Over 49 million people have tried online dating.

And 1 out of every 5 people has asked someone to help them create the perfect online dating profile!

If you feel like your profile doesn’t show who you really are, is too much of a cliche, or just isn’t giving you the matches you want, then you need to read this post.

In it, we’re sharing with you the top 5 tips to creating the kind of profile that will attract the partner of your dreams – or just a fun fling!

1. Use Multiple Photos

Like it or not, your photos are probably the most important part of your dating profile.

But which ones are going to encourage potential matches to actually take the time to read your profile?

First of all, you need to show at least 3 photos, all showing a different side of you.

While it can be tempting to upload a sexy gym selfie, a photo of you from a night when you got really glammed up, or a somewhat revealing beach shot, it’s not the best way to go.

Why?

Because you want to show people how you look every day. (Besides, there’s nothing more humiliating than the moment when your date doesn’t recognize you because you look a lot different than you did online.)

Instead, focus on photos that show you doing what you love!

If you’re a travel bug, why not include a picture of you standing in front of a famous monument? If you’re obsessed with working out, instead of a gym selfie, why not upload a snap of you finishing a race or a hike?

Oh, and while we’re on the subject – please no photos of you and another person that is the same gender you’re trying to match. Even if it’s “just a friend” or even a family member. It’s confusing, and it looks shady.

2. Make Your Expectations Clear

When you’re crafting your dating profile, it’s important to be direct about what you’re looking for.

This doesn’t mean it’s ok to make comments about the specific body types and income levels you’re interested in. Instead of making a “wish list” of your perfect match, talk about what you think your ideal mate would enjoy doing with you and be interested in.

For example, instead of “Looking for a guy over 6 feet tall with at least two cars who owns his own home,” try something like, “If you’re into classic horror movies, have a weird obsession with meme culture, and always want to learn something new, we’d be a great fit.”

Including this kind of honesty in your dating profile saves everyone time (especially you!) and will help to cut out people that aren’t on the same page as you. Plus, anything that makes “The Talk” less stressful is always a good thing!

A word about politics… In this day and age, putting your political beliefs on your dating profile, no matter which “side” you’re on, can open you up to lots of trouble. It can also help you to eliminate people that you’d never consider based on their political beliefs.

In the end, it’s really up to you if you choose to talk about your political beliefs in your profile. But if you do, keep things brief. This isn’t a soapbox or an op-ed column.

3. Spend Time On Your Username

Your username is one of the first things people will see on your profile. If it’s offensive, obscene, or just a random string of numbers and letters, people aren’t exactly going to be lining up to message you.

The good news?

You can be as creative and humorous as you want to be. This is the time to break out those puns, to reference your favorite TV show, or to include a hint about your physical appearance.

Your username is basically a hook that you’re dropping into the great online dating pool. Is yours intriguing enough to get your dream person to click on your profile?

Lyrics from your favorite song, pop culture references, and even jokes about current events are all great ideas!

4. Use Your Spellcheck

Please. It’s simple, it’s free, and it only takes a few minutes.

Especially if you’re looking for a more long-term relationship, having a profile that’s filled with spelling and grammatical errors isn’t going to make you look your best.

It makes you seem like you just don’t care and weren’t willing to put in the extra effort when you created your profile – even if that’s not the case.

Also, it can make people question your intelligence level, and even doubt that some of the things you said in your profile were true.

A guy who claims to have graduated from Harvard but can’t tell the difference between “your” and “you’re?” Yeah, right.

5. Ask Your Friends For Advice

Finally, there’s nothing wrong with crowdsourcing the photos and content you include in your profile!

Since it seems like pretty much everyone has tried online dating at some point, asking your friends for advice about what to say and what not to say is an awesome idea.

If they ended up meeting their mate online, then you definitely want their advice!

But friends also know so much about you, and they’ll help you to present yourself in the best possible light – while keeping you honest about what you really want in a partner.

These friends will also help you to figure out what your best qualities are. Sometimes, it can be hard for us to evaluate ourselves and point out what makes us so awesome.

Rely on your friends to build you up, and to help you to find out what people love the most about you.

You’re Ready To Craft An Awesome Online Dating Profile!

Thanks for these awesome tips, you’re one step closer to landing the partner of your dreams!

Your online profile is incredibly important, so make sure you really take your time and put thought into creating it if you want to see quality matches.

Need more dating advice?

Check out our website and blog to learn what else you can do to make this the year you find your soulmate! We can even give you a complete profile overhaul!