Online Dating – Why Uploading a Picture Is Such a Good Idea

In the world of online dating, one of the issues that keeps coming up is the photo issue. Surveys conducted by dating sites have shown that you are 10 times more likely to get contacted if you have a picture on your profile, regardless of your looks. Still, many people prefer to leave their photo area blank. There are many reasons why you may choose not to upload a photo. Some people are insecure about their looks and think a photo will actually damage their chances of finding a date, while others are ashamed of the fact that they are looking for love online and don’t want their friends or colleagues to find out. Still, if you are considering trying your luck with online dating without adding a picture to your profile, there are some very good reasons why you should reconsider.

People will think you are not serious

Most dating sites will require you to register in some way before being allowed to run full searches. This leads some people to set up a profile just so they can have a quick look around. If you’re just having a look and are not necessarily interested in making contact just yet, you may not want to go through the trouble of finding a good photo and uploading it. However, if your profile contains little information and you do not upload a picture, people may assume you are one of those people who are just looking around, even if you are more serious. If the person looking at your profile is serious about finding a partner or a date online, they may not bother contacting you at all because he/she may think it would be a waste of time. It’s worth keeping in mind that even if you are only having a look, you will get a much better response if you upload a photo.

People will think you have something to hide

While there are some perfectly innocent reasons why people may not want to upload a picture (as stated above) it’s also quite common for the reasons to be less than innocent. For example, people who are married or in a relationship often turn to the Internet in order to find people to cheat with. For obvious reasons, such people do not want their picture to be publicly available. Many online dating guides advise their readers to watch out for profiles without pictures exactly for this reason. Putting up a picture shows you have nothing to hide.

People will think you are hideously ugly

Harsh but true. While different people have different tastes, if you deny them of the chance to see what you look like, they may end up assuming the worst. Even if you are insecure about your looks, you may be exactly what the other person is looking for. Why not let the other person decide for him or herself?

People will not see you come up in the search at all

For the reasons detailed above, many people prefer not to be contact and be contacted by people who have not uploaded a picture to the site. Some dating sites offer their user the choice of specifying this when searching for people. This means your profile will not even show up in their searches, even though you fit their other search criteria perfectly.

Dating Relationships: When To Go Exclusive, And When Not To

By now it is my sincere hope that you are making your OWN decisions with regard to dating multiple women at once versus selecting a steady girlfriend.

After all, the truth is that how you conduct your dating life is your business, and there is no valid reasoning to support slapping a value judgment on how you do so. And yeah, I realize that doesn't stop the "mainstream" dating advice crowd from telling you one thing and the PUA "bootcampers" from telling you the exact opposite…as if each respective side's mutually exclusive viewpoint was "absolute".

You'd think there's no middle ground.

And really, you never, ever hear about how to handle any potential PROGRESSION from dating multiple women now to possibly selecting one for a more stable relationship later.

From what you read out there, it really is made out to be an "all or nothing" deal. You're told either to go sarging as much as possible and hopefully build a collection of HB's contact info, or you're admonished to think more in terms of building a monogamous relationship from minute one.

Well, once again, welcome to yet another newsletter about a topic you've likely NEVER, EVER heard mentioned elsewhere.

To be sure, I'm not going to tell you IF you should have an exclusive girlfriend or not.

No pre-determined outcomes. No agendas.

Instead, just straight talk on how to handle the decision to go exclusive with a certain woman…or not.

Almost every day, it seems, I hear from guys who want to date lots of women, but have found themselves in a steady relationship they never really asked for explicitly. Or, I hear from guys with the opposite problem. They really want a great girlfriend and someone to build a future with, but having focused on pickup techniques they're left wanting when it comes to relationship management skills.

Well, today I've got your back on this issue.

Here, in simple English, are three UNACCEPTABLE reasons to make a woman your steady girlfriend, followed logically by three OUTSTANDING reasons to go exclusive:

Hilarious Lines From Online Dating Profiles

If you have put any effort at all into online dating, I'm sure that you've read plenty about how to write online profiles, and how NOT to write them. Knowing the basics about that is a good thing, of course, and I've written my fair share on the subject.

