Dating is hard, and online dating is arguably even harder. If you’ve ever been on dating apps, you’ve probably gone off it as well.
Picture this. You’ve been off the apps for some time. You’re feeling good about yourself and you decide to give the online dating pool a 6th chance. You start swiping and 100 right swipes in, you still haven’t got a match. So, you give up and start the whole process again in 2 months.
It’s easy to blame the dating game for your lack of luck, but have you ever thought that the problem could be your profile? In this article, we list all the ways your dating app profile could be holding you back from finding the love of your life.
Disclaimer: None of this is based on data. Please take everything with a grain of salt!
Photos
1. Too many photos
When you have too many photos, it increases the chances of your potential matches finding a photo that they don’t like. If you had left that photo out, you would’ve gotten a right swipe!
Solution: A good number of photos to have is three to five.
2. Gym mirror selfies
Word is that you shouldn’t include gym mirror selfies because they can make you appear narcissistic. It’s like saying, “Hey, look at me. I’m hot, so you should want me”. But we say it depends on who you want to match!
Solution: As a general rule of thumb, if you’re only looking for something casual, go ahead and show off your assets (not nudes!). But if you’re looking for something more serious, a beach or waterfall photo that shows off your physique is more subtle and attractive. Plus points if your friends are in the photo so you look like you have friends!
3. Too many group photos
Some people say you should have group photos so that you look like you have a social life. But the harsh reality of group photos is that you’re going to get compared to the people in the photo or people are going to get tired of trying to figure out which one is you.
Solution: To really milk your group photo for its worth, choose one with only three to five people and be honest, if there’s a more attractive friend in the shot, choose another photo!
4. Too many photos with people of the gender you’re swiping on
To some people, the rationale behind these types of photos are, “These people wanted me, so you must want me too,” but all it’s giving is self-obsessed. People might also get turned off by the competition. Isn’t it enough to compete with the thousands of people on the app?
Solution: Avoid photos of you surrounded by members of the gender you’re swiping on unless they’re your besties.
5. Not having variety
Finally, another thing you could be doing to jeopardise your dating life is not having variety in your photos. As a rough guide, here’s what you can do to make the most of your 5 photos quota. Include:
- a photo that clearly shows your face as your first photo
- a photo of you smiling
- a full body photo
- a photo of you engaging in a hobby
- a photo of you with other people
Bio
Once you’ve got your photos down to a tee, it’s time to rethink your bio. Yes, people still read bios!
1. Not having a bio or not filling out question prompts
If you’re the five percent of people who have really good photos, sure, you might get some matches even without a bio. But imagine if you just put in a little effort into your bio or responses to the question prompts, the possibilities would be endless!
And no, writing stuff like these listed below is not considered having a bio IF they’re the only thing you wrote:
- I don’t know why I’m here
- Work hard, play hard
- Good vibes only
- Here for a good time not a long time
- Swipe right to know more about me
- DM me, I won’t bite
Like, it’s giving cliché and unoriginal.
2. Just writing your height (and weight)
There’s nothing wrong with being transparent about your height and weight on your profile. Even Bumble has a filter for it!
But when you list ONLY your body measurements, it’s as if you’re saying, “This is the best thing I have going on”. Frankly, it’s also quite insulting to the people you’re swiping on because you assume that that’s the only thing they care about. Like, wow, he’s 185 cm but maybe he thinks the earth is flat.
3. Flexing all your accomplishments
C’mon guys, we’re looking for a partner, not a job. Writing your school, job, major or other side hustles or interests is fine. But you don’t need to flex every award or achievement you’ve had since high school – no one’s got time for that.
4. Not running your profile through the people who know you
We get it. Asking your friends to vet your dating app profile is basically asking to be roasted. But these are the people who probably know you best and if you’re serious about making the most of your profile, they are your best bet.
Your friends will be able to point out if your profile is an accurate representation of you and how to balance between being yourself and scoring matches.
The bottom line
With all that being said, the most important thing to remember here is to be yourself and be intentional!
If you have unusual hobbies and interests, chances are you’ll find someone who’s open to learning about them if you put them in your bio. And if you’re just looking for a hookup, you’ll also have better luck if you’re just straightforward about it.
What’s your experience with online dating apps?
