Photos Are Important in Online Dating

Online dating is not an exotic activity anymore and more and more people have found the love of their life on online dating sites. Online dating sites do work but you need to know how to use them. One of the most important factors for success in online dating sites is to create a quality profile.

Don't Leave Your Profile Without a Photo

Online dating is about visual attraction. Well, it isn't much different in real life, so it is hardly surprising that your photo and the other visual stuff you upoad attracts or repels potential mates. It is true that visual attraction is only the first step and if there is no harmony and understanding, visual attraction can't compensate for that but if there is no visual attraction, you won't be able to start a relationship at all.
If you don't post a photo in your profile, the assumption is that you are ugly and you are hiding your face. Of course, there could be thousands of other reasons why your profile lacks a photo – i.e. you don't have a suitable photo to post, you are too lazy to post, you are concerned about your privacy, etc. - but generally a profile without a photo looks suspicious and other online daters skip it.

Types of Photos to Avoid

The fact that you need to have a photo in your profile, doesn't mean that you should put the first picture you have. There are many types of photos you should avoid and here are just some of them:

• low quality photos – if the photo is obscure and one can't guess your features, then this photo is not of much use because it doesn't communicate a lot about you besides the fact that you put up with low quality stuff.
• photos, on which you are frowning, crying, etc. - people want to see smiling faces, not angry or sobbing individuals. So, put a clear picture of you with a large smile on your face. And yes, don't put a picture of you when you were drunken – you might be all smiles then but a sober picture is worth more.
• photos with friends – you can publish photos on which you appear with other people but have in mind that people are interested in you, not in your friends. Especially be careful with pictures where you appear in the company of cool chicks (if you are a heterosexual man) and hot guys (if you are a heterosexual woman) because this sends a bad message about you – look, Ma, I've got so many chicks/guys but I am always looking for new additions.
• Photoshopped photos – not everybody is a natural beauty but when your photo depicts a model and you are not that attractive in real life, when you meet a fellow dater in person, the disappointment could be huge. If you make yourself look very attractive, this will draw crowds to your profile but many of the people will be there only because of your sexual appeal. On the other hand, many people even men, are not interested in top models – they want to date normal girls/boys next door, so if you put a topmodel pic of you, these guys and girls will skip you.

A good photo is only the first step to successful online dating but it is an important step you can't skip. So, do your homework and provide a good picture of you.