How to Choose the Best Online Dating Site for You
Not all dating sites are created equal, and most of the sites that review them have no interest in sending you to the best one dating site for your individual needs.
In fact, most dating site reviews online are ranked not by how good the dating site is, but how much that particular dating site happens to be paying out in ad fees at the time of your search. I promise you that will never happen here at ProfileHelper.com. Different sites are good for different people and different types of dating. Instead of ranking them, I’ve gone through each site to find out what type of people use them, how to get the most out of each site, and whether specific sites are worth the subscription fees.
As a professional dating profile writer, I’m here to answer any questions you have about the sites listed below. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me for assistance!
PlentyOfFish
What Is POF?
PlentyOfFish is the largest dating site in the world, largely because it is a free dating site. On the positive side, POF has more singles on it than any other online dating site. On the negative side, the fact that it is free tends to attract more people who aren’t really looking for something serious. It also means that they may not have the best customer service should you need assistance.
Who Should Join POF?
POF is a great dating site for people who are just getting started with online dating. You won’t likely find the love of your life on POF, but it’s a great place to start meeting people and become familiar with the world of online dating.
How to Write a POF Profile
Writing a POF profile is fairly straightforward. Along with answering a short series of questions about yourself and what you are looking for in a partner, you will also be asked to create a profile headline and a description of yourself and your potential date. Make sure that you give each section some thought or potential dates won’t have enough information to decide if they’d like to get to know you! POF sets a minimum profile length of 100 characters, but you should aim for a profile that is at least as long as this paragraph.
There are also a couple of optional sections where you can write some suggested conversation starters and a list of your interests. You can probably get away with skipping the conversation starters, but you should try to pick at least five interests that you can mention.
POF Photos
You can upload a total of eight photos on your POF profile. Your main photo must be a clear headshot, and you must appear in all of the other photos. DO NOT post any nude photos. If you see anyone who has, report them immediately to the site by clicking the “report” link that is directly below their photos.
How Do I Meet Someone on POF?
When it comes to finding the right people on POF, skip the basic search and go straight for the advanced search. Don’t bother asking for things that aren’t absolute must-haves or can’t-haves when you set up your search. Additionally, make sure that you sort your search results according to the last time a user visited the site. There is no point in wasting your time messaging someone who hasn’t been on the site in a month. Their hair color and eye color aren’t what will make them a great date. When you find someone you like, send them a message, don’t just use the “Flirt” option. Sending a thoughtful message that invites the other user to engage in conversation will greatly increase your chances of a response.
Which POF Membership Plan Is the Best?
There is no legitimate reason to ever upgrade your membership on POF above the free level. You can use the advanced search and message users with the free membership plan. Most people who want to pay for services on a dating site go to sites like Match, Zoosk, and eHarmony, which are generally the best online dating sites for people who are looking for something more serious.
POF does not force you to upload any dating profile photos. However, you need to post great photos of yourself if you are going to succeed. I know that it can be difficult to find great photos of yourself, and that’s why I include a complimentary review of your photos with all of my dating profile writing services.
Match.com
What Is Match.com?
Match.com is one of the longest-standing and best-known online dating sites. It is not the largest dating site (that title belongs to POF), but Match.com is the largest dating site for people seeking a relationship. Match.com requires a subscription if you want to send or receive messages from prospective dates, but that helps ensure that more of the site’s members are looking for a real relationship. Match also has one of the better customer service departments in the dating industry.
Who Should Join Match.com?
Match.com is perfect for people who are looking for anything from a casual date to relationships that last for the rest of their life. Writing a Match.com profile does take a bit of work, so you have to be willing to put in the effort if you want to get the most out of your experience. If you are looking for a dating site that does most of the work for you, then consider checking out eHarmony.
How to Write a Match.com Profile
Like most online dating profiles, Match.com’s profile starts out with a detailed, multiple-choice questionnaire. Try to be as thorough as possible when you’re filling it out, and be sure to include the important details about what you want in a partner. This point is more important on Match.com than it is on most other dating sites.
Your personal description has a mandatory minimum length of 100 characters, but you should aim for a profile that is between 150 and 250 words. Make sure that you give people a good sense of who you are and what you are looking for on a date or in a partner.
