5 Rules For Choosing Your Online Dating Photos

In online dating, making a good first impression is key. People can easily pass over your profile with the blink of an eye if they don't immediately see something they like. A recent study actually confirmed that men are extremely visual, looking mostly at the photos and less at the profile, making it even more important for women to choose wisely. Do Good Men Still Exist?

Here are the five rules of thumb for picking your online dating photos:

1. Be accurate and honest. We've all gone on that date where the person looks nothing like his profile picture. The purpose of online dating is to get offline. Don't lie about your looks. People will always find out the truth in the end. Even if they like your personality, they will be offended that you lied and that is definitely a deal breaker. Why You Should Take Your Chances When Online Dating

2. The first picture should be a clear shot of your face. If your main picture is either blurry or too far away, people will assume that you're hiding something. You only come up as a thumbnail first on most sites so make sure that tiny square is as appealing as it can be. 

3. Less is more. Believe it or not, Match.com allows a whopping 26 photos in your profile. That's more like a Facebook album if you ask me! I have no doubt that your pictures from your European adventures are incredible. Just remember, there's a time and a place for them and that place is not an online dating site. People have a tendency to look though all of your photos and dismiss you because they see just one they don't like. You know it's true because we all do it.

4. Avoid group shots. Remember, this is your online dating profile. This isn't your friend's or your ex-boyfriend's. It's your profile. For that reason alone, you want people to see only you. You're already being compared to others on the site, so don't give someone the chance to compare you to other people in your own profile. I actually had a client tell me that a guy e-mailed her to ask for her friend's information. She was devastated. People often ask about pets. As long as Fido is yours, by all means take a picture with him. But just one.

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5. Have one "interesting" picture. It's hard to know what to say to someone in that first e-mail, isn't it? This is why we need to provide some "e-mail bait," which is something to catch someone's attention and generate questions. For example, if you have a picture of yourself with a microphone in your hand, the natural question for someone to ask is, "Are you a singer?" Avoid The E-lationship

Using these five rules of thumb, you'll be on the right track to catching someone's eye in no time. Want to know more? Join the A Little Nudge mailing list for more updates, tips, and the nudge you need.

Got questions about online dating? Tune in next week when YourTango Experts presents Online Dating Bootcamp, a 14-day intensive about online dating featuring articles from your favorite YourTango Experts, including Joe Amoia, Laurie Davis, Rick Clemons, Larry Cappel, Julianne Canatrella and many more!