Online dating seems overwhelming (and we can help!). How do we make it less overwhelming? Glad you asked.
A study published in Evidence-Based Medicine sought to develop an “evidence-based approach to online dating”, and they did this by performing a meta-study of eighty-six different studies of online dating. Most of what they found is about what you’d expect (i.e., you need to post a picture to get responses, fit people do better than fat people, etc.), but there were three tidbits worth considering:
Don’t Over Do It
Feel the need to reach for a thesaurus and impress some librarian-types with a few ten dollar words? Well, don’t. First of all, it won’t work (trust us), and secondly, according to researchers, “Simple language, not overcomplicated wording, is likely to result in significantly higher ratings of intelligence because people are naturally drawn to words that are easy to remember and pronounce.” They go on to say that the easier your profile is to read, the more people like you, and the less time they spend reading about you, the more time they spend looking at your picture—which, let’s be honest, is what’s going to win this thing.
Pick Your Username From the Front of the Alphabet
AHotDog is better than TheHotDog. Why? Because the first name is floating to the top of the pile, and the latter is getting ignored. Basically, a lot of online success depends upon where you are in the alphabet because that influences how soon you show up.
Aim for a 7:3 ratio of writing about what you want in a partner
Writing about yourself sucks. Instead, write about the person you’re looking for. And know what? Be a little honest. If you aren’t ever going to settle down with a girl who is, say, never willing to move to another country, say so. Lay all the deal breakers out on the table. Saves everyone some time.
