In my years as an owner and operator of online dating websites, I have seen just about every kind of online dating profile you can imagine. From the obscenely vulgar to the sublime, from the deficient to the overwhelming, I’ve seen just about all of them. Where your online dating profile is concerned, close enough is by no means good enough.

To me, the worst profile is the one that lacks a photo or does not have an essay. I have seen so many profiles that say, “I’ll fill this out later,” or sometimes just “later.” When you write things like this in you online dating profile essay, you are telling every potential mate that looks at your profile that you really aren’t serious and don’t care whether you meet someone or not.

That brings me to the subject of this article, that is, the anatomy of the online dating profile.

The online dating profile generally consists of five parts:

• A headline (Many sites don’t include this part)
• A profile photo or photos
• Miscellaneous questions
• An essay
• Photo albums (some sites don’t include this part)

Let’s explore each of these important parts of the online dating profile one at a time.

The Online Dating Profile Headline

Your profile headline (if provided) is one of the first things that a potential mate will see when he or she visits your online dating profile. It is essential that you write a good headline that will grab attention. You may actually want to consider trying your online dating profile out on a different dating website, one which you have little interest in utilizing, prior to publishing what might be a terrible profile on your site of preference.

Your Profile Photo(s)

The importance of the online dating profile photo can not be overstated. I’m going to be very blunt: If you don’t post a photo on your online dating profile, you might as well just delete your profile and forget about online dating. You’re wasting your time.

Miscellaneous Questions

Most dating sites are going to include some miscellaneous questions that will help to add to your profile and tell other online daters what you are like. You should take the time to answer at least some of these questions. They’re usually in the form of check boxes or radio buttons and are easy to go through and answer.

The Online Dating Profile Essay

Although it is accurate that the photos on your online dating profile are worth a thousand words or open up a lot of possibilities, it’s the profile essay that will help you find the best match. The way you represent yourself with this essay will indicate to possible matches exactly how interesting a person you are.

Photo Albums

Some sites offer you the possibility of uploading several photos either in the form of additional profile photos or in photo albums. Either way, you should take advantage of that opportunity. Try to find good photos that show you involved in fun activities or with attractive friends. Avoid photos that show you using alcohol and partying.

You should view your online dating profile as a small book about you. If you were going to write a book about yourself, wouldn’t you want it to be an interesting read? Sure you would, so near enough is not good enough when it comes to your online dating profile.

Creating your online dating profile is a detail frequently forgotten by online daters. You sign up for an online dating service, and then you just forget all about it. Nobody interacts with you and you simply stop trying.

Do your online dating profile photos best represent you? Do you even have photos uploaded? You may not look like Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie, but that’s not grounds to use poor quality photos. The first thing other members are going to see is your picture.

There is so much competition in the modern online dating world that you usually have just a few seconds to capture your prospective mate’s interest as they search through the website. If you want to catch the eye of that potential mate, you will have to have a good headline and a good photo on your online dating profile. It can’t be just any old photo. It has to be a good photo that represents you well.

Usually the first thing that one sees is the profile photo, the name, the headline and a small amount of personal details. The importance of the profile photo cannot be overstated. I can assure you that if you don’t have an online dating profile photo, you will be disappointed in the number of responses you get.

It is a fact that people prefer to read online dating profiles belonging to those who have fascinating photos and will make contact with those people far more often. Don’t lose the opportunity of finding a mate just because you’re too lazy to post a photo on your online dating profile.

Dating site members who upload a photo get contacted up to 20 times more than singles without one. Use a clear photo that has been taken recently. Many online dating services give you the option of uploading several photographs. Always take advantage of this opportunity and upload your best recent photos that show you in different poses.

No matter how well you’ve written your online dating profile, having good photos will make sure more matches click through to your profile, give you winks, respond to your messages, and ultimately date you.

On the other hand, a good profile photo alone won’t do it all for you, and here’s why. The meat of your online dating profile is the “about me“  or the essay section, which is called various things on different dating sites. Regardless of its name, the majority of online dating websites will require a paragraph or two from you in essay format, expounding on who you are as well as exactly what you are searching for. The most important thing you need to remember to get your online dating profile noticed is pictures, but to hold your prospective mates attention, you must have an interesting profile essay.

Your online dating profile is virtually the same as you walking into a singles club. Would you go there looking less than your best? If not, then why would you not include your best photos in your profile?

Be sure to read my articles about online dating profile headlines, essays, and more about your online dating profile photos.