Online dating can be tricky. Sometimes we shoot ourselves in the foot before we even get out of the starting gates. Luckily, though, online dating has evolved to include features that actually help singles become better daters and avoid common online dating pitfalls. Here’s a few common mistakes that online daters make and how to easily overcome them.

1.  Creating a profile that is lame and uninspiring – 

One of my online dating pet peeves is when I go to view someone’s profile and I find that it includes almost no information or something very generic like, “I enjoy having fun and am very laid-back.” Um, not helpful! If you want to excel at online dating, you need to create a profile that shows your personality.

Stumped on how to create an appealing, kick-ass profile? eHarmony’s gorgeous, modern profile pages were created with you in mind. Compared to many other dating websites where the profiles just offer a wall of text on a blank white background, eHarmony’s profile pages read like gorgeously designed infographics, with photos scattered throughout. There’s no need to customize or fiddle with them – they look awesome from the get go! eHarmony’s profile pages are also a breeze to update. Simply log in, view your profile and edit on the same page. If you’re not sure what to share, eHarmony includes a prompt for each section, like “The one thing I am most passionate about” or “the most influential person in my life has been…” There are also fun prompts for favorite TV shows, music, books and other interests. Easy, peasy, right?

2. Sending terrible and/or creepy messages –

Nothing kills a pleasant online dating experience like receiving creepy and/or just terrible messages from potential dates. You know the ones I’m talking about – “sup girl you look hotttt” or the plain old nonsensical ones that beg the question, “is this supposed to be a Haiku?”

If you’re unsure about how to message someone, or are tired of receiving messages that make you want to bang your head on your keyboard, eHarmony is well aware of these creepy tactics! Its messaging and communication process is very unique. Members are encouraged to get to know their matches as much as possible before they move on to making direct contact. If you’re interested in someone, you’ll be prompted to select five questions from a list to send them. They’ll in turn answer your questions. If they’d like to keep the conversation going, they can send you more questions. You’ll then have the option to send and receive each other’s “makes and breaks” (a list of attributes that you also select from a list.) Once you’ve gone through this process, you’ll be prompted to send your match a direct message.

Although you can message someone directly right off the bat, the recipient will have to approve your request. In my experience, this process really ups the overall quality of the messages you receive and eliminates having to sift through messages from people you’re not interested in.

3. Falling for people in the wrong area code –

I’m all for long-distance love; however, your main objective when online dating should be to actually meet people you can date. In person. I’m not looking for a pen-pal, so I always find it annoying when I receive messages from people thousands of miles away asking if we could be “friends.”

If you often find yourself in a similar predicament or are sick of being matched with singles who are often hundreds of miles away, a location based dating app like Zoosk is your saving grace. Zoosk is a unique online dating service because it not only connects you with a massive network of other singles, it also allows you to find potential dates within your existing social circle. Zoosk is all about location, location, location. With over 25 million users worldwide, Zoosk relies on location based technology to connect you with eligible singles in your area (not half way around the world!) After all, Mr. or Miss. Right might be just around the corner – literally.

4. Not being specific enough in your search –

If you request to be matched with a woman or man, aged 0-99 and are as unspecific as possible about what you’re looking for, sure, you’re going to meet a ton of people, but are they the right people for you? To get the most out of online dating, it’s good to have a general idea of who you’re looking for and what kind of relationship you’re interested in.

Match.com’s advanced search functions are some of the most specific in the industry. You can basically build your perfect match from interests to appearance, using search criteria and the signature MatchWords feature that allows you to search for specific keywords within profiles. With this kind of technology at your disposal, why not take advantage of it?!

5. Not following up –

There’s nothing worse than going on a really terrific date with a fantastic person, only to have them not follow up with you after. Even if you’re not interested in a romantic future with someone, it’s good karma to send a follow up message thanking them for their time. However, if you really hit it off, you can kick things up a notch by using Zoosk Delivery to send the object of your affection candy, flowers or a small gift. See, with all these cool features at your disposal, you’re set to become a pro-star at online dating!