Online Dating and LinkedIn Profile Writing Advice
I regularly critique excerpts from random dating and LinkedIn profiles (for anonymity). By pointing out dos and don'ts from actual profiles, you too can look at your own with a critical eye and improve on your personal branding.
Dating profile pictures that make me go “oh come on!”
When Gwyneth Paltrow & Chris Martin named their child, Apple. I thought, “Oh come on.” When Madonna kissed Britney, I cringed and said, “Oh come on.” When a friend showed me a Youtube video of Bush dancing with an African band, I spat out the tea I was sipping and laughing like a lunatic, said, “Oh come on” followed by “oh gross, sorry”. The tea sort of landed on his computer screen, but anyway… Recently I visited Match.com, PlentyofFish and… read more →
Can you spot the celebrities dating online?
I was on Match.com the other day and saw Elizabeth Hurley online. How exciting and, truth be told, how surprising. For one, I thought she was married and yet there she was looking for long term. Second, I happen to know that the picture she posted was at least 8 years old (not to mention a bit blurry), which is a little bit deceptive, let’s face it. Nevertheless I was pretty giddy. I mean, Elizabeth Hurley was online dating! I… read more →
Is there a high mortality rate among singles dating online?
I’ve seen so many online dating profiles claiming, “life is short” that I’m beginning to think I just might be able to max out my credit cards and get away with it. That upside aside, do online daters have some freakishly high mortality rate that I didn’t know about? For the record, I know about a half a dozen people in their 90’s who would disagree with life being short. I suggest not using that claim on your online dating… read more →
Can 50 year old abs dating online compete with 20 year old abs dating online?
I was roller-blading the other day with a girlfriend of mine when a young hot gorgeous male in his 30’s skated by without a shirt on. She and I both nearly tripped over ourselves and yanked our necks out of place as we watched, fixated, while he sped off. I don’t care what anyone says but that moment was better than chocolate. A little later a very fit and handsome middle-aged man sped by on his inline skates. My friend… read more →
Looking for a good-hearted woman or an honest man? So is everyone else who’s dating online.
Good lord, where are all the good-hearted women? I see so many men’s dating profiles looking for this particularl type of female that I wonder if they really are that elusive. Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson knew of one such woman because I heard them singing about her. Does that mean men would have better luck if they cut short their online dating site subscriptions and head to the nearest honky tonk? Is that where these women are hiding? My… read more →
Saying what you want on your dating profile might be the wrong way to get it.
I remember trying to complete a product ad for a client who directed absolutely every detail of it. She wanted the color green replaced by red. She wanted a bolder font and a larger logo. She even began asking if she could replace certain words with other, very similar words. I finally suggested that she buy a thesaurus and revise the ad herself. I learned two things from this experience: 1) When you get fired, the jeans you really really… read more →
I don’t care what dating “experts” say, headlines on dating profiles don’t matter.
Does the headline on your dating profile actually matter? According to most online dating “experts”, it does. As a marketing expert, I say it doesn’t – not when it comes to dating profiles. The reason why a headline in an print ad or bus board matters so much is because you have seconds to distract people from whatever it is they’re doing and get them to pay attention to you. Rarely do people open a newspaper because they’re objective is… read more →
Online dating profile writing 101.
You may have noticed that I love giving my opinion. I like being a guest on podcasts; I enjoy writing this blog; I also admit to a special fondness for my $20 service even though I make more money on the $80 one. However, despite my gregarious approach to telling anyone who’ll listen (or read) what I think, there are just some things that you really don’t need to hear from an online dating profile writer. In fact, I’ve compiled… read more →
Fish on dating profiles. What’s the big attraction?
I noticed that after every episode of Sex and the City new trends would take off. Some of the more memorable ones include cosmopolitans and the very painful, but admittedly neat, Brazilian wax. More recently, the Hills’ Heidi Montag has set the trend for cosmetic surgery over personality while Audrina makes a case for vegetarianism. Then there are the designer home shows that have finally relegated beige and neutral back to their ideal location as the perfect, personality-stripped choice for… read more →
A common sense law of attraction: “live, love and laugh” on your dating profile won’t land you a date.
I browse online dating sites on a daily basis. I scan larger ones like Match and Perfect Match. I also scan the smaller niche sites like Brainiac and Jdate. I’m an equal opportunity scanner. Yet, no matter how many different types of singles each site might attract, and no matter where I look, I always find the preachers. Read online dating profiles and I’m sure you’ve seen them too. Here are some of their headlines: Live, love and learn. It’s… read more →
