The online dating scene has exploded in popularity over the last decade. Busy singles increasingly turn to the Internet to socialize with friends, network with colleagues, and of course—land a hot date for themselves. According to a recent infographic about online dating , approximately 20 million people visit a dating site every single month, and online dating is responsible for a whopping 120,000 marriages each year! What started out as a slightly embarrassing way to find a love connection, is now one of the most popular ways to find your soulmate.
But, with the sheer volume of profiles, it can be difficult to distinguish the folks who are genuinely looking for love from the dating duds. That’s why the folks over at Instant Checkmate have put together a no-nonsense guide to spotting a winning online dating profile. Save your time and energy for the ones who are truly special by learning how to weed out the phonies, scammers, and cheaters from the start.
Here are four things to look for in a winning profile.
1) They’re interesting
Quite possibly the biggest critique I have of the vast majority of online dating profiles is that they just aren’t interesting. I truly believe that everyone has something unique, special, funny, quirky, or downright intriguing about them. If you want someone who can hold your attention on a date, then you need someone who can grab your attention with their profile.
Steer clear of profiles that feature nothing but a tired old selfie, and generic commentary about how they’re a “really down-to-earth, nice person.” Yuck.
2) They have high quality pictures
They don’t have to be professionally taken pictures at a studio, but a person’s profile pictures reveal a lot about what they’re looking for in a future date. Are they half naked in front of the mirror with their face cropped out of the frame? This person is probably just looking for sex. On to the next!
3) They get specific about what they want in a partner
Ladies, steer clear from announcing that you want a man who is “tall, dark, and handsome who loves to have fun.” If that’s the only criteria you give, you’re going to get bombarded with a whole lot of short, fat, and everything-in-between guys who are going to waste your time.
But, in order to clearly communicate what you want in another person, you kinda have to actually know what you want! If you’re simply lonely and just want companionship from anyone with a pulse, it might be wise to sit down and write out a list of what you’re looking for in another person. That way, you won’t have to waste a perfectly good Saturday night on someone you’re incompatible with.
4) They’re genuine
This is probably one of the hardest qualities to discern from an online dating profile, but if you pay close attention to the subtle clues a person is putting out, it is possible.
You’ve probably all heard of catfishing, so it’s more important than ever to verify the identity of an online date before you invest too much time. Make sure the person you’re chatting with is the real deal by doing the following before meeting up in person. Some common traits of scammers include,
They are overly spiritual or religious in their initial message (this makes them appear more trustworthy)
They claim to be American, but their messages are riddled with basic grammar and spelling errors (many scammers are overseas foreigners)
They don’t want to Skype, or chat face to face (many are not who they say they are)
With millions of Americans turning to online dating sites to find love, it is becoming increasingly difficult to weed out the true love matches from the catfish, scammers, and just plain creepers. Next time you get a flirty email from a potential love interest, keep these four tips in mind to see if it’s really worth your time to respond. Good luck, and happy dating, folks!
Jessica Ruane is a dating and relationship blogger in San Diego, CA. She enjoys exposing online dating scams in order to keep the honest online daters safe from all the catfish out there!
