The One Minute Dating Profile Overhaul

Online dating is becoming more and more popular as people and therefore there is more choice for everyone. This means that people are spending less and less time looking at each online dating profile.

So how do you create a dating profile that will attract attention within less than a minute?

Focus in on your photos

Back in 2012, a company called Tobii Technology conducted research (in collaboration with Answerlab), that looked into how people view dating profiles.

The research, that was published on BusinessWire.com, showed that women spent just 84 seconds looking at a dating profile, while men spent a mere 58 seconds scanning each profile. During this time, the eye scanning technology showed that both sexes were quick to look at a person’s profile photos.

So, if you are looking to impress someone within a short period of time, try to focus on choosing a good, clear Main Photo and a selection of additional photos that summarise who you are as a person and what you enjoy doing. For example, if you’re keen cyclist, try to add a photo of you cycling. If you are a great cook, add a photo of one of your dinner parties.

Don’t waste words on clichés

If your first sentence says ‘I’m new to online dating’, ‘I never thought I’d do this’, or ‘Hi, my name is’, then it’s time to have a rethink. These phrases don’t tell anyone anything about you as a person as they could apply to anyone. Also, remove any generic phrases, like ‘I like going out, or staying in’, or ‘I like seeing my friends’.

Use your opening sentence as a summary

Your opening sentence may be the only thing that someone chooses to read before they move on to looking at other peoples’ profiles.

Think about how you would sum up who you are in one sentence, or what your own personal brand is (if you’re a fan of The Apprentice). If you’re struggling to think of a sentence that describes you, speak to friends and ask them what they would write about you if they were given the chance.