Jumping into the dating world is always tough, but getting on a dating app is even tougher. What you need is the right dating app tips to help you with the balancing act — if your dating app profile is too bland, you won’t get any right swipes, and if it’s too cutesy, you won’t get any, either.
Will they like what you have to offer? Will they find you attractive or repulsive? Not to worry, your match is out there, no matter how much swiping you need to do. Eventually, you’ll find the one.
Here are the daily habits of people who consistently get asked out on dating apps:
1. Pick the perfect photo for your profile
First impressions matter more than you think. Moreover, people tend to make up their minds about someone within the first few seconds of meeting them.
To make a great first impression, you’ll need to choose the perfect profile photo. Seven factors go into taking it:
- Appropriate clothing
- Engaged, confident eye contact
- Chin placement
- A great smile
- Shooting from the right angle
- Relaxing
- A bit of makeup
It may sound like a lot of effort to put into a single photo, but not everyone scrolls past the first image. And if they do get past your first image? Well, you’re not in the clear yet.
You’ll want to include another four or five photos of similar quality. Use pictures that show off your full body, so they know who they'll see when you meet in person.
If you only show headshots, potential dates start worrying about what you look like in real life. Avoid unflattering angles, group shots, selfies, and filters, as these can either be confusing or unflattering. Try to keep your profile pic of only you, but a pet is also a great addition to your profile.
2. Write an interesting bio
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Next, you need to fill out your bio. Dating apps only let you fill in a small amount of text.
In a sea of millions, you need to stand out with what you say. Dating apps are full of bland bios that ultimately say nothing unique or interesting.
You may like long walks on the beach and romantic picnics, but so does just about everyone else. Instead, focus on the things that make you stand out from the crowd. Grab a potential match’s attention with a unique headline. Play up on specific aspects of your personality to create interesting bios.
The more you stand out, the better. And don’t lie, either — make sure you fill out the appropriate age and name.
3. Ask for help
If you’re truly stumped and can’t come up with a clever profile or take a good photo, there’s no shame in asking for a little help. It’s better to humble yourself for a little while than to live without finding your perfect match.
Ask friends to help you out. You’d be surprised at how many of them would be happy to do so.
You can even have each friend "review" you and include a few notable facts about you in your profile. It’s clever, plays up your highlights, and you won’t sound egotistical for talking yourself up. It’s a win, all around!
4. Send the first message
You only get one chance at a first impression, so your first message to a match has to be a good one. Don’t try any cheesy pick-up lines. Instead, try something fun and unique. According to a study from OKCupid, a woman can increase her chance of going on a date with a man who is attractive to her by sending the first message.
Start with a joke or ask them to come up with the cheesiest pick-up line possible. It’s fun, engaging, and a bit of a challenge. Or comment on something you noticed about their profile.
Don’t overthink it, and don’t be afraid to make the first move. Ditch the mind games — be upfront. You’ll find it’s way more rewarding.
5. Be patient
Waiting for your new match to message back can be excruciating. You might have a million different scenarios running through your head about how they matched with you by accident or how they’re probably just a bot. And while it’s true that many dating apps have a huge bot problem, that doesn’t mean you should jump to negative conclusions.
Yes, waiting is hard. But that’s part of the experience. Don’t wait by your phone for a response. Get out and live your life. If it’s meant to be, your match will message you back, eventually.
6. Let the conversation evolve naturally
The great thing about messaging through dating apps is that you can take your time crafting the perfect response. While you won’t want to keep your match waiting, you still have plenty of time to think things through.
However, a conversation is an art form, and taking the right approach can either guarantee success or an immediate "unmatch."
It’s best to let conversations flow in a natural manner. If things fizzle out, it wasn’t meant to be, and that’s okay.
Don’t bother spamming a match with messages. You’ll only push them away and appear clingy.
Conversely, don’t jump into things too fast. Asking for a date after two or three message exchanges or making inappropriate advances and requests are bad ideas. Be on your best behavior and don’t rush things. Your matches will thank you.
7. It’s okay to swipe left
It's okay to swipe left on many profiles you see. Swiping left is not a moral failing on your part, but more of an admission that not everyone deserves your time or that they did not bother to put any real effort into their profile.
Don’t feel obligated to swipe right on every profile you see. Be thoughtful and take your time viewing each person’s profile before making a decision.