Match also has additional voluntary sections you can complete including:
- Bucket List
- Favorite Local Hotspot
- Favorite Things
- Last Read
- For Fun
You don’t have to fill out these sections, but it is strongly advised that you do. These sections are very important when it comes to creating a connection with a potential date, and they can help you determine whether or not you will be compatible with someone.
As a professional Match profile writer, I am frequently asked about the income questions that are a part of the profile. Here is what I tell people: You do not have to list your income if you don’t want to, but you should also never list a requested income for a partner. Your preferences are displayed on your profile, and some people take offense to income preferences.
Match.com Photos
Match.com allows you to add up to 26 photos to your profile, but you should try to limit yourself to between four and seven. Your Match.com profile isn’t your Instagram feed or Facebook page — once your photo count starts to hit the double digits, it makes you start to look like you are a little too into yourself. Moreover, many people may not take the time to look through all of your photos, so upload only the best of the best.
Let’s Get Started!
You want your primary photo to be a headshot that shows you from the middle of your torso and up. If you use a full-body shot as your primary profile picture, people won’t get a good look at your face. You want to be the only person in most of your photos, but especially in your primary photo. The last thing you need is someone confusing you for your friend or sibling. Your second photo should be a head-to-toe shot that sets up an honest and attractive baseline for what you look like. Both of these first two photos should be less than nine months old. The remainder of the photos should be character shots that give the reader a sense of your life and personality. If any of these photos are older than nine months, make sure that you date them in the captions.
I recognize that uploading good dating profile pictures is difficult, and that’s why I include a photo review in all of my profile writing services.
How Do I Meet Someone on Match.com?
Match.com has several different search tools, but most of them are not very helpful. Avoid the Mutual Match and Reverse Match features and stick to the site’s basic search filters instead. Don’t waste your time filtering for things like hair color or eye color. You’ll have much better results if you search according to deal makers and breakers. If you are using the app, you have only one default search setting. However, if you are using the website, you can have more than 10 different saved searches. This is particularly handy if you are looking for a partner in multiple locations.
Which Match.com Membership Plan Is the Best?
The best membership plan on Match.com is the three-month bundle. You don’t want to be tied to a dating site for a whole year, and the “Match guarantee” comes with too many strings to be worth it. The three-month bundle is the best membership plan you can choose. It costs a few dollars more than the short-term option, but it doesn’t lock you in for too long, or force you to message extra people just to maintain perks.
Make sure that you choose the bundle and not just the basic plan. That way you will get ‘email read notifications.’ These are very important as they let you know if people are reading your messages. Without it, you won’t know if someone wasn’t interested, or if they never even saw your message.
Zoosk
What Is Zoosk?
Zoosk originally gained popularity as the first dating site to require you to log in via your Facebook profile (this is no longer required). This gave the impression that there were no fake profiles or scammers on the site. Since then, it has grown into one of the world’s largest online dating sites, but it has a reputation for attracting people who are looking for more casual relationships. One of the reasons for this is that you can post photos without writing a profile for yourself. The result is that Zoosk can sometimes feel more like Tinder than a traditional dating site. To their credit, Zoosk is one of the few dating sites that features multiple forms of identification verification, ranging from phone number and photo verification to verifying your identity with military service records.
Who Should Join Zoosk?
Zoosk is a good online dating site for people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s who are looking to meet someone, but are not necessarily looking for the love of their life. It’s possible, but most people treat Zoosk more like Tinder, so it tends to attract daters with lower levels of intent when it comes to relationships.
How to Write a Zoosk Profile
The written portion of the Zoosk.com profile is split into three sections: story, perfect match, and ideal date. While it seems like most people leave everything blank, or just fill in one line in their story, it is important that you try to write at least a short paragraph for your story and your perfect match. For the story section, keep the focus on your life and your interests. When it comes to your perfect match, don’t take it literally. If you’re too specific, then a lot of great potential matches may think that they fall short of your expectations. Instead, keep your focus on the positive things you want from a relationship. Don’t dwell on the negative issues from past relationships, as harbored resentment and negative feelings can just follow you into the next one.
When it comes to the Ideal Date section of the profile, don’t bother filling it out if you are just going to put in “dinner” or “meeting up for coffee.” Too many people write cliche things in this section, and the best Zoosk profiles have an element of creativity and outside-the-box thinking. Use this space to use your imagination and let people know what you would consider to be a great date, not just your standard, go-to first date.
