which one is your match…hoping it’s the really attractive one on the right…but it never is.

The truth is, people sincerely don’t know what to really put on their profile.

This could be why there aren’t many inbox messages….or there’s a lot of them from the same type of person that just, ultimately, wastes your time.

After being asked several times in the last week about what a dating profile should contain, I thought I’d write a blog entry about it. After being in the online dating world for seven years, I felt like I had mastered the profile building. In fact, when I was on Match.com years ago, many times I was asked if I was a fake profile to entice people to sign up. So here are my tips on how to make your dating profile stand out.

The ‘About Me’ Section

So the goal with a dating profile is to match with someone that is similar to you in the quickest way possible. The last thing you want is to end up dating someone you ultimately don’t like.

If you’re wondering why you’re not matching with people that have similar tastes as you, it’s because you’re not putting it out there. One guy said, “I cannot seem to find any nerdy girls out there. What am I doing wrong?”

The thing is, whatever you find most important in your life, the things you want to be able to connect with someone over and share that same interest together, you have to put it on your profile.

So here’s some things you can include:

What is it exactly that you’re looking for – Don’t beat around the bush. If you want something casual, state that. Everyone’s time is valuable so don’t waste it with people who aren’t looking for casual.

Hobbies – The things that you’re passionate about and would want to experience those things with someone else.

Character traits – so ask yourself, what would your friends say about you? That you’re loyal, funny, dependable, etc? Then put that down.

Any deal breakers – put that up front, again, so you’re not wasting anyone’s time. Allergic to cats? Put it on there. The last thing you want is to kick it off with someone, excited to go on your first date together and sit there sneezing the whole time. Oh…they own a cat. The flame is then quickly snuffed out.

If you have kids – this is definitely is a need-to-know thing.

Be yourself but be fun – if your coolness level is as good as your last dad joke, own that. But if you’re super swag and ultra smooth, let’s be real…you’re not reading this.

If there’s something unique about you, even if it’s weird but funny, put it on there…’can play the ukulele with my feet’. It’s a great conversation starter.

The things you value most in another person – honesty, loyalty, ambition, etc.

Be confident without being cocky.

What not to include:

For the love of God, DO NOT include your sexual skills unless you are looking for something casual. I ran across an article for the 10 best Tinder bio examples for guys (to make her swipe right) that suggests you to “mention your hobbies, sexual skills and good character traits”. Wait, what? Bwwhhhaaa are you kidding me?! Look, if you put your sexual skills on your dating profile, what I can ensure that you will get is recognition….on Instagram….as a post on one of these thousands accounts that post bad dating profiles. Anyone not looking for something casual will swipe left. Plus don’t let all the big guns out on the front end. Save it for the people that make it further than a few weeks. It’s the icing on the cake when the person you matched with has so much in common with you and then they end up being toe-curling amazing in the bedroom.

No negativity – don’t insult people or mention what you don’t want in a relationship. It can lead one to believe you have a lot of past relationship drama.

Unfortunately, you have very few lines to do this. 300-500 characters in fact. So what would this look like on your profile? The best way I can suggest is short, sweet and to the point. This example uses only 311 characters. Tip: emojis reduce character count.

dad so bring treats. Loves: live concerts, hiking, earning a participation in hot yoga, surfing, craft and working out because I love . Pros: accountant by day, chef by night, fearlessly 🌽, loyal, honest, hard-working. Cons: My triple chocolate recipe will wreck your diet and I REALLY love karaoke.

Your Photos

You know the saying, “First impressions are everything”? Yeah, well so is your worst photo on your dating profile. Dating apps are photo-driven and if your first photo is your worst, why would anyone scroll past it to see any other ones? Swipe left. When there’s hundreds of options at one’s fingertips, people will be ‘thin-slicing’ – meaning making quick decisions with very little information. It could be your posture or even your facial expression in a photo that could lead to a swipe left or right. So why not put in the effort to get that right swipe.

