e all want our online dating profile to show the best version of ourselves. Unfortunately, for many of us, our online profile is turning more people off than on. Wondering why you’re not getting any dates? Here are a few reasons your profile may not be doing you any favors.

 

1. You’re not smiling in your profile pic

Many of us think that using a sexy pout is guaranteed to attract some attention, but a poll by Marie Claire magazine showed that 96% of respondents would rather see a big happy grin in a profile pic than a serious pose.

 

2. You didn’t write enough about yourself

Your profile is meant to get the reader interested in you. It’s hard to get someone interested in you if you’ve responded to questions with one or two word answers. If you barely answer any of the questions, or don’t answer the questions at all, you can pretty much guarantee that people will move on after reading your profile.

 

3. You wrote too much about yourself

On the flip side of the coin, if you write too much information, you’ll quickly turn others off. You wouldn’t tell someone you just meant in person your life story, so you shouldn’t do that online either. Avoid long lists because many people ultimately skip a profile when they see them. No one wants to read about every single one of your hobbies. You have to leave your reader wanting more.

 

4. Your profile is too generic

The last thing you want is for someone to think your online profile is boring. However, that’s the risk you take by playing it safe. If you’ve said that people describe you as “nice” or that you believe in love at first sight, you should probably rewrite your profile.

 

5. You’ve come across as negative or judgmental

Sometimes we make statements on our profile to scare away certain people we may want to avoid. By making comments like “I only want someone who has his/her s***t together” it will likely leave people with a negative first impression of you. The same goes if you say you’re looking for an attractive partner. If you list that as your number one priority, it makes you come across as shallow. This is something you will never be able to fix once the damage has been done.

 

6. You didn’t use spell check!

Poor grammar can be an instant turn off for many. Using “their” instead of “there” is a simple way to turn someone off. Write you profile in Word first before sending in order to ensure your profile is mistake-free! If you’re including emoticons and abbreviations in your profile, you should also consider rewriting it.

 

7. You’ve used too many clichés

Make sure you can back up every claim you make about yourself in your profile. Try to avoid making cliché statements like “I like to laugh” or “ I am a caring person,” or even “I believe in love at first site” because ultimately, you’re one of thousands of other people who are saying the same thing.

 

8. You’ve used a lot of slang in your profile

Are you an adult? Then write like one. Make sure you use proper sentence structure and avoid abbreviations. It’s hard to fall for someone who sounds like they should still be in high school.

 

9. All your photos are selfies

Seriously, don’t you have any friends that could take photos of you?  You’ll look fairly self-indulgent if your profile only includes selfies. Next time you’re visiting somewhere cool, try to remember to get some groups shots and get your friends to take a shot or two of you alone to post on your online profile.

 

10. You’ve been too suggestive

You might think it’s cute or flirty to make a sexual innuendo in your profile, but for strangers reading sexually-charged statements online, it can just sound creepy. If you present yourself this way, any relationship-minded prospects will just assume you’re in the market for sex and will stay clear, while you’ll end up receiving messages from suitors who are only looking to get down and dirty.