the Guppie Life

If you haven’t already, check out the first part of this series, “How to Write Successful Social Networking Profiles.”

Whether the aim of your profile is making friends or meeting new people to date, you want to think of your profile as an advertisement about you. You’re the ‘product’ we’re trying to push, or more specifically, we’re trying to convince people that they should spend some of their hard-earned free time with you.

Admittedly, this isn’t a tip so much as a suggestion of the mindset you should have when writing an online social networking profile. If you need inspiration, just look at the world around you—at this very moment you’re probably being inundated by advertising, whether it’s print, online, television or radio.

I hope this idea makes sense to you, but if you’re still not convinced, read on:

1. Post a picture
If you were allowed to include only include one item in your social-networking profiles, it should be a picture. Without a picture, your response rate is going to be nearly zero, and the responses you do get will probably be of questionable quality.

With digital pictures so easy to come by these days, the immediate thought that should pop into your head when you see someone without a picture is “Why doesn’t he have one posted?” It could be that you’re dealing with someone who is trying to cheat on his partner (male or female) or someone who is confused about his sexuality (read: closet case).

Going back to advertising—How often do you buy a product sight-unseen? Probably very rarely. So why would anyone want to meet you without seeing a picture first?

There is something reassuring about seeing a photo, but there is something even more reassuring about several, so post as many good ones as you have to ensure that your audience gets a good idea of what you look like. If you need help picking your best shots, ask a friend for help. You might be biased against your best pics because you’re familiar with them.

2. Reduce ad blindness
In advertising, “ad blindness” refers to the point at which the audience recognizes a familiar ad as such and subsequently ignores the ad. This is all done subconsciously within a split second.

The same thing can happen with your social networking profile if you do not keep it updated. Ideally, you should add a new profile picture every few weeks and change up the headline. Those two things should alter your profile enough to register as ‘unfamiliar’ to your audience who will then be forced to dwell on your profile whilst evaluating it.

3. Be positive
When’s the last time you saw an ad for a product that tried to convince you not to buy the product in question?

Then why do so many gay men feel obligated to list all of their faults online? i.e. “Not really sure why I’m on here, just got out of a long-term relationship…” Stop! Go no further. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

I’m all for full disclosure, but that can wait. Your profile should extol your virtues, not complain about your vices.

NEVER discuss the following topics on your social networking profile: past relationships, past abuse, body image problems, bad habits, unhappiness with your career, money troubles, substance addiction, or anything that could fall under the category of ‘drama.’

If you can’t say anything nice about yourself, then you’re probably not in a place in your life where you are ready to make new friends. But if you absolutely cannot think of anything to say, simply list what you expect out of others.

That’s it for now. If you have your own suggestions, let me know! And stay tuned.