What to Put in Your Dating Profile
Finding your soulmate can lead to a wonderful life. It’s not hard to find that special someone using your dating profile as long as you know what should and shouldn’t be in there.
If you’ve ever tried your luck on a dating site or app and struck out, try going through these tips and revamping your profile to see if it helps improve your odds of finding Mr. or Mrs. Right.
Table of Contents
Current Pictures
You should always start with the current picture. You might think that your picture from ten years ago makes you look better, but don’t use it no matter how tempted you are. In the first place, it’s not an honest picture of who you are today.
Secondly, you don’t want to find people who aren’t interested in who you are today – and that includes what you look like right now. Don’t use photos that are out of focus or grainy or abstract.
You want to use a clear headshot. This way, when someone does like your profile or want to connect, you know it’s based on them seeing you as is. Full body pictures aren’t something that some people are comfortable with.
Everyone has his or her insecurities. But you need to take a good full body shot and upload it anyway. This is a way of saying this is me and if you don’t like it, then move on.
Having clear headshots and full-body photos are a great way not only to spark interest – but to spark it in those who want to get to know the real you. The last thing you want is for someone to meet you and be disappointed, so start on the right foot.
Your Sense of Humor
Let your funny self shine.
Your sense of humor is something else that should be evident in your dating profile. True, there are different levels of humor – but everyone has one. Some people just don’t let their sense of humor out often and if you’re a more serious person, that’s okay.
But there will be things that make you laugh, things that you think are funny – so don’t be afraid to let the seriousness out, but display what you do find humorous at the same time.
It’s okay to be sarcastic and funny with your sense of humor. You want to be your true self and if sarcasm is how you handle funny stuff, then let it out. You don’t want to change your personality to fit what someone thinks you ‘should’ be with a sense of humor.
Because then you’ll end up with a connection that’s not based on who you really are. It wouldn’t be good to connect with someone who doesn’t like sarcasm if that’s your thing. So, display your sarcastic best self.
If you have a dry sense of humor, people will pick up on the cleverness of that.
Your soulmate could be looking for someone with that same sense of humor that he or she finds hilarious.
This type of humor often goes over the heads of those who don’t get it. So you’ll know right away when someone does get your dry humor that there could be a strong connection there.
Some people have a goofy sense of humor.
They think silly things are funny. These kinds of people usually find delight in the simplest of things and they’re usually a lot of fun to be around.
They tend to be people who are more positive and look for upbeat things in life. If that’s who you are but you’re worried that your sense of humor will make you seem immature or goofy, don’t be.
There’s someone out there for you who’s looking for that same sense of humor and they may even have the same kind of humor. But not always – sometimes opposites can pair well with each other when humor is involved.
Hobbies and Interests Instead of Clichés
One mistake that a lot of people make when they’re filling out a dating profile is that they put whatever they think looks good, sounds funny, or romantic – but it isn’t really who they are.
Instead, what they’re doing is parroting what they believe would be attractive to a possible soulmate. You don’t want to do that and here’s why: When you put down the same old hobbies or interests that you think are popular or interesting, then you’ve just dumped your profile in with thousands of other6s that are using the same old tired points.
That’s a quick way to get your profile passed right over. If you put down something like long walks on the beach, that’s a cliché. A lot of people say the same thing because taking a walk on the beach is so romantic sounding.
If you’re honest with your profile, while you might enjoy a walk on the beach, it’s not something you spend a lot of time doing. You might not even live near a beach, but you put it because it paints a picture of romance.
So what it is that you really do? That’s what you need to focus on. You need to talk about that fun hobby that you have or the stuff that really interests you. It’s that activity that makes you stand out from all the clichés – and that’s what will get other people to pay attention to your profile information.
Honesty Without Negativity
Everyone on a dating site wants to look good to attract the love of their life. But you don’t want to create a fictional backstory just to try to look better or sound more interesting.
You might not think that your life is all that exciting, but you still want to be honest. For example, don’t build yourself up to be a lead singer in a band when all you do is set up the equipment – or a CEO when you’re new to a company on the lowest level.
Bragging about stuff that isn’t true is a terrible foundation to build a relationship on because it begins with a misdirection. You also don’t want to downplay true things.
If you’re someone who has to live with roommates because you can’t afford a place of your own, don’t lie about it. Honesty is a better currency on a dating site than a lie could ever be.
You might have something about yourself that you don’t like. For example, you might be a large person who’s working on losing weight and getting fit. Don’t downplay your weight or anything else about yourself.
You want to be honest without being negative about it. No one likes a whiner, not even your possible soulmate. If there is something that you don’t like, you can still talk about it – but do it positively. You can have a good attitude about things – even if that thing is negative.
Details About Your Likes and Dislikes
When some people fill out their dating profile, they talk about what they like or dislike. They might say they like dancing or they dislike camping, but they don’t go into any depth with that as far as why or if there are any exceptions.
People who are interested in you are curious about your life. When you go into detail about your likes and dislikes, you’re helping them see the real you, the reasons behind the things you enjoy and the things you don’t.
So if you like music, go into detail about that. If you like rock music, talk about the bands or any concerts you’ve attended or would like to attend. Talk about musicians whose careers you may have followed.
Mention songs that matter to you and why they matter. When you connect what you like to the person you are in a meaningful way, it makes your personality come across as richer and deeper.
If you have a favorite type of food, explain why. Don’t generalize and say that you like BBQ. Talk about the kind of BBQ you like or a restaurant that you think serves the best BBQ around.
