• 4-minute read
• 13th February 2022

Single for Valentine’s Day? Here’s How to Write a Dating Profile

Online dating has definitely thrown off its “lonely and desperate” image. In 2022, more than a third of couples will meet online, and dating apps and sites are currently the number one way for under-thirties to find a partner.

With so many hopefuls turning to the web to meet Miss or Mr. Right, first impressions are crucial. In this post, we’ll take you through our top tips to polish your dating profile:

1. Say the most important things first.

2. Be upbeat and assertive.

3. Mention what you’re looking for.

4. Make your interests interesting.

5. Don’t take yourself too seriously.

6. Check your spelling and grammar.

Read on to explore these tips in more detail, and you’ll have swooning suitors swiping right in no time!

1. Open with the Essentials

Your profile will be competing with dozens of others, so potential partners might spend less than a minute looking at your bio. So, you need to include something that’ll pique their interest before they scroll past.

You should state the most important things you want to say about yourself as early as possible. If you’re passionate about kickboxing and spend five nights a week at the dojo, you should certainly mention it in the first few lines.

2. Treat Your Profile Like a Resume

Your dating profile is your chance to show off your best attributes. Just like when you apply for a job, you should focus on the positives.

While you should be honest, of course, you’re not obliged to share how grumpy you are in the mornings or that you don’t go to the gym as often as you should. Instead, focus on the positive things, like how you enjoy the classics so much that you sometimes lose track of time when you’re reading. (You don’t need to mention the gym at all!)

3. Describe What Kind of Relationship You’re After

Most of your dating profile should be about you, but you should dedicate a line or two to outline what you’re looking for in a relationship. This should include whether you’re hoping for a long-term partnership or a more casual affair.

Don’t be tempted to make a list of qualities that your ideal date would have: 6-foot, blue-eyed, sporty, heavy metal fan, etc. For a start, this could be off-putting, even to somebody who meets all your criteria. More importantly, you might narrow down your options too much and miss out on meeting the person of your dreams.

However, if there’s something that would really be a hindrance to hitting it off with someone, you should definitely be upfront about it. For example, if you’d only consider dating someone who’s vegan, then say so.

4. Give Some Detail About Your Hobbies and Interests

While it might be correct to say you like traveling, it sounds bland and won’t make your profile stand out from the crowd. Instead, be specific by writing about one of the best places you’ve visited or somewhere you’d like to go. Or you could convey your love of cinema by mentioning your preferred genre or slipping in a quote from your favorite movie.

Giving unique details like this will give your dating profile a personal touch and make it memorable. It could even provide some helpful conversation starters for a first date.

5. Show Your Humorous Side

When it comes to humor, we recommend sticking to the writer’s adage, “Show, don’t tell.” In other words, don’t state in your profile that you have a good sense of humor, but instead, demonstrate it in your writing.

Most people enjoy being around those who can make them laugh, so you might be tempted to make yourself look as funny as possible to prospective dates. Be careful though. Unless you’re a natural comedian, the sparkling wit you portray in your profile might not carry over into real life. The most important thing is to be yourself, laugh-a-minute or not. Just don’t take yourself too seriously!

6. Make Sure Your Dating Profile is Error-Free

I love cooking my dogs and salsa. ✗

I love cooking, my dogs, and salsa. ✓

As this example reminds us, missing commas can give a very bad impression! Even if you manage to avoid looking like a dog-eating monster, mistakes in grammar and spelling will make your profile appear sloppy.

Be sure to read through your dating profile several times before posting it. Even better, get a professional proofreader to do it for you!