Gone are the days where only tech enthusiasts and socially challenged singles were hanging their digital hats on dating sites. Celebrities are creating online dating profiles and children are now signing up their parents for Internet dating. If your friends are no longer setting you up, it’s time to take matters into your own hands. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 102 million singles in the United States. Over 40 million singles in the U.S. have tried online dating to find a love connection. The numbers are staggering!
1. Be authentic: Post some of your favorite photos from Facebook to your online dating profile. Dating sites now make it easy to link to your Facebook account to grab recent pictures. Discard any photos that are over two years old and please don’t lie about your weight, height, and age. Seeing a frown on your date’s face if he or she doesn’t recognize you when you arrive isn’t a good experience for either of you.
2. Be specific: General profiles all tend to blend together and can be viewed as boring or too typical. Make your profile shine by being specific about what you’re looking for. Think about listing the song you like to sing in the shower, talk about a proud moment in your life, and allow your date to know what their life could be like if they had the opportunity to spend it with you.
3. Avoid clichés and emoticons: How many times have you seen a profile that says he’s looking for a drama-free woman or that she likes romantic beach walks, traveling, and wants a financially secure man? These terms have been overused and should be deleted from your profile. Don’t use the happy face or multiple exclamation points in your correspondence. You aren’t on familiar terms yet.
4. Refresh your profile: Are you excited about your upcoming trip to Mexico? If so, post it in your profile. Do you have tickets for a basketball game? Let your potential date know and you might be cheering on your favorite team together.
5. Respond quickly: If your dream date is writing to you, he or she is probably writing to many others. Playing the waiting game is so last decade. By the time you write back to him or her, you may be told that they’ve met someone they’ve decided to date exclusively. Don’t cry over digital spilled milk.
6. Proofread everything: We’ve all been burned by auto-correct when we’ve sent emails. Use spell check and grammar check for your profile and emails. First impressions are everything. You may have a high IQ, but your date won’t believe you if your emails are riddled with spelling errors.
7. Log on daily: Even if you haven’t received an email from a potential suitor, don’t sit around waiting. When you log on frequently, those considering writing to you will see that you’re an active member. He or she will know that dating is high on your priority list and will think they’ll have a better chance at receiving a response.
At the end of the digital day, online dating is a numbers game. You need to play to win.