While this could mean fewer successes, it also results in stronger, more authentic matches. Quality is always better than quantity, so don’t worry about the number of matches you get. Instead, focus on the profiles that interest you.
8. Creatively use songs on your profile
If you geek out over certain bands or songs, why not use it in your profile? For a bit of humor, you could use a clever song title or lyric.
Or maybe there’s a song you live by — use a few song lyrics to show off your fave. Relate it to how you live your life so your potential date will be curious to determine why that song is your motto.
9. Play good games
You could initiate a game of "two truths and a lie." Don’t get too deep with these — just be playful.
For instance, you could say something about your physical appearance, an experience, or something about a pet or your career. Your potential date will be prompted to message you to figure out what the lie is.
10. Trigger a response
cottonbro studio / Pexels
Another way to generate unique interest is to start with a hypothetical question like, "What would you do if you found out you had 24 hours to live?" Or you can play "Would You Rather...?" For instance, "Would you rather always be 10 minutes late or always be 20 minutes early?" It sparks conversation, and your potential date won’t be able to resist answering your quirky questions.
11. Be positive
Everyone has deal-breakers. However, if your dating profile is full of "Nos" and "Don’ts," you’re merely turning off potential dates.
So, try not to list your deal-breakers on your profile. Instead, have an organic conversation that leads to you discovering what their life is like.
Asking general questions opens up the possibility of finding out if they check the boxes you are looking for. Share your interests and see if your potential date responds to that. You may have things in common right off the bat.
12. Make a list of pros and cons
These lists make it engaging for your potential date to relate to you. So, why not list these features before the conversation starts? For example:
Pro: Cat guy.
Con: I’m overly experienced in cuddles.
Pro: I make the best steak fajitas in the land.
Con: That’s all I make.
13. Use emojis
Get your potential partner to figure out a story through emojis. For instance, under "About Me," you can list out emojis that best describe you.
Then, ask them to figure it out. Getting creative prompts curiosity from your potential partner. One study from Christopher Newport University found that people who use emojis are more attractive.
14. Share an unpopular opinion
Share a bit of sass in your bio by prompting a debate. Maybe your potential partner will agree.
For example, "Unpopular opinion: Not all water tastes the same. Every brand of water has a different taste. Prove me wrong." Keeping it quirky and lighthearted — not political or with profanity — can spark a fun conversation that could lead to more.
15. List your favorites
Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels
If you prefer to be specific, why not list the best of the best when it comes to your favorite things? Don’t be generic with favorite colors or that you like dogs. Get more specific about what makes you happy.
For example, "Laying on the couch binge-watching Game of Thrones, bonfires, chocolate-chip cookies, Frank Sinatra tunes, and my Goldendoodle." Hopefully, someone stumbles upon you who has the same interests.
16. Play the "Most likely to…" game
Use your interests and quirks in a game of "most and least likely to." For example, "Most likely to go sky diving and least likely to wake up before 8 a.m.," or "Most likely to binge Tiger King and least likely to win at tic-tac-toe."
Have fun with it! Again, the point is to be a conversation starter.
17. Have something ready to say
In most cases, you’ll have to be the one to make the first contact. "Hello" and "Hi" are merely dull and go nowhere 70 percent of the time.
Start a game of "Would you rather?" Or have a go-to line ready to go. That way, you give the conversation a direction to go in and it sets you apart from the rest. It also removes the burden on the other side of figuring out a conversation starter.
18. Use a GIF to start a conversation
This is not only creative but will garner a response compared to the usual conversation starters of "How you doin’?" openers are great because the animation is eye-catching and elicits an emotional response. There’s some subconscious connection between feeling and reading that increases the chances of engagement.
While everything here is fun and games, have goals in mind. Some dating apps get a rap for being a "Hookup" app and it might be well-deserved if you choose to use it that way.
However, there are plenty of people who use it to find interesting people to date and hang out with, in a more casual way. Of course, there's plenty of evidence to say that people find their ideal match on the app as well. You just need to have clear goals before you jump on any dating app.
Are you looking for hookups, dates, or relationships? You'll want to make the right first impression and have a standout profile that will attract the right people to you. No pressure!
Claire Bahn is a dating and personal branding expert and CEO / Co-Founder of Stratus Branding and Online Profile Pros.
This article was originally published at Online Profile Pros. Reprinted with permission from the author.