The truth is that there is a wealth of information our there and help is readily available when it comes to creating terrific, effective online profiles. Yet, you can somehow always count on finding plenty of particularly entertaining material like what follows when browsing profile narratives.

All of these are lifted from actual profiles. Enjoy!

"I'm a walking, talking dichotomy. I hope you're the same."
After all, opposites attract, right?

"I need a man who can full feel my fantasies."
I distinctly remember an email I wrote to this one entitled, "Feeling Full". I don't remember a response. Haha.

"The three things I want most in a man are honesty, sincerity and truthfulness."
Great. The three things I want most in a woman are repetition, redundancy and duplication.

"I am recently divorced, so I am now at a stage in my life where I am not looking for one night stands."
Well, thank goodness both the marriage and that sort of behavior have come to an end. I wonder if that's a coincidence?

"I don't drink beer, but I'll play darts at the bar with a screwdriver"
Be sure to use a Philips. Those pointy ones seem to stick to the dartboard better.

"I'll bend over backwards to help anyone who needs it, but I refuse to be a pushover."
OK, so she doesn't need any help bending over backwards, get it?

"Attractive, fun, professional woman looking to date the same."
Hmm. Can't help you there, girlie. I'm a guy.

"I AM A HAPPY AND HONEST PERSON I HATE LAYS AND TO BE UNLOYAL"
Well, that about covers everything.

"I have my B.S. and J.D. I mostly use the B.S. part to do my J.D. job."
Anyone who is divorced can appreciate that one. Thanks for being honest.

"A man who does not mind the simple and loving jesters I may send his way."
Nah, I'm good. I'm pretty well stocked up on freaks with funky suits and bells on their hats.

"I hate complainers."
Why? We LOVE you.

"I am an independent woman and don't need a man to support me, although the ability to do so would be nice."
At least the truth came out early. LOL

"I'm looking for someone with as many things in common as me."
And I thought Yogi Berra was married. The more times I read this, the more I laughed.

"If you are looking for a true blue type I may be your match."
This woman's first pic was of her posing with a Blue Man Group guy in Vegas-so I guess she wasn't kidding.

"I'm a hot box, so this cuddle thing all night is out of the question unless it's the dead middle of winter."
I'm willing to bet that this woman had NO IDEA why she was getting the kind of responses she must have received.

"DON'T REPLY BACK IF YOU HAVE PROBLEM WITH DRUGS, ALCOHOL OR IF YOU ARE A FREAK."
OK, I ask you, have you ever met a self-proclaimed freak?

"I used to be a great liar... I can smell one a mile away."
Well it's good to know that though you used to be a great liar, the skill set it still finely tuned...just in case.

"Im etremly drawn to someone w/ a high level of intelegents."
It's just painful to read this. (See also: "I'm looking for an intelligant man")

"By the way guys....there are NOT two 'll's in 'traveling'!"
OK, rule number one: If you are going to obnoxiously correct people who you haven't even met yet, at least have your facts together.

"I love the roll of being a mom."
How about a little roll playing?

"LOVE WHITE MEN AND LOVE TO PLAY GAMES"
Surely, she means "Scrabble" or "Monopoly". Otherwise, this is a first.

"I hate judgemental people!"
There have to be self-esteem issues here.

"Just throwing out casts..."
And what did your orthopedic surgeon have to say about that?

"This is where I'm suppose to make myself sound interesting so bare with me."
So far, so good.

"I spend a lot of time sending polite emails, turning people down. Most of them appreciate that I did that."
On second thought, never mind. LOL

"Are you looking for a fun loving, beautiful woman with her act together? Well, good luck!"
What made this funny was that it was the very last two lines of her profile.

"Strong indepented woman not afraid to admit she needs some one to LOVE her."
That pent-up independence is demented stuff, isn't it?

"About him? He will hear my call a mile away. He will whistle my favorite song. He can ride a pony backwards. He can flip pancakes in the air. He'll be marvelously kind. His favorite shape will be a star. And he'll have one green eye and one blue."

You know, it seems that all the guys with one green eye and one blue eye whose favorite shape is a star and who can ride ponies backwards are always either married or gay, doesn't it? Ironically, I do actually know a guy with one green eye and one blue eye. But last I checked, he didn't have riding ponies backwards down yet. Besides, he's married (of course).