Will it generate the same results in terms of matching, you ask? Well, it will all depend on how you’ve set up your profile — like how it is with dating sites — and how you use such applications.

This brings me to an article I came across in NY Times.

These days, thanks to social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, listing your favorite books and authors is a crucial, if risky, part of self-branding. When it comes to online dating, even casual references can turn into deal breakers.

One will wonder on the popularity of social networking sites. You’ll see that members are active enough that a ‘living’ community will be established and even flourish to the point that the fine line between offline and online connections will be hard to trace. I have to inject that it’s all about self-branding, it’s a glorified and, not to mention, an extensive ‘about’ page.

All the elements are present. From photos to your favourite colour. It’s a great way to get to know people, right? You’ve already bypassed the stage wherein you ask basic question and get right on to determining compatibility. All by just reading what’s written on the profile.

These casual references are a great source of information on the person. You can gauge whether you have similar tastes in books, mutual friends, same interests or if you’ve been to that never-heard-before place. These things are possible topics in your future conversations or perhaps future activities or even dates.

The person has used these tidbits in a place wherein there’s less pressure to “find a date” simply because he or she can simply be a member without outrightly saying “hey, I’m single and available!” Which is something that turns off potential users of dating sites. Did I make sense?

Self-branding or not, people who makes use of these casual references are opening themselves up for scrutiny. If a random person browses through their page or profile, this virtual stranger can and will assess whether he or she is a probable match.

Am I saying you ought to put weight on what you include in your profile even if it’s just a social networking site? Well, yes, if you are open to the idea that you can or will meet someone who will be interested enough to bring your online connection offline. But if you simply wish to keep a page in that site, it’s good to ask yourself why you have one. Because like it or not, that profile is a medium of self-branding.

Just my two cents. Hehe. Feel free to react, violent or otherwise. Go voice an opinion!

Post from: Blisstree

From Casual References to Self-Branding