*Zoosk is one of the few dating sites that features the ability to purchase virtual gifts as a major part of their profile. Virtual currency can be purchased in addition to your subscription, but I don’t recommend that you spend your money on gifts. While Zoosk would love you to buy virtual gifts through their website, people who are looking for serious relationships don’t care if you’ve sent them a JPEG of a teddy bear. They care about your dating profile, your photos, and your ability to communicate.
Zoosk Photos
It is unclear if there is a limit to how many photos that you can place on your Zoosk.com profile, but you still want to keep the number of images to somewhere between four and seven. If you put much more than that, you run the risk of coming across as narcissistic.
You want your primary Zoosk profile photo to be a headshot that shows you from the middle of your torso up. If you use a full body shot as your primary photo, people won’t get a good look at your face. You want to be the only person in most of your photos, but especially in your primary photo. The last thing you need is someone wondering which person in your profile picture is actually you. Your second photo should be a head-to-toe shot that sets up an honest and attractive baseline for what you look like. Both of these first two photos should be less than nine months old. The remainder of the photos should be shots that give the reader a sense of your life, interests, and personality. Be sure to date any photos that are older than nine months, as you don’t want your profile to be misleading.
How Do I Meet Someone on Zoosk?
Zoosk offers two main methods for finding a match. The first method is called The Carousel. In general, we don’t advise that you put much time or effort into it. It is pretty much just a different version of HotorNot or Tinder, but you have to spend your virtual coins to open up someone’s profile. Instead, stick to the advanced search and select only deal-making and deal-breaking criteria.
When you get your search results, we suggest that you scroll down to the bottom of the page and change the view from only showing you one profile at a time to showing you a grid of profile photos. When you select someone’s profile, click on the link that says “See Full Profile” so that you can see any written portions of their online dating profile. If you’d like to message anyone, you need to be a subscriber.
Which Zoosk Membership Plan Is the Best?
Zoosk will allow you to subscribe for one month, three months, six months, or 12 months. We suggest that you get either the three- or six-month membership plan if you decide to subscribe to Zoosk. The three-month plan will set you back a total of $55.95 and the six-month plan will cost $74.95. A one-month membership isn’t long enough to get the most out of the dating site, but there is also no reason to commit to an entire year.
We’re happy to help you write a Zoosk profile that attracts the right people — just reach out to us for dating profile help.
OkCupid
What Is OkCupid?
OkCupid is not a standard online dating site. It was designed to use matching algorithms and data collection as a way to connect people, and as a general rule, we don’t trust any algorithm over common sense and patience. However, the site has found a unique niche as being one of the most socially inclusive online dating sites. As a result, it tends to attract a more colorful and artistic crowd than sites like Match or eHarmony, but it also draws a lot of people who are looking for non-traditional relationships, which is not as common on those sites.
Who Should Join OkCupid?
We like to think of OkCupid as the dating site for the “cool kids.” The majority of OkCupid members are between the ages of 21 and 30, but you can find some singles on the site who are well into their 60s. OkCupid is the perfect dating site for people with an artistic streak, and it attracts a primarily left-leaning crowd. It is also a great solution for members of the LGBTQ community who are looking for something more than just a hookup.
Many people have found lasting love on OkCupid, but the site also has a very strong reputation for fostering open relationships, hookups, and casual dating. In fact, it is one of the few dating sites that asks you if you are open to a non-monogamous relationship during the sign-up process. All in all, OKC is one of the best dating sites out there for most daters, but really excels for liberal, open-minded daters.
How to Write a OkCupid Profile
The OkCupid profile is one of the most in-depth profiles that you will come across on any dating site. This is great, because it means you’ll probably learn more about potential dates here than you would on another site, but it also gives you enough space that it becomes very easy to say too much.
The sections of the profile breakdown are as follows:
- About Me
- Aspirations/Current Goals
- Talent
- My Traits (your beliefs)
- Needs (your values)
- Hobbies
- Moments (how would you describe your perfect day?)
- Secrets (don’t admit to murder, but be willing to give a funny story or something that’s a little embarrassing.)
