"Insert Clever Headline Here". Ever seen that profile headline before? If you've spent any time on dating sites, you've probably seen it, or something similar. "Insert Clever Headline Here" is not a terrible profile headline. I've seen much worse. However, it's not a particularly effective headline either. The problem with this headline, and most others used by online daters, is that it has little effect on the person who reads it. Does "Insert Clever Headline Here" have you chomping at the bit to learn more about the person who wrote it? I didn't think so.

An irresistible headline, on the other hand, is, well, hard to resist. It communicates confidence and originality and convinces more people to take a minute to view your dating profile. That's a good thing because online dating is a numbers game and the more connections you make the better your chances of meeting someone who's right for you. Unless you get lucky, your success is a function of how many people read your profile.

So how do you get lots of people to click on your dating profile (assuming you don't look like Brad or Angelina)? The answer is simple: create a headline that gives the reader a reason to click on your profile. Whenever you, or I, or anyone else responds to an ad, it's because the headline makes us believe there's a benefit to finding out about the product. It follows that you should, in your headline, offer the reader a clear benefit in return for the two minutes they'll spend reading your profile. How do you do this? It's easier than you think.

Experimenting with a variety of profiles on several dating sites has taught me that the simplest, most straightforward headlines work best. The trick is to keep the headline simple while offering a benefit to the reader. And what better benefit than the promise they won't regret clicking on your profile? The following headlines, or something similar, should increase the traffic to your profile.

"Click Here - You Won't Regret It!" 
"A Unique and Compelling Profile Awaits You!" 
"Read my profile - You'll be glad you did!"

These headlines are irresistible because they tend to evoke a skeptical response from the reader. "This guy's telling me I won't regret checking out his profile? I'll be the judge of that..." The curiosity factor is usually enough to get the reader to click on your profile. The real challenge, of course, is to make good on your headline's promise so you don't disappoint the person who decides to read your profile. After all, what good is an irresistible headline if it's followed by a lame profile? My next article explains how to create a profile intro that grabs the reader's attention and draws them into your profile.