When you talk about the stuff you enjoy doing like reading or going to movies, go into detail. Mention your favorite genres, favorite authors, the best book you read, or one that has stuck with you.
You can do a comparison of your likes. For example, if you say that you like watching movies and you like dancing, which one would you choose over the other and why? This is the foundation for great conversation starters and puts the other person at ease in contacting you.
Relationships with Family and Friends
Your soulmate will want to see who you are when it comes to the relationships in your life. He or she is going to want to know whether or not you have a close relationship with others.
Some soulmates are looking for a significant other who has strong family ties while other soulmates are not. So be honest about how close you are with your family. If you’re a mama’s boy or a daddy’s girl, put that out there.
If you’re someone who’s intricately involved in your family’s social life, let that be known.
Talk about the family things you do together like going to dinner out or having a family vacation.
Mention how often you get together and the types of things that you do with your family members. If you’re not close to your family, talk about that. Some people distance themselves from their families for good reasons.
If you have a circle of friends and they’re always at your place or you’re always at theirs, talk about that in your profile. Your soulmate will want to know what your social scene is.
He or she might be someone who’s comfortable with a large circle of close ties, but he or she may not be. Your soulmate will be interested to know if you’re going to be available for dating without your family and friends influencing the time you have for getting to know someone new.
The Type of Person You’re Hoping to Find
When you’re writing up your information, you’ll list what kind of person you’re hoping to find. This is an area where too many dating profiles go wrong. People list things like ‘physically fit, age-appropriate, attractive, outgoing’ without going into details.
There are different levels of physically fit, what is or isn’t age-appropriate for you, and so on. You don’t want to create a list that’s so narrow your soulmate would get the feeling that he or she wouldn’t be interesting to you.
You can list what you’re hoping to find in terms of appearance and how the other person acts but don’t make that list one steeped in the belief that the ‘perfect’ person will fit that list.
Sometimes, the person who turns out to be someone’s soulmate didn’t match a lot on the list. Instead of focusing all the attention on a list of what you want to find on the outside, pay attention to the inside.
Talk about wanting to find someone who has the same character traits that you have. Your soulmate is looking for someone who cares that their personality will mesh with yours.
People with the same character traits and personalities tend to get along the best and the connection often leads to a long-lasting relationship. Make sure you list anything that’s a deal-breaker, like a smoker, so that only nonsmokers know to reach out.
A Summary of Your Life Now and How You Want It to Be
An important thing that you want to have in your dating profile is a summary of your life. This lets the other person not only see where you are, but where you hope to be in the future.
You’ll want to talk about what’s going on in your life in areas like your career and your social scene. Talk about your job and what it is that you do. Discuss what you find interesting about it and why you chose to do the work that you do.
If you have children, you’ll want to mention that. You don’t want to go into a lot of detail about your kids, but you’ll want to say things like whether or not they’re young teenagers or adults.
For those who do have children, you’ll want to put down what the status of the relationship is with the children’s’ father or mother. If it’s a good relationship and everyone gets along, put that.
If there is tension or you don’t get along, you don’t have to go into detail and rip up the other person. You can simply say a difficult co-parenting situation or mention of the mother or father is out of the picture.
If you don’t have children, you can put down what your beliefs or hopes are about that. Your soulmate may be looking for someone who may or may not want children. Once you’ve detailed how your life currently is, then talk about what it is you hope for the future – specifically, with a soulmate.
Mention what it is about your life that you hope will change. It could be as simple as saying you want someone to walk through life with to something like you’re looking for someone who wants to travel after retiring someday.
Confidence
Confidence is attractive and people are drawn to those who have it. Confident people know what they want out of life and they’re headed toward those goals. They’re confident about the way that they look and who they are inside.
They don’t need someone to fulfill them. They feel complete as is. They’re not looking for someone to take care of them or someone they have to take care of. They’re looking for a partner that they can enjoy life with.
When you’re confident, it will show up in your photos. Confident people have a way of standing or sitting that projects that. They don’t try to cower or hide from the camera.
They’re bold and know their own abilities. Confidence is something that will show up in what you write in your profile and in the communication you have back and forth with the other person.
You know who you are and you’re secure in that knowledge. You’re not whiny, clingy, or needy with other people. That kind of self-assurance is something that a soulmate is looking for and finds extremely attractive in a man or a woman.
Your Preference for Pets
When you’re looking to date and get to know someone, if you have pets, they have to be included as part of the deal. If someone is not an animal lover at all, they won’t be a good fit if you are.
Pets are like members of the family, as much as children are. They’re supportive, loyal, loving, and protective. You need to make it clear what your preferences are when it comes to pets.
If that’s non-negotiable for you when dating someone, then state that. They either must love pets or if you’re someone that can’t be around animals for some reason, then you must state that, too.
Be specific in your animal preferences with pets. If you’re a cat person, say that you are. If you prefer dogs over cats, then say that. If you’re okay with either or both, then list that.
Talk about what you’re okay with when it comes to pets. Some people are okay with any type of pet while some will say no big dogs or certain breeds of dogs, or no hamsters, snakes, or lizards.
If you love your pet, you want your soulmate to love him, too. Or if you can’t stand a certain type of animal, you don’t want to start a relationship with someone who adores those animals.
Mention how many pets you have or how many pets are okay. Some people have one pet while some have several. You’ll need to share this information as well as know it from the other person because when you start a relationship, your pets have to be able to get along with one another. You want your pets to be just as compatible with the other person as you are.