- Dating (this is where you write about what you want in a relationship)
It seems like a lot, but you want to make sure that you actually fill everything out. Keep it positive, forward-looking, and be confident when you talk about your interests and aspirations. You don’t want to come across as defensive or self-effacing. Try to avoid just writing lists, but also try not to force humor. If you have something funny to write, go for it. However, trying to be funny can sometimes come across as trying too hard…
OkCupid Photos
The rules for OkCupid photos are the same as a lot of the other dating sites we’ve discussed. You want to aim for between two and six great photos with at least one headshot and bodyshot, and between two and four photos that give a sense of your character. The difference here is that people appreciate creativity in your photos more here than pretty much anywhere else. Don’t be afraid to fly your flag proudly. Also, OkCupid allows you to link your Instagram account to your profile. If you do that, it will let anyone on the site view your Instagram feed. It might be a good idea to look through your feed and clean it up before you share it with potential dates.
How Do I Meet Someone on OkCupid?
While OkCupid makes it easy to create a great online dating profile, the process of messaging someone borders on being needlessly complicated. While most profile-driven dating sites allow you to directly message someone that you like, OkCupid forces you to first like the person’s profile. After you like them, you can send a message, but then they have to like your profile as well for the two of you to be able to communicate. The only aspect of this messaging system that isn’t ridiculous is that it wisely limits you to one initial message. This can be helpful for women who have been hounded by the same men with multiple messages on other dating sites.
Which OkCupid Membership Plan Is the Best?
OkCupid made its mark as a free dating site. You can still use it for free, but your search options are limited and it hides the ability to see who liked you and whether or not your messages have been read. You can get some of those services back for as little as $4.95 a month in the A-List Basic service (if you sign up for a six-month term), but they really want you to sign-up for A-List Premium service. Honestly, you don’t need it. It costs a minimum of $19.95 per month, and you can probably get by with a free membership if you stay active and put effort into creating a great dating profile. At the end of the day, there’s no reason for add-ons that artificially boost your visibility. If you use your search tools properly, you will be able to put yourself in front of the people that matter.
eHarmony
What Is eHarmony?
Despite the ads that you’ve probably seen on TV, eHarmony is not a dating site. It’s actually a matrimonial site that combines a few different psychological techniques to help you find and connect with a match. The first thing they do is have you take a multiple choice test consisting of more than 300 questions. While the test is supposed to help their system find the best matches for you, it is also there to see if you are willing to take a 300-question test. If you do, then they know that you are emotionally invested in the site and that there is a better chance that you would be willing to pay their subscription fee.
The second psychological technique they use is something called “restricted choice.” On eHarmony, you can’t search for your prospective matches. Instead, the site sends you between two and five new matches each day. Restricted choice works on the premise that when you limit someone’s options, they are more likely to pick something, while people with unlimited options tend to hold out for something better. All of this adds up to a dating site filled with singles who have much stronger intentions when it comes to finding a serious relationship. It is important to know that this also means you will be paying more to join eHarmony than almost any other online dating site.
Who Should Join eHarmony?
eHarmony is not for everyone, but it is a great dating option for certain types of people. First, it is definitely a good site for marriage-minded singles. It is also perfect for men and women who are overwhelmed by the search features on traditional dating sites and want an algorithm to find people for them. The site is most popular with singles over the age of 35, with a more conservative outlook on life. While eHarmony is not an explicitly Christian dating site, its original foundation was built that way. As a result, it tends to draw in more Christians than the other online dating sites we’ve discussed so far. It is also important to note that eHarmony does not offer matching for same-sex couples.
In the end, it will come down to whether you prefer the slightly more hectic, but broader choices of unrestricted dating sites like Match or Zoosk, or if you prefer a site with calmer waters. You need to find the best online dating site for your needs, and eHarmony is perfect if you’re looking for a site that holds your hand through the process, from when you sign up to when you start messaging a prospective match.
How to Write a eHarmony Profile
eHarmony is famous for having one of the longest profiles in the dating industry, and as a professional dating profile writer, I can attest to its thoroughness. Aside from the 300+ question personality test, which allegedly helps determine the best matches for you, the profile itself is very long. Along with several sections that you can fill out to tell people about your interests, the eHarmony profile is made up of 12 short answer and essay questions about a variety of topics. Prepare to answer questions about what you wish people would notice about you, the most influential person in your life, and the important quality that you look for in a potential life partner.
