Online dating is a tough place to stand out, we know that all too well. With the amount of people who are using dating apps on a daily basis alone, it can be hard to not blend in with the ever-growing sea that is singletons trying to find their perfect match. The truth is, online dating is all about how you market yourself to the world. Much like applying for a job, look at your online dating profile as your application for the job of romantic buddy (or whatever it is you’re looking for, we don’t judge!) You want to put your best foot forward and stand out amongst the other ‘candidates’. That requires a little preparation and a little extra thought, but never fear! We are here to help, so try these 8 tips on how to create a perfect online dating profile;

(Disclaimer – When I say perfect, I do mean it should be perfect for you as in reflective of the REAL you, because that is a form of perfection in and of itself 😉 )

1. Don’t forget to smile

 Now ladies, we all know how annoying it is when a random guy on the street tells us to smile (why do they do that?! They have no idea how our day has been and who walks around smiling all the time anyway?! Clowns, that’s who and everyone hates clowns!) This, however, isn’t like that. For one thing, you can pick a picture where you actually had something to smile about, but essentially you want your online dating profile to reflect that you’re approachable. You can tell a lot about a person from their smile. Similar to the eyes, it’s another window to the soul.

Putting up pictures of you smiling on your online dating profile has been shown to have a better ‘swipe right’ success rate. Aside from reflecting an approachable side, it also shows that you’re friendly and know how to laugh. If you’ve been at this online dating thing long enough, you’ll know that majority of profiles say they’re looking for someone fun who they can laugh with. Another thing to remember, smile facing head on. Shots that look more professional or like you’re trying to show off your ‘best side’ tend to not be as successful. People are very visual and the face is the first thing you should see of a person, so show off that beautiful mug!

2. Avoid mirror selfies, duck face selfies etc.

Mirror. Selfies. This goes to everyone, not just women. I would also like to add, while we’re on the subject, no gym selfies either. Why, you ask? Well, ask this instead; why do you need to put up a picture of you taking a picture of yourself, reflected in a mirror? What is the point? Just ask someone to take a picture of you or take a proper selfie for your profile. With duck face, you can’t even tell what the person looks like on a day to day basis (unless that thing about the wind changing and your face getting stuck can actually happen, then I guess that’s unfortunate…?) Gym selfies also serve no purpose, aside from showing off about going to the gym. Look, I’m here to tell you that literally no one needs, or wants, visual confirmation that you went to the gym. Or that you own a mirror. Or that you can imitate a duck with your face.

All that these kind of selfies do is showcase a vanity that is more likely to get you swiped left. On another note, if your whole online dating profile is just mirror selfies, it can send the wrong message. The assumption will be that you’re the type of person who just follows trends. Your online dating profile is meant to showcase you, not today’s idea of what people assume all women do!

3. Show some proof that you have friends

 On the subject of selfies, your whole online dating profile should be a brief yet summarised insight into your life and the type of person you are. That also includes those around you, like your friends. Just the other day, I was discussing with friends over brunch that I find it odd if someone has or has never had any friends whatsoever. If your online dating profile is just a bunch of selfies, that is the impression you’re giving the world, that you don’t know anyone or that you don’t have space for anyone.

On the flip side, having only group shots in your online dating profile can add a lot of unnecessary confusion. It’s all about balance, remember; you’re trying to find a date who likes you, not make potential dates annoyed before they’ve even met you by making them play ‘Where’s Wally?’ with your photos. Dating is hard enough as it is!

4. Show off what your mama gave you

 Firstly, I would like to take this time to acknowledge that it can be pretty daunting signing up to a dating app in general, so commend yourselves for coming this far * pause for applause * You need a thick skin for online dating, that is the best tip I can give you today, because it is a lot of judgement. A lot of online dating is initially visual, so people like to see as much as they can before meeting in person. (Some people take it too far in asking to see more than the person they are chatting to is comfortable with. Don’t be that person and you are well within your rights to say no to such a person too!) Always show as much as YOU’RE comfortable with and why not look at this as an opportunity to love the skin you’re in by posting a recent full body shot.

If they don’t like what they see, then forget them ASAP. You were too good for them anyway and you are not missing a damn thing there!

5. Stand out with some colour pop

 While there’s nothing wrong with one or two black and white shots, recent research has found that colour is the way to go if you want to stand out. Now is your chance to really show yourself off, so if you like wearing colours, then play that up in your photos. Red is definitely a good choice for reeling in a catch as it’s associated with connotations of love and passion, just what you need, right?!

If wearing colours isn’t your thing (all you creatives out there who’s wardrobes are all black everything) then try implementing colour into your surrounding context, so that it still highlights you as the focal point.

6. Don’t rely on just photos

Time and time again, you’ll see many a profile with no bio. The bio isn’t just put there for decoration people! It’s there to assist the pictures in giving a little insight into who you are! It’s definitely more difficult to break the ice with less information, so please utilise the features that the app you’re using has to offer.

Having the visuals are great but use your voice too. There’s no need to write an essay or anything (if you do that, then what will you talk about on your date?) but it’s still important to say something there. So speak up!

7. Ask you friends for advice

Remember those friends we said you should include in some of your online dating profile pics? Well, time to call on them again! You want to meet people who are interested in who you truly are and who knows who you truly are better than your friends? It’s always good to get an outside perspective and one that’ll actually tell you the hard truths and give you a confidence boost (that’s what friends are for after all!) It would be weird to force a total stranger to assess your dating profile, so this is what you got to do.

It can actually be useful to have your friends write your bio (as long as they’re not trying to embarrass you) because they can highlight things that you have missed or things you don’t think are important, but actually are! If you’re not comfortable giving them that much power, then their advice is still really helpful.

8. Be honest, be yourself

 There’s genuinely no point in pretending to be someone you’re not, especially as a way to get someone to like you. Aside from it being mean to let someone fall for a person who doesn’t really exist, it’s a lot of effort to put in especially when there will be more than enough people who like you for you! The most successful profiles are the honest and authentic ones, so bear that in mind!

So, own it and you’ll be well on your way to creating a perfect online dating profile! 🙂