Tips for dating profile photos:

Your first photo has to be your strongest. It’s the opportunity to catch someone’s eye.

No group photos. What if she thinks you’re not the hottest guy in the photo…but wait, you actually are. Take the guesswork out of it and just don’t post group pics.

Make sure you’re smiling in your pics. If you’re taking photos specifically for your profile, then do a fake laugh as you take the pic. It makes your smile look more genuine.

A good, clear photo of you without a hat and sunglasses is always best.

No photos of you shotgunning a beer with Kyle.

If you’re sporting facial hair, maybe do a side-by-side of what you look like with and without. Side story – COVID was the reason I saw my husband clean shaven for the first time ever (he’s a nurse) after 3 years together. He literally looked like a different person!

Use photos of you doing things you like to do like hiking, painting or cooking!

No photos of just your pet. You only get 6-8 photos. Make them count! Do a selfie with your pet.

No bathroom selfies. It doesn’t matter how good-looking you think you look in that photo with the ‘perfect lighting’ because none of that matters…to anyone else. What others are really looking at is the detail of your bathroom – what is on your counter, what products do you use, how dirty is your mirror, shower, toilet, the thread count of your bath towels…wait…is that MOLD in her shower?

No pics with your shirt off, in a bathing suit or a gym selfie where you’re desperately trying…or at least hoping…you’ll make someone thirsty. Molly Shannon said it best in the movie Never Been Kissed, “No one wants to buy the ice cream truck if you’re giving the popsicles out for free!”

Don’t use old photos. If you can edit the photo and put the day you took them, it would save a lot of trouble later on. I almost didn’t recognize a date once because the pics on his profile were 5 years old.

And no photos with old exes or 4 different people of the sex that you’re attracted to hanging all over you.

The best thing to do is have a friend go out and do a small photo shoot with you or hire a photographer to do a mini photoshoot. Have a few outfit changes and different poses and backgrounds. You can’t go wrong there.

So sure I’ve laid out some do’s and don’ts but as you know, anything worth doing will require you to put in effort. These tips may not be the right fit for everyone but if it works for you, we’d like to hear from you! Drop us a line on our Contact Us page!

We’ve all seen those outrageous online dating profiles. You know, the ones that say the most ridiculous, sometimes insulting, lines in their “About Me” section. Leaves you wondering just how serious they really are about finding ‘the one’.

Then there’s the pictures where every other one shows them half naked, in the bathroom, and nearly showing everyone the goods. Or there’s zero of them smiling. Then there’s the group pics where you’re left wondering which one is your match…hoping it’s the really attractive one on the right…but it never is.

The truth is, people sincerely don’t know what to really put on their profile.

This could be why there aren’t many inbox messages….or there’s a lot of them from the same type of person that just, ultimately, wastes your time.

After being asked several times in the last week about what a dating profile should contain, I thought I’d write a blog entry about it. After being in the online dating world for seven years, I felt like I had mastered the profile building. In fact, when I was on Match.com years ago, many times I was asked if I was a fake profile to entice people to sign up. So here are my tips on how to make your dating profile stand out.

The ‘About Me’ Section

So the goal with a dating profile is to match with someone that is similar to you in the quickest way possible. The last thing you want is to end up dating someone you ultimately don’t like.

If you’re wondering why you’re not matching with people that have similar tastes as you, it’s because you’re not putting it out there. One guy said, “I cannot seem to find any nerdy girls out there. What am I doing wrong?”

The thing is, whatever you find most important in your life, the things you want to be able to connect with someone over and share that same interest together, you have to put it on your profile.

So here’s some things you can include:

What is it exactly that you’re looking for – Don’t beat around the bush. If you want something casual, state that. Everyone’s time is valuable so don’t waste it with people who aren’t looking for casual.

Hobbies – The things that you’re passionate about and would want to experience those things with someone else.

Character traits – so ask yourself, what would your friends say about you? That you’re loyal, funny, dependable, etc? Then put that down.

