Posting a Great Online Dating Profile Picture

By:Devon November 1, 2012 at 9:20 am

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A big part of having a great online dating profile, is having a great picture of yourself posted as your profile picture. The online dating profile picture is extremely important for a couple reasons.

First, it obviously shows perspective dates what you look it.

Second, people, in general, are visual people. Men (and women) want to be able to visualize the person they are talking to, and they want to know who they are looking for when meeting someone for the first time.

Here are some tips on choosing the perfect online dating profile picture.

1. Avoid group shots. If you have multiple pictures, it is okay to throw in a group shot where you stand out from the group looking fabulous.

However, the group shot should not be your main photo, you should not have only group shots, and the group shot should not be from a distance where the viewer may not be sure which one is you.

2. Avoid dated photos. This mistake is most common for older women. Do not post a picture of the way you looked at 24.

Although I’m sure you looked great, you are completely misrepresenting your physical appearance. You want men to be honest in their profiles, and you need to be honest in yours.

Anyway, if you ever actually plan to meet a man in person, he is going to figure out your picture was old.

3. Choose a flattering picture. Although this advice should be common sense, you would be surprised how many women don’t think about this.

Avoid pictures where you are sleeping, eating, or mid-sentence. Avoid pictures that are taken at such a distance that it is difficult to see your face. Avoid side shots. The best possible picture will be a clear image of your smiling face.

4. Avoid bad pictures. By “bad” picture, I mean pictures with poor lighting or ones that are fuzzy or grainy.

Between all the things you can do with a digital camera and all the things you can do with picture editing software, it should not be hard to produce a good quality photo of yourself.

5. Don’t try to make a statement. Your profile photo is your introduction to the online dating world. This is not the place you want to make a statement.

I’ve seen a lot of profile photos of women dressed in costumes, doing weird things, or wearing outfits that make politically-charged statements. If you have a strong opinion about something or if you are part of a sub-culture that is essential to you, those are the things you bring up in your written profile. Including this as part of your profile picture will make you look obsessed or extreme.

6. Dial down the sexiness. Partial nude photos or overly sexy photos will send a very specific message to the guys checking out your profile.

Unless you are online looking for hook-ups, you’ll want to tone down your sexiness. It always amazes me when women post booty shots or pictures of their cleavage as a profile picture, and then in the description say they are looking for a long-term relationship with a man who will respect them.

Don’t get me wrong, sexy is awesome, but when we’re talking about online; you are going to get all sorts of responses from guys that are not looking for any sort of relationship.

I hope these tips help you in choosing an online dating profile picture. My last bit of advice is to be confident in how you look. Don’t be discouraged because you think you look terrible in every photo ever taken.

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