Here is a common mistake a lot of people make in their online dating profiles:
They have a photo. One. Single. Photo.

Almost all online dating sites give you space or a “backstage” photo gallery, where you can usually add at least 6-10 more, above and beyond your main one.

Out of all the online dating profiles out there, less than 10% actually fill up this backstage gallery with photos.

And these people think... “I have a photo... they can see what I look like... that’s good enough.”

If you are happy with being “good enough”, that’s OK. But if you want to be in the elite 10% of people who get 90% of the attention to themselves, you’ll need to maximize this huge asset.

Here are 3 good reasons why you should fill your backstage photo gallery:
1)
It will get the eyes of people who search for profiles with backstage photos (on websites that have this search function). A lot of people search this way because they know people with backstage galleries are usually more serious about online dating.

2)
It will keep people looking at your profile longer. Scanning through a page of photos takes time, and the more exposure someone has to your profile, whether it is photos or text, the more likely they are to commit to emailing you.

3)
It allows you to give your readers a much deeper impression of your life, and creates a much stronger connection with their subconscious. This gives you that all important lasting impression. This is the most important reason by far. You are familiar with the expression "a picture is worth a thousand words", right? This is a fantastic opportunity to give your reader a few thousand extra words about you without the effort of writing them!

Here are a few examples of what you can accomplish quickly and effectively by creating an extended photo gallery:

• Display your sense of adventure – post photos of you somewhere exotic or doing something exciting.
• Display your sense of culture – post photos of yourself at a play, art gallery, or museum.
• Display your sense of style – post a few photos wearing your best threads!
• Create comfort – post photos of you with your friends or family (just not ones that make you look like you are with an ex!)
• Display a sense of fun – post photos where you are smiling, laughing, or hamming for the camera.
• Display your sporty side – post photos of you actually doing the sports you enjoy, instead of just listing them in your profile.

If you can do all these things with photos instead of having to write about them, do it! People relate much better to what they see than what they read. Photos make a sensory connection with the subconscious mind, which is a much deeper and stronger connection than you can make by writing about the same thing. This will make your readers remember you much more vividly, which in the competitive world of online dating, is a very good thing.

Here are a few other tips to consider when adding backstage photos:
-Try to be smiling in all your photos. It conveys much more personality than photos where you aren’t.

-Photos where you are making eye contact with the camera are always stronger than photos where you aren’t.

-Never post photos where you look like a dork. Yes, it is important to convey a sense of fun, but not at the expense of displaying a sense of class.

-Don’t use cropped photos where people can see your ex’s severed arm around your shoulders. If it is a clean crop, it’s fair use. A good photo is a good photo.

-If you have the space, try to post a photo for every trait that you talk about in your profile. Backing up your words with pictures is always good.

-Fill up your backstage gallery with as many photos as you can. Ask your friends to take photos of you for your profile (you don’t have to tell them what it is for) while you are out having fun. Bring your own digital camera with you if possible. A full backstage gallery will help your online dating immensely.

One last thing... the photos should all be different. 10 nearly identical takes of the same scene really does nothing for your profile. Don’t fill it for the sake of filling it, fill it with quality photos. The people coming to your profile will love it.

Happy dating!

Dylan Alexander