Pictures may not be required for online dating, but the official line of Cupid’s Online Dating School is you must have at least one. The difference between the number of responses you will get with a picture versus the amount you will get without is staggering. Just the same, there is a huge difference between the amount of attention you will get with a great photo when measured against a bad one. Dating is all about options and you will have more open to you if you keep the following in mind.

THE DIGITAL CAMERA
Having a digital camera will allow you to take full advantage of the benefits that only a picture can bring. Keep it on hand and it will allow you to snap pictures whenever you’re looking your best. If you’re sitting around bored one day, get dulled up and snap off some shots. If you don’t own a digital camera, you need to find someone who does. At the very least, find your way to a camera shop that takes passport photos and get them done there. There should be no excuses for not having digital evidence of your physical form.

PLENTIFUL PICTURES
Update your picture(s) often. We recommend doing it once a week if possible. The reason is that people look different from photograph to photograph and someone may pass you by the first or second week, but if you’re constantly changing your picture the odds are better that one day they’ll take notice.

A CLEAR VIEW
You know a good picture of you when you see it. So will most people. Never try to hide aspects of your physical appearance. People will usually pick up on it when you do and might avoid you altogether. That’s a best-case scenario. The worst case involves having someone show up for a date and having him or her cause a scene because you’ve tricked them. Do yourself a favor: take clear photos and don’t hide the real you. Anyone who doesn’t like what they see of you on the Web certainly won’t like you in person so save yourself the time and aggravation of dealing with people who aren’t worth your time.

“APPEARING” IS EVERYTHING
Your picture won’t do you a bit of good if nobody ever sees it. Dating sites feed addiction. When you do a search for members, it’s usually the ones that were last online that come up first. This means that your profile gets put to the front of that line every time you log on. Jump online whenever you have a second to keep your face in the right place. Face time can make the difference between a Friday night home with a good movie and one spent staring into the eyes of someone special.

BE THE STAR
Your profile is the place for you to shine. If you’re only putting one photo up, it should be of you and you alone. I’m sure your friends are really great but it’s not them that others should be wanting to date. Keep them out of your pics! A lot of sites are very strict on what photos you upload. They won’t accept pictures that are of poor quality or make it difficult for members to be sure of who the profile belongs to. If you must include a shot like this, make sure it isn’t the first one people will see. You are the star and now is your time to take center stage.

EIGHT IS ENOUGH
What do you call eight pictures uploaded to your dating profile? A good start! Although one photo is better than none, having more photos will only improve your chances of landing the right person. If someone isn’t attracted to you in one photo, they may like you in the next. People know that pictures are just a quick glimpse at a moment in time but one bad photo is enough for someone to turn you down blind. One great photo alongside a bunch of less-than-stellar shots still gives you a fighting chance. This is a numbers game. Eight pictures may be enough, but nine is always better.

CALL ME PRIVATE
There are plenty of reasons not to post your picture online. Hiding from gangsters, for example, would be one of these reasons. No matter what yours happens to be, you should consider what your goal is. True love is hard enough to find in this world. If that’s what you’re looking for then you owe it to yourself to do everything in your power to increase your chances of finding it. If you’re still not okay with posting your picture, most sites will allow you to post it in a private section that requires your permission for individual members to see. This is the bare minimum you should have to offer if you hope to stand any chance of meeting people in person.

Your looks are as important to attraction as any other factor you can name. The difference is that discovering if you have a mental connection with someone – shared values, beliefs and mindset – takes time. Physical attraction can be decided quickly so save yourself wasted time and make sure to have a photo handy for all to see.