Whether is the bane of your existence or fills you with buoyant hope, it's smart to craft the most stellar profile possible. Since that's easier said than done, we went to Laurie Davis, founder of the online dating concierge service and author of , for her tips on how to put your best digital foot forward. Those souped-up personality snapshots have resulted in nearly 100 marriages and engagements, and even a few dozen babies! Here, Davis offers advice that applies to pretty much every dating service, whether you're all about Match. THE PHOTOS Choosing the right pictures is the first step, especially if you're using an app like Tinder that barely has room for a summary. Good to keep in mind based on who you're interested in! Now, four pieces of picture advice. Aim for between five and seven. That gives you enough room to diversify without entering photo overload territory. First, consider opening with a few clear face shots where you're not far away, wearing sunglasses, or doing anything else that makes it hard for someone to see what you look like. Davis also recommends including a full-body photo. Bolster your profile with lifestyle shots. Add images that capture what you're about, whether it's running 5Ks or taking cooking classes. Not only do these kinds of photos communicate who you are, especially when you're short on space for words, they serve as potential conversation starters. Keep the focus on you. It's natural that you'll have a few stunning photos with friends, but Davis suggests keeping them to a minimum on your profile. Consider using only one selfie, if any at all. If you're the selfie queen, have at it—this isn't about fitting a cookie-cutter mold, it's about presenting the best version of you. One smart tactic is making sure the selfies are unique enough to still communicate something about yourself, like you on the summit of your favorite hike. Be as pithy as possible. When you've only got a few sentences' worth of space, every little bit counts. That's not to say you have to use up all the space you've got—if you think a few descriptors sum you up perfectly, that's cool, too. Include a conversational opening. After a friend of mine updated her Hinge profile to mention that she can beat anyone at Connect Four, her matches and messages skyrocketed. If you're looking for something serious, it can still help to add some descriptors so people can better determine whether you have something substantial in common. Stay positive while being specific about what you're looking for. First of all, sign up for a site that gives you more space to explain who you are and what you want, then emphasize what that is. After Davis and her team added details to the client's profile about exactly how she led her life in a cultured way and how she wanted to share that with someone, her matches improved. Showing that you want to experience certain things together doesn't just help alert someone to the fact that they may be right for you, it sends signals that deter people who aren't. Those sections asking you to describe yourself can be utterly baffling. When talking about yourself, it can help to think of stories rather than facts. So instead of saying you love to travel, you can say something about how you just got back from a trip to Thailand and are hoping to make it to Iceland in the new year. When it comes to describing your , don't get tunnel vision in an effort to be specific. SELF may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast.
