5 Things to Consider for a Great Profile
Studies show about 10% of people over 50 meet their partner online. And that number is rapidly growing.
What makes it more challenging for older women is that men tend to want to date younger women — and their upper acceptable age limit for a partner hovers just above their own age.
Then again, this isn’t always the case. My beau, Amit, is two years younger than me. He wasn’t looking for a younger woman. He wanted someone with grown kids and similar life experiences.
Women, on the other hand, are often willing to date a man 10 or more years their senior. Although what I hear time and time again from 50+ women is that they want to meet active and independent older men — and under no circumstances do they want to be “a nurse or a purse.”
In order to boost your chances of meeting a great guy online you have to make the most of all the tools at your disposal. You need to pick the right dating site and you have to have great photos. I’ve written before about what it takes to have great online images and all the things you should consider.
Steve in action at my home, ensuring one of our clients has stellar shots for her new dating profile.
In the past year, several of our How to Meet a Man Online workshop participants have come to my home in Hamilton to have their dating profile photos taken by our professional photographer, Steve Sztricsko. They bring three outfits, I put on their favourite music, pour a bit of bubbly, put out snacks, and then Steve gets to work taking beautiful photos of our subjects. These have proven to be fun sessions and it's been great to get to know some of these women in the intimate setting of my home. (Apologies to folks who live outside of my hometown of Hamilton, Ontario, who can’t benefit from this perk. I encourage you to source a professional photographer in your area to ensure you have top-notch dating photos.)
While your dating profile photos are primary, don’t underestimate the importance of the words in your bio.
Do men even bother to read dating profiles? Studies show they spend 50% less time than women taking the time to read them.
Which is why your bio needs to be carefully crafted and engaging.
Here are a few things to consider:
Keep it positive: Instead of saying what you don’t want (“no smokers”), say what you do want (“someone who lives a healthy lifestyle.”)
Keep it to the point: Short bios are best. Bullet points are even better. When I eventually landed on Tinder (after being on Match.com and OKCupid) I had to stick to the site’s 500-word count to convey who I was and what I was looking for.
Keep it fun: A little flirty is okay (see my line about liking to “dance real slow”), but don’t get too sexual or you’ll risk getting the wrong kind of attention.
Keep it interesting: Throw in a couple of facts about yourself to give the guys something to ask you about. (I added my favourite Beatles song from Spotify, which is an option Tinder offers.)
Keep updating your profile: This allows you to catch the eye of someone who might have passed you by before and can also boost your position on a dating app because online dating services favour those who are active on the site. Also, things change in life — you get older, you retire, you develop new interests, etc.
Need help with your bio? We’re here to help! Our coaching package includes an in-depth one-hour interview with you on Zoom to gather information to create a great dating profile — who you are, your interests, what you are looking for in a potential partner, etc. This is followed up with a second one-hour session on Zoom to deliver and discuss the personalized dating profile we have created for you. More info here.
