Date-A-Hero Advice
What does Bryan Know? Bryan Russell (me) is the creator of Date a hero.com. What, you ask, is a guy who has been in a relationship for nine years (pre-online dating explosion) and has never done online dating doing giving advice about online dating? Well, I have been administering Date A Hero.com for over three years. During that time I have had to read every profile (literally thousands) that has ever been posted on our site. This is something I have had to do to ensure that scammers and scumbags stay off our site. I have also talked and corresponded with hundreds of people in the process of marketing our site. So am I an expert? No. However, I do I have a huge base of knowledge of the many mistakes people make when creating a online dating profiles. There is no better education than experience. The proceeding is a list, which I have come up with, of some real basic mistakes people have made on our site. I also have suggestions that will help your profile stand out and not look or sound like all the others. Remember people will be looking at many profiles in their search for a compatible mate. So make sure yours stands out and draws them in. Good luck and have fun.
1. POST A PHOTO. You will get 99% more response if you have a photo to go with your profile. Most people search for profiles with photos only. It does not have to be a head shot. Any photo that conveys who you are, what you enjoy, or what is important to you. Yes it is superficial, but it is a fact of online dating.
2. Always ask a true friend to look at the pictures you post and the profile you write; they are not always as good as you may think. A true friend will tell you the truth, painful as it may be.
3. Make sure you post a recent photo, two years or less. This is a chronic problem with online daters/dating. If you post a ten year old photo and you do get them to meet you for a real date they will know instantly and you will not get a second date. Don't waste your time or theirs by posting a photographic lie.
4. Cell phone pictures rarely do you any justice. Try to use a photo from a 3 mega pixel or better camera
5. Do not ever write that you are ready to relocate to his house. Yes it has happened.
6. Never admit to your faults on your profile. Give everyone a chance to see the real you and let them decide for themselves.
7. Try to limit your explanation of what you hate about people because it is probably the consensus of the general populous. I.e. I hate: mean people, dishonesty, cheaters, etc.
8. If you have to mention your desire to keep breathing find an original way to say. Avoid the following; "I love life and want someone who enjoys the same". This narrows it down to 98% of the population under 80 years old.
9. Do not ever put your personal email on your profile. It is visible to the whole world and you are setting yourself up for scams, perverts, and never ending spam.
10. Most people love to have fun. You probably do not have to mention that in your profile.
11. Do not own up to your faults before someone gets to know you. I am stubborn, hard headed, and argumentative. Hmmm, sounds fun.
12. "I don't like to play mind games." OK, if you do, would you admit it? Do people who play mind games know they are? Does anyone want someone who does
13. Spell-check, Spell-check, Spell-check
14. Do not use the caps lock button. It is difficult to read and it looks like you are yelling.
15. Go easy on the negativity, "No one hits on me, I am thinking about giving up". My mom always said "what you think about, you bring about" so be positive.
16. Confidence is always desirable, but you should go easy on your self-appreciation.
17. Watch out for self-deprecation also. "I am not very fun", "I know my profile is lame"
18. Do not post any personal information. Phone number, address, email, name, etc. You have no idea what someone could do with the slightest informatio
19. Avoid cliche's "I like walks on the beach and I love to laugh".
20. It is probably best not to say "I am not the crazy type". People may assume you are familiar with craziness to mention it.
21. Try not to talk about how many times you have had your heart broken. When someone is reading a profile about a potential love interest being dumped multiple times may not sound the way you hope it does.
22. Try to avoid writing your profile in text speak i.e.-lol, tnks etc. Believe it or not, many people do not understand it.
Keep checking back to my advice section as I continue to read every single profile on the site. I will continue to add to this as I come across common mistakes.
