6 Tips For Writing a Great Personal Ad

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6 Tips For Writing a Great Personal Ad

6 Tips For Writing a Great Personal Ad/Dating Profile

Are you ready to get back into the dating scene? We've pulled together some great tips to help you write an effective ad or dating profile—whether you reach out to people via Harvard Magazine and HarvardMagazine.com, other publications, or online dating sites/apps.

  1. Be honest. Tell the truth about yourself, your hobbies, your appearance, and what you’re looking for in a relationship. The way to start a successful relationship is by being real and being you. Be proud of who you are and be honest about what you are looking for. Honesty is the best policy.

  2. Don’t over-share. When you place an ad or create a dating profile, you are reaching out to people you don’t know. Avoid intimate details: your home address, where you work, information on your family members, etc. We recommend that you create an anonymous email address as your method of contact or if using a dating app, use their messaging platforms. Do not provide your phone number or physical address. Get to know the person first, then, after you’ve communicated enough by email or via the dating app you're using, consider meeting in a busy public place to see if things click. 

  3. Be personable. Stay away from convoluted vocabulary or robotic lists of information. Dating should be fun, so have fun with your ad. This is not your curriculum vitae. Use a conversational, inviting tone. Humor is also a great icebreaker and can put people at ease or lessen the nervousness that can accompany dating. When you read your ad back, it should sound the way you speak. Mind your grammar and spelling, but use your own words and phrasings, and you should get a better response. 

  4. Look at other ads. A great way to get ideas for your own ad is to look at other ads or dating profiles and see what you like and dislike about them. Would you respond to the ads? Do you get a real sense of the people you’re reading about, or do they sound phony? Do they have a conversational tone or do they sound like a machine? Take cues from the ads/dating profiles you like when writing your ad/dating profile. 

  5. Show recent photos. Use photos taken in the last two or three months if possible. Present yourself as you really are...not what you looked like 10 years ago.

  6. Don’t get discouraged. It’s very likely that the first, second, third, or even tenth person you meet will not be “the one,” but have faith. The point of dating is to meet new people, learn about them, and see if you have common interests and values that can provide a basis for a lasting relationship. Try to have fun, be open to meeting people, and be yourself. You can’t go wrong with that.

Reach eligible and educated singles from the Harvard community. Place your personal ad in Harvard Magazine and meet Harvard alumni, faculty, and staff looking for love. Many of our advertisers have met their spouses and long-term partners through our Personals section. Call 617-496-6686, Skype: hmagclassifieds or email classifieds@harvard.edu for more information.