With over 40 million personals on the internet today, you have competition.  The biggest mistake people make is, they rush through the essay questions on the dating site.  This is a huge mistake.  Think of it this way, USA Today is read by over 2 million people each day, a small number compared to the number of people who read personal ads each day.  If you were going to place an ad in USA Today, you wouldn't just write it from the hip, would you?

Gwen, an editor at AmazingProfiles.com, offers this advice:

Step one: Write your personal ad in Microsoft Word, or any editor with a spell checker. Yes, don't make the mistake many do of writing their essay answers while online. Yes, I know you want to get started right way, but don't do it. Copy down the essay questions while you're online, then write out your answers in your editor, spell check it, then take a break and go grab a bite to eat. Stepping away from the content for 15 minutes will allow you to make better revisions. Once you have it done, log back into the dating site and post your essay questions.

Your profile is usually the first thing people see when you join a dating site. If you’re serious about attracting someone special, your profile should be a reflection of your personality. It should show attention to detail and confidence. The results you get depend on the effort you're willing to make in this very important presentation.

Here are some tips on how to practice “The Art of the First Impression”:

• Be positive! Emphasize what you want in a relationship (“romantic outings and possibly more”) rather than what you don’t want (“no freaks or timewasters”).

• Keep it short and simple – you don’t have to write a book, a few lines will do. Say just enough to make people want to know more about you.

• Be original! Read other profiles to get ideas, but use your own words to describe yourself and the person you’re looking for. Avoid clichés such as “trustworthy” and “honest”, people ought to be able to take that for granted.

• Avoid using too many abbreviations. Profiles such as “DWF ISO DWM FOR POSS. RLTP” are not as inviting as “They say love is better the second time around. Warm, compassionate single mom looking for tender, passionate single dad. Let’s blend families!”

• Highlight your best features. List the things you like about yourself, and qualities that are important to you in a relationship.

• Get feedback. Ask a friend or trusted family member to look over your profile before posting it online. Would they want to meet the person in your profile?

• If you have a particular passion about something, describe it, for instance “I volunteer once a week at the local homeless shelter” or “I own and drive my own race car”.

• Don’t forget to check spelling and grammar. You don’t have to sound like an English professor, but try to avoid looking careless.

• Take a look at your own profile at least once a week, and don’t be afraid to revise it if you’re not getting the responses you’re looking for.

• Include a recent, flattering photo. See the Photo Tips article for ideas on taking the perfect picture.

If all of this sounds like too much work, visit Gwen at AmazingProfiles.com. They'll do it all for you at a very reasonable price. Either way, if you're going to have a profile online, make it the best you can, and give it some effort!