Dating Website Etiquette

Online dating, like many other aspects of life, has an unofficial code of conduct. Below I have outlined some of the aspects of good practice that will stand you in good stead for online dating; from how to present yourself in your profile to how to reply to messages.

Profile etiquette

What not to write – Your profile is not the place to air your grievances, try to stick to talking about yourself and what you are looking for in a partner, instead of using your profile to moan about an ex-partner.

It’s also a good idea to avoid profanities of any form in your profile; save a potty mouth for when you get to know someone better.

Hiding your profile – If you have just started to date someone, but aren’t sure if it is going to last, it is good practice to hide your profile until you know more. If all goes well you can delete your profile, but if it doesn’t you can unhide it, instead of having to re-write it.

Message etiquette

Replying to messages – Don’t wait too long to reply to someone. Although you may think that it looks cool and aloof, the person has contacted you because they genuinely want to hear from you and may just think that you are not interested.

If someone you don’t fancy contacts you, don’t say something like “Yuk, I’d never fancy someone as old as you”, it’s rude and unnecessary. Send a polite version of “thanks, but no thanks” to show that you are not interested.

If you receive a “thanks, but no thanks” type message yourself, don’t send a rude reply like “Well I wasn’t really interested in you anyway, just felt sorry for you”, it will just make you look bitter.

Sending messages – Be personal, e.g. “Hi Louise, I really liked your profile, I’ve been told I have quite a dry sense of humour too…”, but not too personal e.g. “You’ve got a great bum, would love to see it up close” unless you’ve signed up to that kind of dating site.

Don’t bombard someone with messages, especially if you are asking “why aren’t you replying to me?”

Favourites

If someone adds you to their favourites on Muddy Matches and you like them, add them to your favourites too. The same thing applies for winks and pokes on other dating sites.

What are your top tips for dating etiquette? Join the discussion on Facebook.