Create The Perfect Online Dating Profile

It's amazing how often honesty is taken for granted. Especially in online dating. If you are dishonest in your online dating profile, you've already veered off into the ditch.

Imagine this: you find what you think is the perfect person online. Their profile states everything you want to hear. Then you meet them. And they're nothing like the person advertised. Would you want a second date with this person?

The worst thing you can do is be boring, so spice up your dating profile with a bit of humor. For instance:

Missing: Rhett Butler
Southern Belle seeks handsome, debonair Yankee (or Englishman or Scotsman or Californian). Was last seen in random daydream. Can be recognized by charming sense of humor and sense of chivalry.

Obviously, this is a little bare, but you can kinda get what I'm attempting to portray here. It's fun and catchy and stands out from the ho-hum.

One thing to keep in mind when using humor is to use it wisely. If you think it might be offensive or off-putting, can it. Sometimes humor doesn't always translate correctly across the internet.

Your photo is going to be a big part of your "marketing package" when you enter the world of online dating. So it's important to choose your photo wisely.

First things first, choose a recent photo. Choosing a photo that's 20, 15, 10 or even 5 years old is deceptive and usually easy to spot.

Second, make sure your photo is well lit. If it's too dark, it will look mysterious and as if you're trying to hide. Not quite the impression you want to give to those looking at your profile.

Third, smile! Don't look like you're cross or smug. This will cause potential dates to look you over and then look on to someone else.

Fourth, if you're not, um, simply looking for a one night stand, then don't "sex up" your photo. Girls, having your boobs pushed up under your chin suggests that you're trying to sell your wares and not your personality. Guys, posting a photo with no shirt says the same and also makes you seem a little too smug. Dress nicely, but don't over do it. Look like you're having fun.

Fifth, don't stand ten feet away from the camera. You don't have to put your face right up in the lens (actually, very few people look good with extreme close ups), but become comfortable with the camera. Give them an idea of what it might be like to sit across a table from you.

Overall, choose a photo that represents you and makes a person say, "This is someone I want to get to know."

You want to make sure you're honest about your interests. If it's Broadway plays you like, make sure you state that loud and clear. Chances are, you'll want someone who will enjoy the show with you.

However, don't make up interests or state half-hearted interests just to sound "cool." If you don't really snowboard, don't put it down. This goes back to honesty, but it's still something to keep in mind when you're considering putting down that you're really into mountain hiking when you hate even walking to the mailbox.

It's tempting to try and sound as cool as possible in your profile because, after all, you want to be the cool kid on the dating site, right?

However, don't overdo it. Trying to sound like a pompous windbag is going to intimidate what might be a perfect match for you.

You might want to be seen as a "sexy chick," but making your name "Sxychk69" makes you sound like a desperate high schooler.

Be creative and fun. Stay away from ego-inflating names that make you sound less sexy and more juvenile such as "HotStuff" and "Adonis4U."

Also, try to steer clear of too much cyberspeak. "SkatrBoi" might look cute to you right now, but it's doubtful that many others will find it all that appealing.

When trying to attract a woman, keep in mind that being in-your-face with claims of sexual prowess and how hot your bod is will be more of a turn-off than anything.

When trying to attract a man, steer clear of the schmoopy-boopy baby talk and how you just can't wait to wear that white dress. While the he or she that you're trying to attract might be interest in marriage, talking about it from the get-go can be off putting.

If you want someone to travel with, state it. If you are eventually looking for marriage, click that box. If you don't want someone who's going to go hunting every weekend, let them know. Be clear and concise without being too forceful. There's no sense in trying to woo someone online who you have no interest in dating in real time.

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It might be tempting to tell everyone how you don't want someone who's overweight and be downright blunt about it, but the one that you're trying to lure my not be overweight, but will still likely find your frank, judgmental talk offensive.

Steer clear of put downs and over-the-top "George Carlin-like" rants about who you do or don't want. There's a time and a place for irreverant comedy. Your dating profile isn't that place.

It goes without saying, but run that bio and intro through a spell checker. Firefox comes with a built-in spellchecker, so there's no excuse for laziness.

Also, don't write all in caps and punctuate! All lowercase letters is just as unattractive as all caps.

Reread your intro and take out any netspeak. This could potentially be the first introduction to the one you spend the rest of your life with. Spend a little time working on it!

Be you, but keep in mind that just because you're behind a computer doesn't mean that you can throw away good manners and sense.

Have fun with it and be, well, nice and you'll find that you'll be the belle or beau of the ball.