Best online dating advice for every
age
By Julie Taylor
1. Post a photo, already!
"To get a decent number of responses, you must post a picture. Would you want to meet up with someone not having any clue what your date looks like? It not only saves you time but keeps your date's expectations about what you look like at reasonable levels as well." - Patti Feinstein, founder, Americasdatingcoach.com
2. Stick to a one hour per day rule
"Spend an hour a day, max, looking for dates online. It might be tempting to stare at the screen for four hours at a stretch, but anything in excess is usually a bad thing. It's like exercise. We all know those gung-ho people who start exercise regimens and overdo it that first week. Most of them get hurt, give up and never go back to it. The same happens in online dating. But if you pace yourself, you'll lessen your odds of burnout - and increase your chances of success." - Bev Bacon, author of Meet Me -Don't Delete Me! Internet Dating: I've Made All the Mistakes So You Don't Have To
3. Keep first dates short and sweet
"People can usually tell within the first five minutes if they are interested in someone, so why prolong the agony if you're not? Instead of meeting for a looooong dinner on that first date, meet for a drink or cup of coffee instead. If you enjoy someone's company, you can always extend the date - but if it's obvious it's not a love connection, you can guzzle your drink and be outta there within half an hour!" - Renee Piane, author of Love Mechanics
4. Broaden your horizons
"Why limit yourself to your immediate geographical area? Don't deny yourself the best possible mate just because they happen to live a few hundred miles away. Even if you don't want to move, you may meet someone who would be willing to relocate just to be with you. When I was on Match.com way back in 1998, I did a search within 500 miles of where I was living. Drew lived 482 miles away. And now we're married!" - Kathryn Lord, author of Find a Sweetheart Soon!
5. Share stories in your profile
"When writing your profile, keep this rule in mind: show, don't tell. Instead of saying you're funny or down to earth, show those traits by sharing a story about a time you were doing something that exemplifies one of those things. This will help fill your profile with lines that are so unique they could only be written by you, and that will help you stand out from the crowd." - Evan Marc Katz, founder of E-Cyrano.com and author of I Can't Believe I'm Buying This Book: A Commonsense Guide to Successful Internet Dating
