Check Your Fear and Share Your Mug

If you are timid about adding a photo to your online dating profile, consider this: do you search through profiles without photos? Do you respond to an instant message when the photo included along with it is the standard silhouette of a man or woman?

You probably do not. Even photo-less yourself, you are apt to focus your search through the profiles with photos.

Increase your Chances!

All of the online dating services recommend that users use a photo, and most, like LavaLife and Match.com, let users add multiple photos for browsing. There is a good reason why the services strongly suggest photos. People look more seriously at and are more likely to date the people they can see. In fact, profiles with photos get viewed eight times more often than profiles without photos. Dating services need and want you to be successful. In accordance to that desire, they know that to help you in the best way, they need you to show your face.

Any Photo is Better Than no Photo

Some daters are reluctant to show their faces or add photos to their online dating profiles because they do not believe they are photogenic. A camera adds ten pounds. The flash can wash out the face. They can’t take good pictures anyway. They never could. All of these excuses aside, remember, that without a photo, no one is looking anyway.

A photo on a dating profile always helps. Always. Use a digital camera to take and take and take photos of yourself. Have a friend take and take photos of you. Hire a professional. Try headshots, full body shots, activity shots, etc.

Open yourself up to the full experience of online dating. Share yourself, so that others will share with you. Check your fear at the virtual door. Someone inside wants to meet you.