What to Write on Your Online Dating Profile

Before starting to write your profile, have a look around and decide which profiles really catch your eye- if a profile impresses you, it is likely to impress others too. It goes without saying however, that you shouldn’t copy someone else’s profile directly or use the same jokes, even if they are hilarious.

Here are a few tips to help you to write a profile that is unique to you:

Length – As a general rule, your dating profile should be more than two lines and less than two pages. At Muddy Matches we ask for a minimum of 200 characters (approximately 50 words) and a maximum of 4000 characters (approximately 1000 words).

Although a 50 word profile is acceptable under the rules it can lead people to believe that you are one of three things:

1. Too lazy to fill in a profile
2. Convinced that your picture alone will entice people in
3. Being forced into online dating by someone else and not particularly keen to meet anyone

A 1000 word profile on the other hand can put people off, unless it’s so well-crafted that people are hooked. If you’re going to ‘go long’ make sure you break up the text into paragraphs to make it easier to read.

Think about what you want to tell people straight away and what you’d like to keep until your first message, first phone call or even your first date.

Should you have a theme? – It all comes down to a question of taste whether you choose to use a theme or not. However, we have seen some great profiles written with a theme; including people describing themselves as cars, animals or even as a pair of slippers. We’ve also seen fairy tales, poems, short stories and interviews. If you enjoy this kind of thing and have a creative side, that’s great, but don’t feel you have to have a theme…if it doesn’t come naturally or if you find that your theme holds you back, stick to a standard format.

Who are you? – Normally dating sites ask you to write an introduction in addition to filling in your details and answering questions. To complete your introduction you should consider what defines you:

• Think of the key adjectives that describe your personality e.g. outgoing, considerate, shy, debonair or bubbly and take care to say why they describe you well, rather than just providing a list of adjectives.
• How would your friends and family describe you?
• Do you love the high life or are you more down to earth?
• Are you the go-to person for finishing a crossword or do you get fidgety before you’ve solved the first clue?
• What makes you laugh?
• Do you have children? If so do they live with you?
• Are you a workaholic or do you live for the weekend?

Muddiness – Our members are united by a love of all things ‘muddy’, so if you feel a bit wheezy if you enter a large town, spend most of you time in wellies, or can’t resist escaping the big smoke to find a quiet field, then say so in your profile.

You can also take the ‘How Muddy Are You?’ quiz to gauge how muddy you are.

Who are you looking to meet? –

• Do you want to make friends or find a partner?
• If you are looking to find a partner consider whether you want someone who shares your hobbies or whether you’re an ‘opposites attract’ kind of person.
• What personality traits are you looking for in a partner?
• Keep your description realistic, but not so broad that you could be describing anyone.
• Try not to focus too much on looks as you can always decide whether you like someone’s picture at a later date.

Fill in the boxes – Your profile isn’t just about your introduction; on Muddy Matches we’ve even provided handy tick boxes to tell people more about you, as well as sections where you can explain more about your interests, background, lifestyle and appearance. On Muddy Matches and on other dating sites it is a good idea to explain a bit more about your hobbies and sports rather than just ticking the boxes, for example do you love to play rugby or are you a loyal supporter of your local team?

Take advantage of the opportunity to tell people more about yourself and fill in all of the sections that are available to you. If you leave a box blank you might not come up in people’s searches. For example, some people may search for a partner who wants to have children, or for someone who shares their religious beliefs.

Ask a friend – When you have finished writing your profile ask a friend to look over it to see if they have any suggestions. They may be able to point out something wonderful about you that you haven’t mentioned, or remind you of a ridiculous story that might make other members laugh.

Check, check and check again – Once you’ve completed your profile, have a read through to make sure that you are happy with what you have written. It’s also a good idea to do a spelling and grammar check on your profile in a Word document before pasting it on to your profile.

We’ve covered what to write, but we can’t stress enough: add a photo, add a photo, add a photo…check out our post on which photos to include.

For more ideas check out our additional advice and our what not to put on your profile blog post.

What’s the best thing you’ve ever read in someone’s profile? Tell us on Facebook.