About Your Success: Creating an Effective 'About Me' Page - Part Two

In this final part of a series on creating an effective About Me page we look at tips for creating unique answers that will stand out to your matches.

by eHarmony Advice Host Renee

As I mentioned in Part 1 of this article, the purpose of your About Me page is to introduce you to your matches and inspire communication.  If you would like to access Part 1, which covers how to approach your About Me page, create meaningful answers, and use the available space wisely, click here.

Along with those topics, here are two more to help you create an engaging, effective About Me page.

BE FLEXIBLE AND CREATIVE
Unfortunately, it is not possible to create an About Me page that ALL of our members will think is the best thing since sliced bread.   But even if you don't like a particular question or have a hard time answering it, it is important to give it your best shot!  Remember, all our successful couples were introduced to each other through their About Me pages!

So, if there is not one person who has been most influential in your life, by all means share that; but also give a "for instance" and share about someone who has influenced you and how?  If you don't read books, but read magazines or newspapers, share details about those reading habits. 

As I mentioned previously, how you answer these questions says just as much about you as what you share.  If your matches sense that you are really trying to share yourself with them through these questions, they will be more likely to want to communicate with you!

Also, make sure you are reading the questions correctly.  There have been instances when members have listed the things they could live without instead of the things they couldn't live without.  Big difference!  Then there is Question 7:  Other than your appearance, what is the first thing that people notice about you?  If your answer is my smile or my dimples or my wavy hair, those are physical traits that affect your appearance.  If you've never considered this question before, it may take a few minutes for you to come up with an answer.  But give it some thought.  If you have a raucous laugh or are easy to talk to you or have high-energy, those are the types of qualities to share.

Lastly, make use of Question 13!  Here you can share details about your children, if you are allergic to pets, if it's important that your partner share your political views, or elaborate on your drinking or smoking habits.  Also, if haven't posted photos on your profile but are working on it, sharing this information can encourage members to be patient.

GET A SECOND OPINION
Even if you think you've created a stellar About Me page, having someone else take a look at it can't hurt but can certainly be extremely helpful.  A friend or relative can tell you if your attempt at humor rings true or falls flat or if you are coming across positive and approachable or not.  They may help you enhance answers you've already provided or help you answer questions like the aforementioned Question 7 or provide general useful comments.  Also, they can point out any spelling or grammatical errors -- It is very important to make sure your answers have been proofread! 

It can be especially helpful to have a friend or relative of the opposite sex read your About Me page.   Getting their perspective from the female or male point of view may help you modify your answers so they have the best chance of appealing to your matches!

Also, as some of you already know, in our Using eHarmony forum, we have ongoing Profile Workshops where eHarmony staff and members discuss a specific question and share suggestions and give feedback on the type of answer they think is most effective.  So I encourage you to visit the Using eHarmony forum and take advantage of these workshops too.  

IN CONCLUSION
I hope this article can be the catalyst for not only your success but other members too!   So please don't hesitate to share comments about anything I've suggested or to contribute your own suggestions on how to create the best About Me page possible.
No matter how detailed it may be, there is no way your About Me page can tell your matches everything there is to know about you!  But if you take the time and effort to create a dynamic, detailed, and positive About Me page, it will introduce you to your matches in the best light possible and most effectively support you finding your Special Match!