Quotations by Laurie Davis
The ideal first meet-up should last between forty-five and ninety minutes. By touching a knee or a hand as you laugh, you'll build a bond beyond words, taking the way you relate to a new level (It's much too early for a cuddle session, though). Wrap up the date when you feel that the energy between you has hit its peak. For a parting gesture, do whatever feels most comfortable: a hug or a peck on the cheek, or, if the vibe's right, go in for a frenchie. [2013] - Laurie Davis
Men typically have lower response rates than women, meaning that they have to write more messages to get one email back. [2013] - Laurie Davis
Once you're ready to meet up with a match, some prefer to talk on the phone first to get to know each other voice-to-voice, while others skip straight to a date. Singles in less populated areas typically prefer a phone call, but if you're an urbanite, definitely skip dialing your date and meet right away. [2013] - Laurie Davis
It's completely acceptable for a woman to hint that it's time to meet up--or to ask him herself. [2013] - Laurie Davis
According to OkCupid, people most often fib about their height by two inches and exaggerate income by 20 percent. [2013] - Laurie Davis
Rules for profile photo perfection: 1) Two or three close-ups (a simple smile will work best on less quirky sites); 2) One to two action shots (action shots are great conversation starters); 3) One to two full-length pictures (flaunt what you've got with flattering, form-fitting clothes); 4) Represent the real-time you (avoid uploading photos that are more than two years old); 5) Cropping makes you clickable (e.g. cropping a photo closely to one side of your face will remove symmetry to give the image a more casual look). [2013] - Laurie Davis
Ideally, you want to upload five to seven photos to give our match a complete picture of who you are. But if don't have all of these in your arsenal, three will do for now. [2013] - Laurie Davis
The most important are your main pic and the last image. The best order might be something like (1)close-up,(2)full-length,(3)close-up,(4)action shot,(5)full-length,(6)close-up,(7)action shot. Your main picture is the one you'll want to update about every two months to keep things fresh, so either swap it out for another great close-up that's already live on your page or upload a new one to give your profile a new look. [2013] - Laurie Davis
Keep to one-photo-per-outfit rule. Solid colors always look best on-camera, so skip small tight patterns. [2013] - Laurie Davis
In general, free sites have a higher number of casual members. [2013] - Laurie Davis
You should always have active profiles on at least two sites. It's best to join one big site and one niche site. Don't exceed active accounts on more than four at once. Keeping things to three sites at a time means your date calendar is full, but not overwhelmed. [2013] - Laurie Davis
Changing sites from time to time--and then revisiting--is the best strategy, especially for the forty-plus crowd. As you age, the quantity of available singles naturally decreases, but that doesn't mean that quality mates aren't available. To find them, you need to be proactive about site hopping. [2013] - Laurie Davis
Your username is not a numerology report, so stay away from numbers. Combining hobbies or words on the same topic is an easy way to stand out from the crowd. For example, if you love travel, you might go with something like GlobalTrek or OutdoorVentures. [2013] - Laurie Davis
For online dating, direct calls to action, such as "Message me if you want to know more," convey that you lack confidence. But interaction can be encouraged in other, less obvious ways. Creating intrigue by introducing topics and revealing only enough to whet their digital palate will inspire conversation, as will being specific about what interests you. [2013] - Laurie Davis
Describing your match in a short paragraph (I'm looking for a caring woman who is family-oriented ...) shows that you're serious about meeting someone. This is necessary on all sites but is especially something you should focus on when you're not asked for your digi-date's details later. [2013] - Laurie Davis
Don't say things like "I am only looking for ..." or "Please only message me if ..." Think more along the lines of "I'd love to meet ..." Positivity is key. [2013] - Laurie Davis
POF users who list more than ten interests see a 50-percent increase in messages. [2013] - Laurie Davis
Exclamation points can help move the energy forward and inject passion, but limit your profile to one per section. Too much enthusiasm can read as disingenuous. [2013] - Laurie Davis
Too many emotions in your profile can seem juvenile and forced. Ladies, one wink or smile should be the max. Men, eliminate them completely--winky faces just aren't masculine. [2013] - Laurie Davis
Winking is dead - the button you'll find next to someone's profile that allows you to show interest in a match (some sites call it Smiling or Flirting). [2013] - Laurie Davis