Any deal breakers – put that up front, again, so you’re not wasting anyone’s time. Allergic to cats? Put it on there. The last thing you want is to kick it off with someone, excited to go on your first date together and sit there sneezing the whole time. Oh…they own a cat. The flame is then quickly snuffed out.

If you have kids – this is definitely is a need-to-know thing.

Be yourself but be fun – if your coolness level is as good as your last dad joke, own that. But if you’re super swag and ultra smooth, let’s be real…you’re not reading this.

If there’s something unique about you, even if it’s weird but funny, put it on there…’can play the ukulele with my feet’. It’s a great conversation starter.

The things you value most in another person – honesty, loyalty, ambition, etc.

Be confident without being cocky.

What not to include:

For the love of God, DO NOT include your sexual skills unless you are looking for something casual. I ran across an article for the 10 best Tinder bio examples for guys (to make her swipe right) that suggests you to “mention your hobbies, sexual skills and good character traits”. Wait, what? Bwwhhhaaa are you kidding me?! Look, if you put your sexual skills on your dating profile, what I can ensure that you will get is recognition….on Instagram….as a post on one of these thousands accounts that post bad dating profiles. Anyone not looking for something casual will swipe left. Plus don’t let all the big guns out on the front end. Save it for the people that make it further than a few weeks. It’s the icing on the cake when the person you matched with has so much in common with you and then they end up being toe-curling amazing in the bedroom.

No negativity – don’t insult people or mention what you don’t want in a relationship. It can lead one to believe you have a lot of past relationship drama.

Unfortunately, you have very few lines to do this. 300-500 characters in fact. So what would this look like on your profile? The best way I can suggest is short, sweet and to the point. This example uses only 311 characters. Tip: emojis reduce character count.

dad so bring treats. Loves: live concerts, hiking, earning a participation in hot yoga, surfing, craft and working out because I love . Pros: accountant by day, chef by night, fearlessly 🌽, loyal, honest, hard-working. Cons: My triple chocolate recipe will wreck your diet and I REALLY love karaoke.

Your Photos

You know the saying, “First impressions are everything”? Yeah, well so is your worst photo on your dating profile. Dating apps are photo-driven and if your first photo is your worst, why would anyone scroll past it to see any other ones? Swipe left. When there’s hundreds of options at one’s fingertips, people will be ‘thin-slicing’ – meaning making quick decisions with very little information. It could be your posture or even your facial expression in a photo that could lead to a swipe left or right. So why not put in the effort to get that right swipe.

Tips for dating profile photos:

Your first photo has to be your strongest. It’s the opportunity to catch someone’s eye.

No group photos. What if she thinks you’re not the hottest guy in the photo…but wait, you actually are. Take the guesswork out of it and just don’t post group pics.

Make sure you’re smiling in your pics. If you’re taking photos specifically for your profile, then do a fake laugh as you take the pic. It makes your smile look more genuine.

A good, clear photo of you without a hat and sunglasses is always best.

No photos of you shotgunning a beer with Kyle.

If you’re sporting facial hair, maybe do a side-by-side of what you look like with and without. Side story – COVID was the reason I saw my husband clean shaven for the first time ever (he’s a nurse) after 3 years together. He literally looked like a different person!

Use photos of you doing things you like to do like hiking, painting or cooking!

No photos of just your pet. You only get 6-8 photos. Make them count! Do a selfie with your pet.

No bathroom selfies. It doesn’t matter how good-looking you think you look in that photo with the ‘perfect lighting’ because none of that matters…to anyone else. What others are really looking at is the detail of your bathroom – what is on your counter, what products do you use, how dirty is your mirror, shower, toilet, the thread count of your bath towels…wait…is that MOLD in her shower?

No pics with your shirt off, in a bathing suit or a gym selfie where you’re desperately trying…or at least hoping…you’ll make someone thirsty. Molly Shannon said it best in the movie Never Been Kissed, “No one wants to buy the ice cream truck if you’re giving the popsicles out for free!”

