To some extent, online dating is a bit of a popularity contest. The more "popular" you are, the more people who view your profile, the more likely you are to find a good online dating match. Creating your profile is the key to online dating popularity. Honesty, creativity and humor will help you create an online dating profile that wins the popularity contest for you.

 

When you create your profile, be honest. Tell the truth about yourself. At the same time, don't reveal intimate details about your life. Your profile is an introduction-keep it on that superficial level. Feel free to present your best self, and to post a picture of you looking your best. You don't have to minimize your assets to be truthful. Just don't inflate them.

 

Do you know what Search Engine Optimization is? It's a way of positioning a website so that search engines find it, usually by making information and products that people search for available. In the same way, you need to optimize your profile so that people find you when they search a stack of online dating profiles.

 

The first thing people usually search for in online dating is a picture, so make sure you have one. Not having a picture makes people wary; they wonder if you are married or have something else to hide.

 

The second thing they search for is age, and there's not much you can do about that except to make sure you do post at least an age range. Again, having nothing in that field makes people suspicious.

 

Next, most people search for a geographical location. Make sure they find you by putting in the location that they are most likely to search for. For instance, if you live in Bremerton, Washington, put Seattle-that's what they will search for. If you live in a small town, put North Idaho or even just your state. It's safer, because it will be harder for someone undesirable to track you down in a larger area, and-more importantly-it makes your profile easier to find.

 

After that, people start to narrow their searches by their personal preferences or interests. Think about what a person you want to connect with will search for and make sure those words are in your profile. This is where a sense of humor and a little creativity come in. Most online dating sites have you choose a user name, and some let you choose a headline or tagline. Make your user name and headline funny and descriptive of you. Try to include the words you want people to find. Instead of AliciaZZ, try something like SoftballQueen. It's more descriptive-and more anonymous (i.e., safer).

 

Another way to win the online dating popularity contest is to view and respond to all inquiries. Most online dating sites post your stats for others to see. If it shows that you only view 50% of your responses and only reply to 10% of those, it discourages future responses. If you're not interested, you can still send a polite email thanking the person for his or her response. 

 

Be honest, use a little creativity and humor and respond to your profile inquiries, and you'll be sure to win the online dating popularity game-and find a few people you want to develop a relationship with.