Remember Spruce the penguin from Weymouth Sea Life Adventure Park whose caretakers, with the help of dating app Plenty of Fish, set up an online profile for and found him a mate?
Click the video below to see Spruce in action.
Setting up an online dating profile significantly widens the pool of people you meet daily, but there are 4 key tips I’d like to share with you in order to achieve success.
1) Create an Engaging Profile
Relying on photos to get matches will limit the chances of finding a meaningful relationship. Spend some time creating an engaging profile by writing yourself an interesting bio. It’s better to be concise but it’s important to still show off your personality – don’t write a 5-paragraph essay.
If you’re always cracking jokes then include a joke in your dating profile. If you’re someone who is more interested in science, math, or hiking it’s okay to show off how smart and active you are as well as what you like to do in your spare time.
Spruce is a professional swimmer, a true athlete – he would have been crazy not to include that in his profile.
2) Display A Variety of Photos
It’s annoying when scouring the internet for love to find people who have only one poorly lit photograph of themselves. So select a myriad of well-lit photographs of yourself that show off who you really are.
While it’s good to show yourself having a good time with others, limit group pictures to one to prevent confusion. Also choose pictures that represent things you like. Have a favorite sports team? Include a picture of you cheering them on in their jersey.
Love your golden retriever? Post pictures of you playing with him or her. These can be great conversation starters. We live in a visual world, and so including pictures that showcase your personality will make you more attractive.
3) Be Clear About What You Want
Many of our daily relationships would be easier if we were honest about our intentions, so make sure your profile and conversations remain clear about what type of relationship you’re looking for. If you’re not looking for anything serious, it’s okay to say so! Conversely, if you’re looking to find love online, it’s important to include that.
When you’re clear about your intentions, you will attract people who have the same goals.
4) Know What You Want
Being open minded is always important, but it’s also crucial to know what you are looking for. Keep a checklist of core values you need a partner to share, and try to hold your dating app matches to those standards.
If you know that you only want to date someone of your religion, there’s no point in dating anyone else. Having a set list of standards will save you time and narrow the dating pool into a more manageable group.
Online dating is a journey, and you will meet plenty of people you like and plenty that just aren’t the right fit. It’s important to keep striving forward after you meet up with people who you are not so keen on, as the odds will work in your favor the longer you are at it. You may be one of the lucky ones who finds yourself celebrating anniversaries in years ahead with this person.
The most important thing is to be patient with yourself and with others. Dating apps can be exciting as well as anxiety-inducing.
If your date is nervous in person or keeps saying the wrong thing, just keep in mind it may be first date jitters. It may take two or three meetings for you both to loosen up.
Spruce managed – so can you!
