7 Online Dating Mistakes That Will Instantly End It

Your profile can keep you from getting dates.

Last updated on Dec 01, 2023

Dating profile Shot by Cerqueira | Unsplash, sparklestroke | Canva
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A lot of people are visual when it comes to dating and attraction.

The first thing they do when they see your profile online is not read about your trip to Italy last summer. They want to see who you are.

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Here are 7 online dating mistakes that will instantly end it:

1. Not providing accurate information

All photos you post on an online dating profile must be current. List your body type. It seems like on the Internet, everybody is "athletic and toned," "petite," or "fit and trim." List your actual age. In the world of Internet dating, "29" could mean somewhere in your 30's. They will find out what you look like, so you might as well tell the truth in your profile. Why start a potential relationship on a deception? Men and women are guilty of the same thing, and I advise them the same way.

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2. Posting too many unrelated photos

I'm glad you had a great time on your vacation, but you don't need to post ten photos of your trip to Italy without you in them. This is a dating site, not a trip adviser. Also, don't post too many pictures of you skydiving, winter skiing, water skiing, or doing anything else where we can't see what you look like in the picture. One or two that show your interests are fine.

   

   

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3. Not keeping your profile short and to the point.

Make your paragraphs very short. I've seen too many profiles that read like romance novels. Look at most media websites and notice how all the paragraphs are short so readers can digest the information in short bursts. Keep your audience in mind when writing your profile!

4. Appearing self-absorbed.

I've seen many profiles that say, "I want a person to be this," "I want a person to do that," "I want someone to cherish me," "I want someone to adore me." You list all your wants without listing what you will bring to the relationship. So, you end up looking like a taker and not a giver, and we know that could not be further from the truth! No one wants to be with a taker. They want to be with someone equally willing to give and receive.

Don't let how you word your profile misrepresent who you are.

5. Don't list your financial desires like you're posting a want ad.

I've seen too many people write, "I'm looking for someone who will spoil me, buy me great things, and take me on great trips." You come across as self-serving. Instead say, "I like the finer things in life to share with somebody," so you don't come across so harsh.

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6. No baby talk.

Even if the number one priority in your life is to be a parent, nothing can scare a love interest off more than if you write in your profile about how badly you want kids. They may feel the same way, but they are going to think, "This person will marry anybody to have kids."

Write something a little more toned down like, "Families are important to me, and I can't wait to meet my special person so I can start a family." This shows you're selective and not just looking for someone with whom to make a kid.

happy couple full body hug

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Photo: Alexandr Kolosov via Shutterstock

7. Stop sending winks.

When was the last time you went to the supermarket, saw a cutey, and winked at them? Winks went out of style when Happy Days went off the air. Most people don't like it when strangers send them a wink or other emoji with no text. It seems lazy and like they didn't read your profile.

So stop winking and start typing. We know you're looking at us because we see you've viewed our profile every day. Say "hello!" We're not going to bite. Lob that email in. Take a chance and send a message to the person you're most attracted to. You never know what might happen!

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When online dating, if you're honest about who you are, and you get back to people immediately, you'll get the date faster and avoid all the back-and-forth games.

You have an amazing life. Don't let simple mistakes in your online profile keep you from having a great dating life. Now go update your profile!

RELATED: 5 Secrets To Thinking Like A Man That'll Win His Heart

David Wygant is a dating coach who spent the past 20 years helping men and women transform their love lives. As a lead writer for Ask Men and Huffington Post, his advice has been offered across television, newspapers, and magazines, including MTV, The New York Times, MSNBC, Fox News, Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, E! Entertainment Television, and more.

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