I just read an article summing up research that eHarmony did in collaboration with Grammarly, an automated proofreading sevice.
Apparently I’m not the only one who believes that spelling mistakes can mean disaster for online daters.
Here’s a brief summary of the findings:
1) A man who makes just two spelling errors on his dating profile is 14 percent less likely to get a positive reply than a man who’s dating profile was spotless.
2) Interestingly, when it comes to their dating profiles, women make nearly twice the errors in everything from grammar to punctuation than men do. However, it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference to the responses they get.
3) Interesting too is the fact that men are nearly 22% wordier than women when it comes to filling out questions on their dating profile (keep in mind this is based on the eHarmony format). I would never have guessed that when I scan dating profiles. Then again, I scan free dating sites as well. eHarmony tends to be for serious daters so maybe men work much harder as a result.
Personally, it doesn’t take research to know that a sloppy presentation online is no more attractive than a sloppy one online. Women, that goes for you too.
Proofreading tip.
A great proofreading tip is to read your copy backward and one word at a time. That way your brain isn’t automatically filling in words and correcting sentences without you realizing it (this article on Live Science explains how and why are brains are able to do this).
Once you’ve completed that exercise, then read your profile aloud from start to finish aloud.
Question for you.
Are typos a turn off for you too?
I can be a big help too (make no mistake about it!).
As a marketing expert and online dating profile writer, I know the value of great presentation. I also know how to help you achieve it.
Have a look at my online dating profile samples and services (from phone consultations to customize profiles using your words and anecdotes to profiles specifically designed for eHarmony) or just get started with the personality questionnaire then send your answers to me.
