Online Dating

Match.com's Whitney Casey was on The Early Show Saturday Edition sharing some insiders secrets of what relationship experts find makes for a good online dating profile that will help you get notice and to avoid moves which will turn potential matches off.

First impressions count in online dating so your profile picture needs to be good. It should show your face clearly and smiling. Natural photos are best (instead of a head shoot from your local photographer). Black and white photos and photos cropped from others are not recommended.

Casey suggests to answer the who, what, when, where and why in your profile questions along with anything you feel strongly about like smoking or for example, you only date guys who are taller than you. Above all Casey says to be honest in your profile. Think of it as a type of resume.

For a video of this segment on The Early Show, visit CBS News and to find out more about this dating site, read our Match.com review.

There are several words that kill your online dating profile. I’m going to start with a tricky one first – I. I know, you’re thinking:

“This profile is about ME! How can I write about myself without using the word I?”

Let me give you an example of how the word I can kill a dating profile. I’ll use a before and after from my site Geek’s Dream Girl.

Before:

I am an optimistic person. I always try to find the good in things and in people. I am very laid-back and easy-going. It takes a lot to get me mad. I can laugh at myself. I am easily amused. I love to smirk and laugh. I am dependable. I am punctual, loyal, trustworthy, and truthful. I am also very trusting which has been my downfall sometimes but that’s who I am. I am a geek. I love to read. Especially fantasy and science fiction. I also like computers and roleplaying games. I am very healthy. I love to cook. I would rather cook than eat out most of the time. I eat healthy. I exercise every day. I play softball for my work and am looking to join other sports. I take care of my body. I do not smoke and do not drink very much if at all. I am independent. I have my own house, truck, and live alone. I take care of myself and my two cats. I am clean and organized. I am a country person. I like camping, fishing, hiking, etc. I love the rain.

Notice how nearly every sentence begins with the word I. Not only is this poor form in writing, it also sends a message that this guy is all about himself. I, I, I. Me, me, me.

That’s definitely not the message you want to send when you’re looking to share your life with a special someone. Not into yourself? A profile full of I’s can also indicate someone who is very self-conscious. That’s not a vibe you want to put out there, either.

Here’s his profile after my makeover:

Why go out to eat when you can have a wholesome home-cooked meal? You’ll find me conquering a mini-golf course, knocking down pins at the bowling alley, catching fish, working out, or watching a good game of hockey, but it’s rare to find me at a restaurant unless I’m with a group of friends. My mom taught me how to cook and it’s so satisfying to eat a meal that I have prepared myself from start to finish. I pride myself on my recipe for quiche – not only is it fun to make, it’s delicious!

My match might be found at the local bookstore, paddling a canoe down a river, or hitting some softballs out of the park. She’s passionate about her interests and curious about mine, so we’d always have plenty to talk about and learn from each other. Would you like to be my sous chef, co-chef, or taste tester? Send me an email and let’s create a culinary masterpiece together!

Take a look at your profile. Can you rewrite some of those I statements and make yourself appear more open and receptive for others?

It has been confirmed for eHarmony here in the US and Canada that they will be having a Free Communication Weekend, starting this Friday (September 4, 2009) until Monday (September 7, 2009). In Canada this will be their Labour Day Holiday long weekend.

As the name suggests, eHarmony Free Communication Weekends mean all members can review and communicate with all matches for no cost. These promotional weekends have become extremely popular for eHarmony, so expect a flurry of matches if you decide to signup. If you have been thinking about trying this internet dating service for a while now, this weekend, is the time to try! Remember, no credit card is required.

By our count this is Free Communication Weekend number 19 for eHarmony. The last one was held in July on the Independence / Canada Day weekend in July (see Story).

Read our review of eHarmony for more information on this popular online matchmaking service.

According to eHarmony's official blog, The Newlywed Game is looking for couples of all ages who may be interested in being on the show, which appears on The Game Show Network. Taping of this season of the show would happen in September and October of 2009.

This new iteration of The Newlywed Game is sponsored by eHarmony and is hosted by Carnie Wilson. The show allows couples to compete against each other by being asked questions on how well they know their spouse. This is the second season of the show with the first being aired back in April, 2009 (see Story).

For more information and for you and your spouse to be considered as contestants please email: thenewlywedgame@embassyrow.com to apply. The Game Show Network would like you to include the following information in your email:

• Names and ages (you and your spouse).
• Your City/State and phone number wwith area code.
• Email Address.
• Your Wedding Date, and a photo.
• If you met on eHarmony.

All participants of the show must be 18 years of age or older and married 2 years or less by October 9th, 2009.

For more information on the dating site, read our eHarmony review.

There are so many mistakes that people make in their online dating profiles when it comes to content, but did you know you may be losing out on potential dates because of common grammatical errors? This fact goes double if you're looking for a brainy match - let's face it, we brainiacs are picky people!

Double check your profile to be sure you don't make these silly mistakes:

ITS vs IT'S

WRONG: I love my car because its something I worked on a long time.
RIGHT: I love my car because it's something I worked on a long time.
Tip: Use IT'S to replace IT IS, but for nothing else.

There, their, they're

WRONG: Their is something great about redheads.
RIGHT: There is something great about redheads.

WRONG: My kids love there swimming pool.
RIGHT: My kids love their swimming pool.

WRONG: I like to go to they're house to play Rock Band.
RIGHT: I like to go to their house to play Rock Band.
Tip: Use THEIR to describe possession and THEY'RE to replace THEY ARE.

The Forbes website wrote an article called "The Top Online Meat Markets" which talks a bit about some current online dating statistics and lists the top ten dating sites according to unique visitors in the month of June from a tracking company called Nielsen (more famously known for tracking TV viewers). I wasn't really impressed with the title since they are referring to dating sites as meat markets. The term meat market is not meant as a compliment and it tells me the author is not very interested in the story and doesn't think much of the concept of online dating. He further expresses his point of view in this sentence:

Call it calculating, unromantic and maybe even a bit unnatural ...

For a media company whose authors are suppose to leave their opinions at the door unless the topic calls for it, I wonder how this piece got past the editor's desk.