As everyone knows, the favourite method of mating and dating for
singletons the world over is to join an online dating site. But what
most people don't realise is that only around 10% of dating site
members actually meet a long-term partner on their chosen site and a
whopping 70% don't even receive one message from another member. If you
follow the 10 simple steps outlined below, you too can join the 10% who
find love and romance on line.
1. Choose the right site. The boom in online dating has provided a
plethora of choice for consumers but you should take a few moments to
decide on the type of partner you're looking for, not to mention the
town or city where you would prefer him/her to be located. There are
niche sites which cater to all sectors (single parents, bikers, gay
people etc) and general sites which welcome all comers just as there
are city or country specific sites and sites with a global perspective.
Choosing the right site for you is probably the most important decision
you'll make when looking for a partner on line.
2. Choose a great username. First impressions always last and the on
line identity which you give yourself is the first thing that other
members will see before they check-out your profile. 'Funny' works,
'cryptic' works and you won't go far wrong even if you decide to use
your own christian name but if you go down the smutty or sexually
suggestive route (which a lot of guys seem to do), you'll find that
other members will give you a wide berth.
3. Upload a photo. This is crucial as a significant percentage of
people only search for members who have bothered to include a pic you
want to see what other members look like so it stands to reason that
other people will feel the same way about you. If the only photo you
have isn't particularly flattering, you can always mention that in your
profile - it's still better than no photo at all.
4. Complete your profile. There's nothing more off-putting than a
profile which screams "I can't be bothered to do this properly". If you
don't have time to complete all the categories when you are signing-up,
then make the time to do so at the earliest opportunity.
5. Be upbeat and positive. If you're feeling a little down or lacking
in confidence, now isn't the time to say so when you're writing a
description of yourself. If you come across as confident, happy and
full of fun, you'll get much more attention than if you come across as
mono-syllabic or down in the dumps. And remember, humour is a real
ice-breaker and a great aphrodisiac.
6. Widen your search criteria. If you generally go for people who have
blonde hair, blue eyes and are between 5'4" and 5'6" and you narrow
your search down to just these specifics, then you may be missing out
on a great many other members who you'll also find just as attractive.
To start with, just search by gender, age and location and that way
you'll be giving yourself the widest possible choice.
7. Don't automatically dismiss people. If you receive a message from
someone who's profile you like but who hasn't bothered to include a
photo, you should still write back and ask them to send a pic to your
regular email address. You'll find that many people are more willing to
do this than post a pic for all and sundry to look at.
8. Use all the features on offer. Many sites provide a great deal more
than just an internal emailing system. Some sites might include voice
messaging whilst others such as
CupidNights.com
enable members to chat and flirt in 'real time' with other members and
the more you take advantage of everything that's available to you, the
more chance you have of making contact with someone special.
9. Be proactive. Once you've registered and completed your profile,
don't wait for others to make contact with you. When you spot someone
who you think might be a good fit with yourself, write to them and
introduce yourself. And don't just say 'Hi, I like your profile', tell
them why you've written to them and point out the things that you
believe you have in common. A long opening message will create a much
better impression than a short, perfunctory one.
10. Check back with the site. Most popular dating sites have new people
joining all the time so remember to log-in at least once every day to
view the most recent members and you can then contact anyone you like
the look of before others get the chance to do so. Also, you should
remember that on most sites, the members who log-in the most appear
higher up the search listings than those who don't so your profile will
be easier to spot by people with whom you might be compatible.
So there you have it - successful online dating is not rocket science
it just takes a bit of thought and a bit of effort and if you adhere to
the 10 rules that I have outlined above, then your personal life will
soon receive the kick-start it deserves.