How To Create a Great Personal Ad or Profile

Your personal ad is your online marketing tool that you will create in order to sell yourself. It might sound crass, but it is important to realize that in the online dating scene selling yourself is what it is all about. This is because you are competing with millions of other individuals who are also expressing themselves in the same few lines that you are.

Creating a personal ad is all about the fine art of using persuasive language in order to get the attention of others. The ad must convey that you have a positive attitude about yourself without seeming boastful or self-centered. Also keep in mind that when it comes to writing online profiles, more is less.

Perhaps one of the best ways to go about this is to think about the kinds of elements that have compelled you to read a personal ad about another person. Chances are that you may not have responded well to an ad that seemed too candid, badly written, full of spelling mistakes or like too much of a hard-sell.

Even professional writers find it hard to write about themselves so if you feel a bit stumped at first that is normal. Simply make a list of your attributes and then condense those sentences into the kind of phrases that you like to see when you are browsing through profiles on the Internet.

Thankfully, most Internet chat sites and online dating venues have made it quite easy to create an online profile by providing members with an online template. All you have to do is respond to questions that are asked and the profile is concocted by putting together your answers. Usually this process takes about ten minutes so not knowing what to say about yourself should not be an excuse for creating an online profile.
Some of the more reputable sites or ones that charge for a membership might require you to write a profile that reads a little bit more like an essay. Remember to keep this short and sweet. Don't bore others with your entire life story or excuses as to why you had to resort to online dating in the first place. Avoid negative language or points of view about yourself or anyone else.

As you write your profile put your descriptions in terms that are easily related to by other people. Good approaches include describing whom you are, things you enjoy, pet peeves, favorite quotes and jokes.

Although you are creating a marketing tool it is also important to describe yourself as accurately as possible. Most sites ask you for hard data such as your height, weight, body type, eye color, religion, smoking preferences, educational background and profession. In the body of your ad it is a good idea to describe any hobbies or interests that you may have, interests or activities that you enjoy and whether or not you like to travel. Don’t share too much information. You are not writing a confession to a priest here! Write enough just to spark their interest.

Also try to write something that is a bit humorous and also a bit charming. Don't make it read like a list or memo – that’s just boring. Studies show that profiles and ads that boast a personal touch attract more responses than one that seems too formal or too factual.

Although wit is important, avoid writing anything that reeks of low self-esteem, such as "I am on here because I am so fat that I haven't had a date in ten years" or "Loser seeks fellow loser for pointless online relationship." Keep your comments, descriptions and attitude in general as upbeat as possible.

Similarly don't mistake bitter or sarcastic remarks for humor. A good example is a profile that begins "Now the lying cheating bitch has left me I thought I would see if I could find an honest woman!"

It is also a really good idea to state what you are looking for in a partner. An example would be “I am looking for a woman with a good sense of humor who loves horror movies and dogs". Or "I am an young man looking for a casual sexual relationship with an older woman." It also helps to state whether or not you are looking for friendship, a casual relationship or a marriage partner. This helps weed out the relationship disasters before they are allowed to happen.

However, don't be too picky about what you are looking for. For instance, try not to write something like "I am looking for a Yale educated man between the ages of 56 and 57 who is interested in koi fish and roller blading and who speaks excellent Mandarin Chinese." You will simply be laughed at.

Online dating experts say that the best way to achieve the most appropriate responses is to choose just a few good keywords that apply to yourself. This is because most people on dating sites and on the Internet in general tend to search through a simple phrase like "single girl likes horses." Short, flippant or sarcastic phrases tend to get lost in the search engines.

When you write your profile make a list of qualities about yourself that could be key worded and could be included in your profile Examples of these kinds of key words include phrases like: fun-loving, humorous, attractive, daring, cat lover, loves horror movies or likes sports. The more keyword phrases that you have in your profile, the better chance you have of being found by someone who is using the site's search engine.

Using appropriate keywords can also help weed out incompatible suitors. This is why it is so important not to be too sarcastic or too funny in your profile description. For instance, "fat, boring man" might just attract a bunch of individuals who in some twisted way really do think that they want a fat boring man in their life. Also avoid using phrases like "housewife and dominatrix wanna-be" as that kind of phrase has a way of really bringing the weirdoes out of the woodwork.

Here are some other suggestions for key words to use in your profile: tall, petite, shapely, handsome, cuddly, funny, free spirit, responsible, looking for committed, romantic, monogamous, sensitive, daring, busy, artistic, ambitious, vegetarian, athletic, dog-lover, cat lover, bird watcher, enthusiast, trustworthy or serious.

Avoid using words that make you sound desperate such as lonely or frantic. Also stay away from overtly sexual phrases, especially if you are a woman. Examples of this are horny, Lolita, busty, leggy, lusty, erotic, and desperate or any other words that have a slight pornographic or desperate edge to them.

When you are done writing your profile, make sure you check it for spelling and grammar mistakes. Studies also show that most people see spelling mistakes as being evidence of a person with mental problems or low income.

It is up to you to whether or not you want to post a photo to enhance your profile. Posting a photo is advised as it can dramatically increase the number of responses to your ad. Also if you don’t have a picture, people might think you have something to hide.

If you don’t have a photo it is perfectly acceptable to give them an idea of what you look like by comparing your own appearance to a celebrity You might want to say something like "People tell me I look like a very tall Mick Jagger" or "My friends say I look like a cross between Jennifer Lopez and Mariah Carey." Just remember to keep it honest.
Although profiles and ads are created to impress other people, do your best not to create a false impression. Don’t lie about your height, weight or how much you make. If have ten children then say so in the ad. Post your best photos and give the most accurate description of yourself possible. Believe it or not, there are people out there who will probably like you for being just who you are.