If you’ve put up a profile at an online dating website and so far you’ve only received messages from freaks and weirdos, or worse, no one has contacted you at all, perhaps it’s time to adjust your strategy. Review these 7 online dating profile don’ts to ensure that you’re not committing any blaring mistakes. 1. Posting low quality or deceiving photos One of the first things potential mates will look at when they check out your profile is your photos, so make sure that they’re flattering without being deceiving. At least one of your photos should picture you facing straight ahead because if all of your photos picture you facing the camera at an angle, people will think that you’re trying to hide something. Also, avoid posting pictures that show you alongside other people, especially if they’re more attractive than you. After all, you’re advertising yourself, not your hot friends! In addition, be sure to include at least one shot of yourself from head to toe. You might have a cherub-like, photogenic face, but if you’ve got a lot of extra junk in the trunk, people who check out your dating profile have the right to know about it, don’t you think?

It’s good to be succinct, but don’t be vague. While there’s no need to write out an epic poem in the interests section of your dating profile, you should go into some detail in order to intrigue people. For example, rather than saying, “I like eating out,” (*snore*) be more specific by saying something like, “I love to go out on the weekends to explore new areas of the city and find eateries I’ve never tried.” 3. Being just like everybody else You are honest, warm, and outgoing… along with a bazillion other John Does on the planet! If you want your profile to be memorable to people, think about what makes you unique and talk about it. Tell a story that demonstrates your character rather than just listing adjectives that describe you. 4. Implying that internet dating is for losers Don’t say something like, “Unfortunately, I couldn’t meet someone in real life, so I’ve had to resort to this,” in your profile because it implies that you think that the people looking at your profile are losers who couldn’t find a mate offline. Try to be more optimistic, please. Just because you’re using an online dating website doesn’t mean you’ve failed at life.

Every guy you dated in the past turned out to be a lying, cheating player who impregnated one of your friends, but that’s not the kind of information you should be sharing in your dating profile. Potential mates will steer clear of you if you seem jaded and cynical about love, life, and dating, so leave your baggage at your ex’s doorstep. 6. Listing all the traits you’re looking for in a mate It’s good to have standards, but be realistic. Otherwise, you’ll scare potential dates away with your laundry list of essential traits in a mate. List a few basic preferences but don’t go beyond that; you’ll get more replies if you keep it general. You can weed people out who aren’t a good fit later.

If there’s anything you could learn from a marketer when you’re writing dating profiles, it is that you need a good call to action. A call to action tells people exactly what to do when they’re finished reading your profile. Countless advertising studies have shown that people are more likely to take action when they are told what to do with direct, specific language. For example, if you say, “Send me a message,” rather than, “I hope to hear from you,” people will be more likely to contact you. Are there any other dating profile don’ts that you’d like to share? What makes you say, “NEXT!” when you see a dating profile?