Writing A Personal Ad

There is one thing that will make or break your online dating efforts – your personal ad. This article offers tips on how to write the best personal ads that come alive and get responded to.

The first mistake most people make is creating one while at the dating site. This can be intimidating and prone to mistakes. A better way is to first make a draft on a separate piece of paper or typing program (Word, WordPerfect, Word Pad etc).

Begin by brainstorming an attractive screen name (also called a handle or stem). This is vital, as it helps catch prospects’ attention.

When creating your screen name, you might want to consider your best qualities or interests and build it around this. This will not only tell something about you, but also offer prospects something to open up dialogue on. Try for something unique and interesting.

Many sites require your ad to have a headline. This is also extremely important, like a first greeting or introduction. Not only that but, some sites initially provide surfers with just headlines. A good headline should attract someone into your personal ad to find out more about you.

Just as in your screen name, you can use your headline to describe yourself, or what you are looking for. You could also incorporate one of your main interests or an interesting aspect of your personality. Study other people’s headlines and see which ones attract your attention. Model yours on these.

Next is the body of your personal ad. You will need to describe yourself and what you want, in specific terms without sending your prospective mate to sleep. This means being descriptive and using action words. It would help to make the following four lists:

1. Things you cannot do without

2. Things that would be nice to have but you can do without.

3. Things you absolutely cannot stand or will not have.

4. Your hobbies and interests

Making the above lists will help will help dig deep into yourself and you find things to write about. It also helps in answering profile questions, both multiple-choice and essay-type.

Now write about yourself. Imagine you are talking to someone seated right there in front of you. Tell him or her how you feel about things, what you like to do and what you are looking for. Be specific and positive.

Just write it down, without minding about spelling or grammar. Get excited and write fast. This helps bring out your personality, without getting stalled by the analytical part of your brain. Write in a conversational style, which has proved to work best and shows that a real person is behind the ad.

Writing about yourself does not mean that you should reveal every detail. If you can’t tell it to a stranger at the bar or coffee shop, don’t write down in your profile.

Just as in headline-creation, it would help to study other people’s ads. Run a search of people seeking the same type of mate as you are. Look through a dozen profiles or more, and take notes. If a phrase or sentence peaks your interest, don’t hesitate to modify and adapt it into your own.

When finished, put your draft personal ad down (or save it in your hard drive). Better still, let it sit overnight. Then come back with a fresh mind and correct spelling and grammatical mistakes. Also, cut any clutter. Read it over at least three times to check for flow.