You do not have to fill out every section in the eHarmony profile, but your chances of having someone like you are much greater if you do. Completing your profile goes a long way to showing other singles on the site that you are willing to put in the effort to meet someone great. It also means that they’ll have more information about you from which they can decide if you are a good match for them.
eHarmony Photos
eHarmony allows members to upload up to 12 photos to their dating profile, but don’t upload all 12. Instead, upload between four and six great photos of yourself so that you don’t look like you are too into your looks. Given that the membership on eHarmony skews slightly more conservative than other websites, you may want to choose your photos carefully. Women might want to avoid anything they consider too sexy or revealing, and men should consider wearing polo shirts and button-downs over plain t-shirts. Avoid throwing on a blazer, unless it fits well and really flatters you. Ties can often make you look too uptight, so aim to wear something that’s between casual and business formalwear.
Make sure that you have photos clearly showing your face, body, and give your audience a sense of who you are. If you’re not sure which pictures would be best to use on your eHarmony profile, then reach out to ProfileHelper for assistance — a free profile photo review is included with every eHarmony profile package.
How Do I Meet Someone on eHarmony?
Meeting someone on eHarmony is fairly straightforward. As we noted above, the site was designed to take most of the work out of your hands and guide you every step of the way. It starts by being completely honest on your personality survey. That will be the biggest factor in how the site chooses your potential matches. When you get your daily matches from the site, look through the complete profiles of each person and look to see if they have what you want. The site’s matching algorithm should be pairing you up with compatible people, but there’s no substitute for reading through a person’s profile to get a better idea of who they are and if you would like to reach out to them.
The communication process begins with you selecting up to five pre-written questions to send to your match. If your match is interested, they can respond for free with pre-written answers and send you some additional questions. If they want to send you answers that they’ve written themselves, or you want to write your answers yourself, you would need to be subscribed to the site. You also need to be a subscriber if you want to see all of your match’s photos.
Which eHarmony Membership Plan Is the Best?
There is no reason to sign up for any of the premium plans on eHarmony. The added bells and whistles are not enough to warrant the cost. Your best bet would be to sign up for either the basic three-month plan ($129.99), or the six-month plan ($199.99). The site frequently runs a deal for 12-month memberships that ends up costing less than the six-month plan, so keep an eye out if you are considering purchasing at least six months of an eHarmony membership.
If you have any questions about how to write an eHarmony profile, or if you would like help choosing great pictures to use on your profile, then just reach out for assistance.
Our Time
What Is OurTime?
Ourtime.com is a dating site that was created for singles over the age of 50 by the same company that owns Match.com, PlentyOfFish, SeniorPeopleMeet, OkCupid, and several other popular online dating sites. It is a search-based dating site that was designed to attract baby boomers who did not like the idea of joining a dating site by the name of “SeniorPeopleMeet.” If you have ever been on a Match.com-style dating site, then you will have no trouble setting up an OurTime profile. While it is free to browse profiles on OurTime, you will need to pay for a subscription if you would like to read or send messages to other singles.
Who Should Join OurTime?
OurTime is a great online dating site for people between the ages of 50 and 65 who feel like the people on Match are too young for them and the people on SeniorPeopleMeet are too old. The site attracts people who come from different backgrounds and who have a broad array of dating goals. You’ll find everything from people interested in casual dating to people looking for serious, long-term relationships and marriage. As a professional dating profile writer, I often suggest that my clients use OurTime in conjunction with Match.com, as there is often a good amount of overlap between the two sites, and Match still has a large number of singles over the age of 50.
How to Write a OurTime Profile
The Ourtime.com dating profile is broken down into three main written sections and some additional, multiple-choice personality questions. The written sections are:
- A Little About Me
- About the One I’m Looking For
- I’d Just Like to Add
Each section can be up to 1,250 characters in length. You don’t need to completely fill each section, but you should be sure to have at least a few sentences for each question. The more you tell people about who you are and what you want in a partner, the better chance you’ll have of making a connection. It’s also a good idea to answer all of the personality questions, because they can be used by the site to determine which matches they will suggest to you.
There is no need to talk about ex-spouses or spouses who have passed on in these sections. Focusing too much on those aspects of your life can make it look like you aren’t ready to move forward with something new. It is also important to not complain about your previous online dating experiences. While others may have experienced similar situations, dwelling on the negatives can make your profile seem negative and off-putting.
