There are a variety reasons you might not have uploaded a profile photo to your Catholic Singles account yet.
Maybe you’re afraid that people won’t think you’re attractive enough. It could be that you just don’t like any of your profile picture options.
While these profile picture fears are real, don’t let them stop you. One of the most common online dating mistakes is to not upload a profile photo. You need to upload one a profile image today because having a profile photo will likely have an immensely positive impact on your online dating experience.
I know this fact to be true not only because of stats out there that says a profile photo increases your chance of connecting with others by 250%, but also because I’ve been where you are.
I filled out an online dating profile, decided to upload photos, and met my husband online!
Our family that started from a little message on a dating site
Ethan’s face was the first thing I noticed when he initially wrote me and I was excited to him back. If he had not posted a photo, this may not have been the case.
Not having a profile photo is kind of like entering a singles event at your church with a bag over your head.
Even if you appear to have lots in common with someone else, they’re naturally going to be unsure of you without seeing your face.
Whenever I got a message from someone without a profile pic I always wondered why they didn’t have one and I personally hesitated replying to them.
Ethan’s photo immediately made him more “real” to me than if his message had come with only the image of a faceless, gray silhouette.
Our polls, prayer requests, and conversations starters are great ways to naturally connect with other members, but if you don’t have a profile photo, people are going to be less inclined to connect with you. (Just as if you’d showed up at that church singles event with the paper bag over your head.)
So just what makes the perfect profile photo? Here are a few things to keep in mind when you upload a photo.
It’s all you
Your profile photo should be a basic head shot of you and only you.
The perfect profile doesn’t confuse people with a friend next to you so the viewer isn’t sure which person they should be looking at.
It isn’t distracting
People make their initial first impression within a second of seeing your photo, so don’t give them any distractions – blurry pics, photos taken from far away, or awkwardly cropped pics with half of someone else’s face don’t let another person easily see you.
Similarly, sunglasses and dramatic poses may make for a neat image, but not one that makes a new person feel like they’ve just met you.
It’s authentic
Don’t use a photo of yourself that is so old that the viewer would hardly recognize you today. Resist the urge to reach for photo shop or touch up a picture. If you’re worried someone wouldn’t like how you look at this moment then they wouldn’t be the right person for you anyway.
The right person will love you just as you look now, so don’t let any insecurities hold you back from using a current, genuine photo of yourself.
It’s relaxed
If a wide smile isn’t how you normally pose for a photo, you’ll likely look uncomfortable if you force one now – you want to look approachable, not strained.
My husband didn’t have a big toothy smile in his and I still loved it because he looked natural! Give the smile you’re comfortable with and relax doing it.
Beyond the profile picture
After you’ve got that basic profile photo up, you don’t need to be done! Uploading additional photos to your account are a great way to give a fuller picture of what you’re like to someone else.
Do you hike? Have you volunteered in a foreign country? Does your family have a hilarious ugly sweater contest every Christmas?
Take advantage of our unlimited photo uploads with a paid membership and share pictures of you enjoying a favorite holiday, hobby, or trip. Don’t be afraid to click “edit profile” regularly and keep other online dating users up to date on your passions!
Whether you upload just a profile photo or quite a few pictures, I hope this has inspired you to take the figurative paper bag off and let others connect with your more easily.
What are you waiting for? Update your profile and upload a profile photo today!
