Christian singles: 5 tips for a great profile

Want more attention? Following are some tips on how to make your profile stand out from the rest.

Your profile is the most important tool you have when you’re online dating. It’s your marketing vehicle – your entryway to meeting others. It’s a snapshot of who you are, and also a tool to help strike up conversation. Instead of looking at your profile as a form to fill out, it helps to look at it as communication. It’s your pick-up line.

Sound intimidating? Don’t let it be. Many daters choose to use generic terms to describe themselves and what they want, so making yourself stand out from the pack is the first step to online dating success.

Following are some tips to keep in mind:

Don’t make religion your focus. While you might be very devoted, talking only about your religion is not going to set you apart, especially when you’re a member of a Christian dating site. You want to engage others in conversation. Instead of making your religious views the focus of your profile, try talking about other aspects of your life. What makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning? What do you like to do on Saturdays? Getting to know you as a person – outside of your faith – is just as important, no matter how religious you are.

Be positive. Instead of framing everything in terms of what you don’t want (“I can’t handle dating someone who doesn’t like baseball”), try framing it in a positive way: “If you’re a baseball fan, I have season tickets to the Dodgers to tempt you. Write to me.”

Avoid ex talk. Sure, it’s tempting to include a list of what you’ve learned in your relationship history, but there’s no need to discuss it on your profile. Even phrases like: “My ex would call me introverted” makes it seem like you are still mourning the loss or that you consider your ex important. This isn’t about what your ex thinks – it’s about you.

Avoid generalizations. Maybe you’re a good Christian, but don’t describe yourself this way in your profile. Instead, talk about the good deeds you’ve done – how you volunteer at your church, or bring dinners to shut-ins, or teach children bible study classes to grade school kids. Be specific, so your potential dates get a clear picture.

Use full sentences. Match.com did a recent study and found that a large majority of online daters are turned off by text speak and grammatical errors. Show that you know how to read and write, and don’t take shortcuts in spelling. Have a friend proof your profile if you’re unsure.

Be authentic. Many online daters think they know what others want, and are afraid they fall short. So they lie – by posting a picture from five years ago or fudging age and income a bit, or even by saying they have a PhD when really they barely graduated high school. It doesn’t serve you to be anything less than honest. Your dates will eventually find out, and then where will you stand? Embrace who you are, even your perceived flaws, because the right love interest for you will find you.

Happy dating!