Don’t use old photos. If you can edit the photo and put the day you took them, it would save a lot of trouble later on. I almost didn’t recognize a date once because the pics on his profile were 5 years old.

And no photos with old exes or 4 different people of the sex that you’re attracted to hanging all over you.

The best thing to do is have a friend go out and do a small photo shoot with you or hire a photographer to do a mini photoshoot. Have a few outfit changes and different poses and backgrounds. You can’t go wrong there.

So sure I’ve laid out some do’s and don’ts but as you know, anything worth doing will require you to put in effort. These tips may not be the right fit for everyone but if it works for you, we’d like to hear from you! Drop us a line on our Contact Us page!

3rdDegree: Building connections one conversation at a time.

3rdDegree: Building connections one conversation at a time.

How to Make Your Dating Profile Stand Out

How to Make Your Dating Profile Stand Out

We’ve all seen those outrageous online dating profiles. You know, the ones that say the most ridiculous, sometimes insulting, lines in their “About Me” section. Leaves you wondering just how serious they really are about finding ‘the one’.

The truth is, people sincerely don’t know what to really put on their profile.

This could be why there aren’t many inbox messages….or there’s a lot of them from the same type of person that just, ultimately, wastes your time.

The ‘About Me’ Section

So the goal with a dating profile is to match with someone that is similar to you in the quickest way possible. The last thing you want is to end up dating someone you ultimately don’t like.

If you’re wondering why you’re not matching with people that have similar tastes as you, it’s because you’re not putting it out there. One guy said, “I cannot seem to find any nerdy girls out there. What am I doing wrong?”

The thing is, whatever you find most important in your life, the things you want to be able to connect with someone over and share that same interest together, you have to put it on your profile.

So here’s some things you can include:

What is it exactly that you’re looking for – Don’t beat around the bush. If you want something casual, state that. Everyone’s time is valuable so don’t waste it with people who aren’t looking for casual.

Hobbies – The things that you’re passionate about and would want to experience those things with someone else.

Character traits – so ask yourself, what would your friends say about you? That you’re loyal, funny, dependable, etc? Then put that down.

If you have kids – this is definitely is a need-to-know thing.

Be yourself but be fun – if your coolness level is as good as your last dad joke, own that. But if you’re super swag and ultra smooth, let’s be real…you’re not reading this.

If there’s something unique about you, even if it’s weird but funny, put it on there…’can play the ukulele with my feet’. It’s a great conversation starter.

The things you value most in another person – honesty, loyalty, ambition, etc.

Be confident without being cocky.

What not to include:

No negativity – don’t insult people or mention what you don’t want in a relationship. It can lead one to believe you have a lot of past relationship drama.

Unfortunately, you have very few lines to do this. 300-500 characters in fact. So what would this look like on your profile? The best way I can suggest is short, sweet and to the point. This example uses only 311 characters. Tip: emojis reduce character count.

Your Photos

Tips for dating profile photos:

Your first photo has to be your strongest. It’s the opportunity to catch someone’s eye.

No group photos. What if she thinks you’re not the hottest guy in the photo…but wait, you actually are. Take the guesswork out of it and just don’t post group pics.

Make sure you’re smiling in your pics. If you’re taking photos specifically for your profile, then do a fake laugh as you take the pic. It makes your smile look more genuine.

A good, clear photo of you without a hat and sunglasses is always best.

No photos of you shotgunning a beer with Kyle.

If you’re sporting facial hair, maybe do a side-by-side of what you look like with and without. Side story – COVID was the reason I saw my husband clean shaven for the first time ever (he’s a nurse) after 3 years together. He literally looked like a different person!

Use photos of you doing things you like to do like hiking, painting or cooking!

No photos of just your pet. You only get 6-8 photos. Make them count! Do a selfie with your pet.

Don’t use old photos. If you can edit the photo and put the day you took them, it would save a lot of trouble later on. I almost didn’t recognize a date once because the pics on his profile were 5 years old.

And no photos with old exes or 4 different people of the sex that you’re attracted to hanging all over you.

