Top 10 Mistakes People Make on Dating Sites

Whether you join a niche site like Muddy Matches or a generic dating site, it’s important to avoid these common mistakes when online dating:

• Not uploading a photo – We may sound like a broken record, but it’s really important to add a photo to your profile, so that people know who they are talking to. One statistic says that men in particular are 14 times more likely to contact someone if they have a photograph on their profile.
• Uploading a really old photo – When selecting a photo to add to your profile, make sure that you choose one that has been taken within the past 12 months as an old photo can be misleading.
• Lying – While we’re on that note, it’s never a good idea to lie in your profile as you will get found out eventually!
• Writing the bare minimum – If the dating website says that you should write 200 characters for your introduction, that doesn’t mean that you should write 200 characters exactly and nothing more. Writing an especially short profile comes across as lazy.
• Writing an essay – Writing way too much is almost as bad as meeting the minimum word count. You need to reveal enough about yourself to encourage people to contact you, but not so much that there’s nothing to discuss on your first date.
• Being too choosy – We’re not suggesting that you should fancy everyone on Muddy Matches, but if you tick too many ‘must haves’ you may miss out on your perfect match.
• Being unrealistic – Don’t expect to go on a dating site and meet the love of your life within a day of joining, having not made an effort. The key to online dating is to be proactive.
• Talking about your ex – This first date faux pas is also a big no-no on your profile. Don’t list all the things that you disliked about your ex!
• Not spell-checking – When you’ve finished your profile, it’s important to read through it to check the spelling. You could also copy it into a word processing programme and run it through a spell-check.
• Not sending messages – Being on a dating site and not sending messages is a bit like going into a football match and not kicking the ball. Sending messages is the key to getting yourself a date.