If you’re ready to start dating and you’ve joined a dating site, you have mere seconds to attract a potential suitor before he or she moves on. Bad first impressions are often difficult to get over, which is why it’s important to have a positive impact on your visitors when they reach your profile. In this article, we’re going to explore six mistakes people make when they create an online profile.

Photo by Thechive.com

1. Cutting out People or having a Group Shot

When you have a picture of you in a group photo and you’ve cut out the people next you, someone looking at your dating profile might begin making assumptions, trying to figure out what those people mean to you. And even if you don’t cut out anyone, a group photo is bad because you want to be the center of attention. There’s a high chance that the person looking at such a profile will lose interest and move on. While selfies are okay, a full body shot of you alone will be better.

2. Using Photoshop Images

Enhancing your photo might seem like a wise thing to do, but someone looking at that image will automatically rule you out because even though you look good, you also appear untrustworthy. A clear shot of your face without any enhancement is all you need. Besides, what if you attract someone and they fail to recognize you or think they’ve been conned when they meet the real you without your enhanced images?

3. Not Smiling in your Photos

A study was done that showed that a man is more likely to be attracted to a photo of a smiling woman. And it’s not a surprise because smiling makes you appear more approachable. So leave the seductive look out of your photos and just smile.

4. Failing to Advertise your Personal Style

You should be dressing to impress for your online dating profiles. And if you’re not a jeans and t-shirts kind of girl, your profile should express that. Your profile pictures should also reflect your style in every aspect of your day to day life. Remember that you have only one chance of making a good first impression so make sure your profile photos help you to do that.

5. Having few Pictures

Statistics indicate that when you upload four or more pictures in your dating profile, you’ll receive more communication from your matches. It’s also interesting to note that women tend to upload more photos compared to men. But men initiate the first contact 67 percent of the time and having more photos in your profile will make you stand a better chance of finding someone special.

6. Photos of your Younger Self

When you post photos of yourself at 21 and you’re 50 and trying to find a soul mate, such photos are pointless and may even be construed as misleading. While we all look better when we were younger, your profile photos should express the real you, even if slightly older but wiser.

Dating profile pictures should be carefully considered as they can influence the entire online dating experience. And even if people tend to exaggerate a bit on their online dating profiles, such people will only end up disappointed when they go out on a first date and the other person seems less than impressed by what they see, so make sure that you stay true to yourself and pick the best pictures of yourself, without being deceptive.