eHarmony: 10 Things That Don’t Belong In Your Online Dating Profile

eHarmony is one of the biggest dating sites in the biz. 438 eHarmony members marry every day in the United States, making the site responsible for nearly 4% of U.S. marriages.

Granted, that data comes from a 2012 survey conducted for the site by Harris Interactive, but I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. eHarmony clearly has a good thing going, and they must have learned a thing or two about finding love online over the course of their 10+ year history.

The eHarmony blog recently tackled the topic of profile-writing strategies to optimize interest from potential matches. These were their picks for the 10 things you should never write in an online dating profile:

1. Never dismiss online dating. It's a classic "Don't bite the hand that feeds you" thing. If you want to meet a date online, it's probably best if you don't start things off by insulting online dating and the people who try it. Just sayin'.
2. Never lie. You're bored of hearing this one, so I'll keep it short: your lies only last as long as the conversation remains online. As soon as you're face-to-face with a date, it's obvious that you're shorter, older, a different weight, etc., so don't bother pretending otherwise.
3. Never list what you're looking for money-wise or baby-wise in a relationship. I have to (partially) disagree here. Sure, money is probably a conversation better left for a future date, but if you are a parent or it's important to you that you're a parent in the future, I vote for putting it in your profile. There's no point in wasting time with dates who don't share your plans re: children.
4. Never use your profile to write about the ex. Treat your profile like a first date. Your ex is not an appropriate topic of conversation in either situation.
5. Never whine. No one's looking for a pessimist to add to their life. Complaining about singlehood, previous relationships, and your bad dating experiences is not going to win over potential matches.
6. Never ramble. Your profile should be complete, but it should not be a dissertation on your life. Keep it concise and interesting, and make sure you leave some discoveries left over for when you're actually on a date.
7. Don't be too vague or use too many clichéd phrases. You enjoy having fun and spending time with your friends? Wow, what a coincidence - so do I. And so does everyone else on the planet. Yawn. Fill your profile with details that actually reflect you as an individual.
8. Never divulge too much personal information. We're talking contact info, place of work, home address...anything that identifies you and your whereabouts so specifically is just begging for a stalker.
9. Never indulge the inner narcissist. Be clear about what you want in a partner, but phrase it nicely. Ditch the sentences about what you 'deserve.'
10. Never leave things blank. It makes a bad first impression. If you can't put the effort into filling out your profile, what kind of effort are you going to put into a relationship?

For more on this dating site you can read our review of eHarmony.