Online Dating Advice

How to increase your chances of success with online dating

Searching for a new partner online is a well-worn path and you can benefit from the experience of those who have followed this road before you.

One can divide online daters into two types; the reactive and the proactive. Reactive daters tend to build a profile and then sit back and wait for someone to contact them. The chances of success using this method vary according to the interest generated by their profiles and that interest depends on how well the profile is constructed and what photos are included. Profiles that are lacking in detail and contain no photos attract little attention while those that clearly belong to someone who is sincere in their search and contain a selection of photos can attract the attention of other members.

Proactive daters will not only build a profile but also actively seeking out new partners by contacting new members directly, parciticpating in chat rooms, and posting new topics and replies in forums. Proactive daters are by far the most successful of the two types. By taking the first step of contacting other members directly they are often rewarded by the discovery of a new friend. They are not put off by the fact that sometimes people fail to respond and they are persistant and patient in their search for partners. Proactive daters develop and online presence by parcticipating in chats and forum discussions. This can attract the attention of other members since people are drawn to those who have something to say and who sound interesting.

Imagine this analogy; there's a large party for singles and everyone who has come to this party is looking for something. They're looking for romance, flirtation, a casual partner, a new penpal, marriage, or just someone who shares their interests and passions. Some of the party goers have arrived in their oldest clothes and sit facing the wall (bland profile, no photos) while others have put on their best outfits and are smiling and talking to everyone (interesting profile, photos, and proactive attitude). Who do you suppose is going to be more successful?


Passive Membership (non-subscribers)

Basic Profile, no photos, no subscription
Chances of success - poor
No subscription means that as a passive member you can only hope that someone contacts you, but what is there on such a brief profile that will attract contact from another member when there are so many more to browse and choose from?

Detailed profile, no photos, no subscription
Chances of success - poor to moderate
With a more detailed profile which perhaps has more to catch the eye of someone browsing but again the chances are low and you can't initiate contact.

Basic profile, photo(s), no subscription
Chances of success - moderate
The simple act of adding a photo has increased your chances of success by a factor ten. Even though your profile is light on detail perhaps your photo will be enough to attract contact from a subscriber.

Detailed profile, photo(s), no subscription
Chances of success - moderate to good
A full and detailed photo coupled with at least one photo is ideal. You've got the best chance of attracting contact from a subscriber, but you can't be proactive in your search, and a few photos would be better.

Full Membership (subscribers)

Basic profile, no photos, subscription
Chances of success - moderate to good
Your subscription allows you full functionality on the site so you can contact whomever you wish, but will they respond if they can't read much about your or view a photo of you?

Detailed profile, no photos, subscription
Chances of success - good to very good
You've increased your chances of a response by being more explicit in your profile but again, a photo would give your intended contacts more cause to respond.

Basic profile, photo(s), subscription
Chances of success - very good
Now you're talking! Full membership, and at least one photo. People you contact can now see you as can other subscribers who might contact you first.

Detailed profile, photo(s), subscription
Chances of success - THE BEST!
You're firing on all cylinders! Giving your potential pals something to interesting read and to look at is the best way of generating contact and response. The fact that you've gone to such efforts shows that you are serious about your search for new friends and partnerships. Not only have you made the best use of the profile itself but as a subscriber you can enjoy and make use of the full functionality of the site.

Any other tips?

Yes, be proactive. Don't sit back and wait for your prince(ss) to come; seize the day by upgrading to Premium Membership, add to the Forum, use the chat rooms, and generally get known among the membership. Let your attractive personality shine through the pages of this site.

More Advice:

Getting Started
Meeting People
Taking Things Further