Pick a Screen name that is simple and not suggestive. Keep in mind this is an international site so what is common to you maybe indecipherable to others. Avoid numbers; they are often misinterpreted.

Answer every question on the profile questions honestly. Vague and dishonest answers will get you no where fast. No answer is only hurting you because what people imagine is usually worse than the facts.

Computer users are getting tired of being your evening entertainment and the sites to check for fakes are getting easy to find. One little lie will get you on the lists. Or at least hurt your credibility and help your competition.

This is first a VISUAL Medium. If you don't want to put up some kind of photo you might as well just write skip this one. Your Lead Shot the one that is viewed more than any other in mini form is critical. It needs to be clear and not be tipped, or decapitated. or have a distracting background. Ditch the hats, sunglasses, and keep your hands out of the frame. SMILE.

Additional photos are helpful. One should be a full length photo. Think about the story a picture tells about you. Keep your clothes on. There are a lot more people on this site than your potential dates. You put up something you think someone important in your life should not see; they will. If you are not a great writer a good picture is worth a thousand words.

Interests are headlined because they are how people pick you. If you are vague and say ask me your competitors who do invest in their effort by listing ones are going to blow you out of the water. If you only put generic interests (sports, music, anything out doors) up then you will get a generic NEXT. You don't have to write and essay but put a few defining remarks about your interests and you give the person something to respond to you. This is especially important if you want to be seen as more than a "pretty" face.

Create a literate profile. It is acceptable to use spell and grammar check, create your profile in an outline and make an assisted effort to present yourself much the same way you would a resume. Short, all positive, and readable in a short time. Use capitals and paragraphs. Generally one for every decade of life is plenty.

If English is not your first language you can always write part of your profile in your native language. Many on this site are multi-lingual.

Don't copy stuff from profiles. romance novels, or you see on other sites, or personality tests. After you have read a few profiles this stuff is easily recognizable. It is even easier to Google and if you are not a scammer you don't want to look like one.

Last but probably most important is write your profile for who you want to date not who you want/need to ignore. Everyone gets a few Trolls. Whining about it is a major turn off. Your preferences and using stealth to read the profiles of those who write you can often decide if you are not interested and delete the mail unopened. Use report and block. Ignore people you do not want to communicate with.

One thing I consistently see is people who forget and write a profile that would appeal to them. Often if you are dating someone of the opposite gender you are going to have to list interests that would be safe to share for first dates and be a shared activity.

Good Luck. Welcome to Mingle.

Phrases that get Profiles Skipped.

"Any questions? Just ask me."
Yea right I can ask you your bank balance, the how many pounds a few extra are, the parentage of your kids. Not only does this sentence make you a liar it is hugely lazy.

"Looking for a God Fearing" (person).
This might sound good to your religious leader but in profiles even to the religious who value this this usually sounds like you are dictating how a partner has to think and that usually sounds over the top.

"My kids are my whole life."
Really if they are your WHOLE life why are you here? Do you really think anyone normal is going to sign up to be second fiddle to your kids in EVERY situation? Yea they might be really important to you but you should matter and so should your partner to some degree or another.

Sure there are others but I am not the only one who needs to write this thread. What is yours?

Photos where you can't see their face clearly, photos that have several other people in them, so you have no idea who is who, you already mentioned being fully dressed, so I won't harp about how much a turn off shirtless photos are, profiles that are so negative no self-respecting person would ever try to contact them, and photos that have other people in them who may or may not be an ex, a current S.O. a sibling, a relative, etc., even if the photo is "your best ever" it's best to either perfectly crop those that could be considered questionable, or just take new ones.

Photos taken by yourself in the bathroom in front of the mirror!
Seriously, ask a friend, relative, co-worker, neighbor, paperboy, minister, ANYONE to take a couple of pictures for you.

"I'll get back to this later."

Huge pet peeve.


Excellent topic and post btw.