The best thing to do is have a friend go out and do a small photo shoot with you or hire a photographer to do a mini photoshoot. Have a few outfit changes and different poses and backgrounds. You can’t go wrong there.

So sure I’ve laid out some do’s and don’ts but as you know, anything worth doing will require you to put in effort. These tips may not be the right fit for everyone but if it works for you, we’d like to hear from you! Drop us a line on our Contact Us page!

We’ve all seen those outrageous online dating profiles. You know, the ones that say the most ridiculous, sometimes insulting, lines in their “About Me” section. Leaves you wondering just how serious they really are about finding ‘the one’.

The truth is, people sincerely don’t know what to really put on their profile.

This could be why there aren’t many inbox messages….or there’s a lot of them from the same type of person that just, ultimately, wastes your time.

The ‘About Me’ Section

So the goal with a dating profile is to match with someone that is similar to you in the quickest way possible. The last thing you want is to end up dating someone you ultimately don’t like.

If you’re wondering why you’re not matching with people that have similar tastes as you, it’s because you’re not putting it out there. One guy said, “I cannot seem to find any nerdy girls out there. What am I doing wrong?”

The thing is, whatever you find most important in your life, the things you want to be able to connect with someone over and share that same interest together, you have to put it on your profile.

So here’s some things you can include:

What is it exactly that you’re looking for – Don’t beat around the bush. If you want something casual, state that. Everyone’s time is valuable so don’t waste it with people who aren’t looking for casual.

Hobbies – The things that you’re passionate about and would want to experience those things with someone else.

Character traits – so ask yourself, what would your friends say about you? That you’re loyal, funny, dependable, etc? Then put that down.

If you have kids – this is definitely is a need-to-know thing.

Be yourself but be fun – if your coolness level is as good as your last dad joke, own that. But if you’re super swag and ultra smooth, let’s be real…you’re not reading this.

If there’s something unique about you, even if it’s weird but funny, put it on there…’can play the ukulele with my feet’. It’s a great conversation starter.

The things you value most in another person – honesty, loyalty, ambition, etc.

Be confident without being cocky.

What not to include:

No negativity – don’t insult people or mention what you don’t want in a relationship. It can lead one to believe you have a lot of past relationship drama.

Unfortunately, you have very few lines to do this. 300-500 characters in fact. So what would this look like on your profile? The best way I can suggest is short, sweet and to the point. This example uses only 311 characters. Tip: emojis reduce character count.

Your Photos

Tips for dating profile photos:

Your first photo has to be your strongest. It’s the opportunity to catch someone’s eye.

No group photos. What if she thinks you’re not the hottest guy in the photo…but wait, you actually are. Take the guesswork out of it and just don’t post group pics.

Make sure you’re smiling in your pics. If you’re taking photos specifically for your profile, then do a fake laugh as you take the pic. It makes your smile look more genuine.

A good, clear photo of you without a hat and sunglasses is always best.

No photos of you shotgunning a beer with Kyle.

If you’re sporting facial hair, maybe do a side-by-side of what you look like with and without. Side story – COVID was the reason I saw my husband clean shaven for the first time ever (he’s a nurse) after 3 years together. He literally looked like a different person!

Use photos of you doing things you like to do like hiking, painting or cooking!

No photos of just your pet. You only get 6-8 photos. Make them count! Do a selfie with your pet.

Don’t use old photos. If you can edit the photo and put the day you took them, it would save a lot of trouble later on. I almost didn’t recognize a date once because the pics on his profile were 5 years old.

And no photos with old exes or 4 different people of the sex that you’re attracted to hanging all over you.

The best thing to do is have a friend go out and do a small photo shoot with you or hire a photographer to do a mini photoshoot. Have a few outfit changes and different poses and backgrounds. You can’t go wrong there.

So sure I’ve laid out some do’s and don’ts but as you know, anything worth doing will require you to put in effort. These tips may not be the right fit for everyone but if it works for you, we’d like to hear from you! Drop us a line on our Contact Us page!