10 Tips for Setting up the Best Online Dating Profile

Let’s face it: Bauces are busy. No harm or shame in utilizing available technology and setting up an online dating profile!  Online dating sites are more popular than ever, and their efficiency is undeniable.  They’re definitely supposed to make your love life a little easier, so here are ten tips to ensure you set up a profile that does the work for you.

1)  Before you find the perfect match, find the perfect match site.  If there’s a particular demographic of people you wish to date, such as Hispanic or Christian or runners, find the dating sites that cater to them.  If you’re not the picky type, do your research on the multiple match sites that exist: OKCupid! is easy yet risky, Grouper allows you to bring friends on your dates, and Tinder is like an adult Hot-or-Not.  Once you find that, then you’re ready to actually make the profile!

2)  A rose by any other name does not necessarily smell so sweet.  If a rose was called a “Poopbreath”, I doubt anyone would stop to smell it.  Same with your username: skip ones  like “SeXXXiLadi4Eva” or “BadAzzChick” and stick to something plain, simple, and not so in-your-face.  We’re no longer 7^th graders with AOL accounts.

3)  Keep it real. With everything, especially your profile picture.  The safest bet is to have at least four, two of them being your face and two showing your body.  No overtly sexy poses or MySpace selfies, please—just photographs that show other users what you honestly look like.  Too often people put up old or flattering pictures of themselves and it just leads to trouble when the two meet in person.  Also write hobbies you actually like; if you don’t actually play Call of Duty, don’t put it on there just to attract guys to your profile.

4)  Be a little playful.  Not in a coy, sex-kitten type of way, but showcase your skills and qualities playfully: “I can make a mean lasagna.”  “Adrenaline junkie who gets her highest fixes from chocolate chip cookies.”  Use a little rhetoric to your advantage, just so long as you aren’t exaggerating anything.

5)  Keep it original. Don’t use clichés like “I love long walks on the beach” or “I’m great at multitasking.”  You want to stand out from other profiles, not blend in!  Again, tying in with #4: play up your strengths in a unique way.

6)  …and short. Don’t write a long, drawn-out narrative of your life on your profile; save that the for the dates themselves.

7)  Have realistic expectations. Mr./Ms. Right may come within a week of your setting up a profile, they may come within a year.  Mr. Perfect may actually turn out to be a total loser, while Ms. Weirdo will be the girl of your dreams.  Remember that, just like real life dating, online dating comes with risks and unexpected turns.  Be patient and follow your gut!

8)  Take chances…  If you’re slightly intrigued by someone and your instincts aren’t telling you otherwise, go for a date!  Explore and have fun.  Get to know people, and at the very least, make some friends.  Even if it doesn’t work out, you’ll be exercising your will to take risks in dating, which is what love is pretty much all about.

9)  …but don’t date the weirdos.  However, if someone seems like a total freakin’ creep on their profile alone, it may be better to just skip over them.  When you go on dates, make sure you always have a back-up rescue.  If someone sends you a picture of their privates, chances are they’re probably not looking for something serious.  Be on your guard.

10)  Have fun! Once you have a profile set up with accurate (but flattering) pictures, brief, creative lists of your hobbies and interests, then you are good to go!  Don’t stress dating; you’re a Bauce, and Bauces don’t sweat the small stuff.  Enjoy the exploration, be safe, and make sure to have your girlfriends and a bottle of wine ready for some awesome stories.