OurTime Photos
Recent photos are incredibly important on OurTime. Almost all of my clients tell me that they look the same as they did 10 years ago, but this is only because we don’t notice gradual changes in our appearance. You look in the mirror several times each day, and because of that, you miss the subtle changes that happen from week to week and month to month. We gain weight during some months, and lose weight in others. We change our hair, stop using certain styles of makeup, wear different clothing, and do any number of things that can substantially change the way we look over time.
Let’s Get Started!
You should aim to find at least four great photos for your OurTime profile, with your main photo and your full-body shot being no more than six months old. Try to avoid taking the photos yourself (selfies). Ask a friend or family member to help take your photo so you can focus on being in the photo instead of worrying about taking it properly. Aside from the headshot and the full body shot, try to get at least two candid photos that say a little more about your personality. They can be photos with a pet, friends, or just a photo that shows you doing something you love. If you still need help choosing great dating profile pictures, then just reach out for help!
How Do I Meet Someone on OurTime?
The best way to meet someone on OurTime is to make the first move, and this point applies equally to both men and women! If you don’t reach out and send someone a message, they’ll never know that you are interested in them.
The best tool to find a date is the basic search. Go to the search icon at the top of the site and select “Search” from the drop-down menu. Once you are on the search page, select the button that says “Edit Search.” Look through all the search criteria and make sure you select answers for all the criteria that matter to you. It is best that you leave options like “zodiac symbol” blank, because they aren’t too helpful in finding a compatible partner.
Before you look at your search results, look for a button that says “My Default” on the upper right-hand corner of the page. Click on it and choose “Activity.” Doing so will display your search results according to who has visited the site recently. This is a highly important step in the process, as you don’t want to waste your energy on people who have not visited the site in more than a week. The longer it has been since someone has logged in, the lower the odds are that they will return to the site.
Which OurTime Membership Plan Is the Best?
The first thing to know is that you should never buy tokens on OurTime. There is no need to send virtual gifts to other people or to boost your profile’s visibility — as a professional dating profile writer, I can tell you with confidence that these are just tricks and marketing ploys designed to make the site more money.
When it comes to which membership plan you should get on OurTime, it can be a little confusing to find the best plan for your needs. The site breaks their fees down week by week, even though they charge you by the month. With that said, I have to recommend their six-month value plan. This is their most expensive plan available for purchase, but it has one feature that makes it worth the extra money. This is their only membership plan that comes with reader notification, which means that you’ll be able to tell if someone has read an email that you have sent to them. This is a great way to tell if someone is no longer active on the site, or if they’re no longer interested in replying to your messages. The total cost of this service is $107.76. It is a little pricey, but it is the best solution for what the site is offering.
Free Dating Profile Review
Do you already have a dating profile, but you aren’t getting the kinds of responses you want? Before you hire us to create a brand new profile for you, let us take a look at what you’re working with. There’s a good chance that we’ll be able to give you a couple of tips to help you get out of your own way.
Free Dating Profile Review
Do you already have a dating profile, but you aren’t getting the kinds of responses you want? Before you hire us to create a brand new profile for you, let us take a look at what you’re working with. There’s a good chance that we’ll be able to give you a couple of tips to help you get out of your own way.
Free Lifetime Dating Profile Photo Review
For a limited time, we are offering everyone who purchases our Premium Dating Profile Writing Package free reviews of their dating photos for life. It is important to update your profile pics frequently to make sure that you have the most accurate and attractive photos available to potential dates. We want to make sure that everyone who uses our premium service never has to worry about whether the pics they are posting with their new profile are making a great first impression!
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Learn many of the secrets to online dating success at no charge. Our online dating eBook includes dating profile tips, dating photo advice, suggestions on which dating site is the best for you, and several great tips on how to be a more successful online dater.
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Our professional profile writing services for men are designed to help you achieve the confident and engaging profile you deserve. We take the time to get to know you and learn exactly what you’re looking for in a partner. While many other profile writing services are focused on quantity over quality, our primary goal is to help you find the love you’re looking for. Success is not defined by how many first dates you can go on — it’s about the quality of the responses you receive, and ultimately, and finding the perfect woman.