Online dating is a dog-eat-dog world. Most people go on a rapid-fire swiping frenzy when they use a dating app, making snap judgements on pictures and short, snappy bios. If you’re looking to hit a few home runs rather than strike out, you’ll need an online dating profile that’ll capture a swiper’s attention.
It doesn’t seem like it would be hard, but you’d be surprised at how easy it is for even the most eligible bachelors to create snooze-worthy profiles that are quickly passed over. From blurry pictures and painfully generic bios to lists of dislikes and unwarranted arrogance, it’s truly astounding to see what some men think will get them a date.
But with a little common-sense and effort, it’s easy enough to create an online dating profile that’ll fill your social calendar with plenty of dates. The trick is to keep it simple while showcasing your personality and setting yourself apart from the crowd of wannabe lotharios.
Don’t Be Lazy
A great online dating profile – one that gets lots of right-swipes and date nights – is one that’s had a little thought put into it. It’s all too easy to fall into the trap of doing the bare minimum, but a little effort will go a long way. Fill out questions with short but engaging answers; write a bio (yes, you do need one) that shows off your personality and interest without giving too much away; and if you can’t figure out when your or you’re is appropriate, have someone go over your profile for spelling and grammar – then get yourself a remedial English class.
Pick Good Pictures
Want to improve your chances of getting right-swiped? Choose the right range of photos. Show off that gorgeous mug and winning smile; highlight your interests with photos of you strumming a guitar or surfing; and if you’ve got a photo of yourself sporting a suit, even better – women love a bit of James Bond suave. It should go without saying – but we’ll do it anyway because sometimes even the best of us need a reminder – your photos should be well-lit and in focus.
Whatever you do, avoid gym selfies with your shirt pulled up (it screams I’m vain and shallow), delete any pictures of you riding a drugged-out tiger or riding a depressed-looking elephant (you’re just proving your cluelessness) and forget about images of you surrounded by women in bikinis (you just look like you’re overcompensating). If you need a second opinion, ask some she-friends for their opinions, or run your photos through Photofeeler, which shows how women rate your smarts, trustworthiness and attractiveness in each photo.
Show off Your Humour
There are no two ways about it: funny is attractive. You could be handsome as sin and boast the body of a Greek god, but if you’ve got the personality of a wet rag, you’ll be hard-pressed to get right-swiped, let alone a date; and if you’re not quite the Brad Pitt type, a tongue-in-cheek profile may just convince some lucky lady to give you a shot. Grab some attention with a little humour, whether it’s some witty (not rude) sarcasm or even a little self-deprecation (it shows confidence and self-awareness). If you can get the woman on the other side of that screen to crack a smile, she might just be inclined to give you a chance.
Don’t Be Negative
Negativity is never a good look. This is not the place to air grievances and dirty laundry – all this does is expose your own shortcomings and insecurities – so no “drama queens need not apply” disclaimers or “if you can’t take a joke, swipe left” snarkiness. We hate to sound like a self-help book, but in this case, staying positive will up your chances. This is also not the place to list what you’re looking for – best-case scenario: you come off as rigid and demanding; worst case: you look arrogant and stupid. You (hopefully) already know what you want, but keep that list in your head – you’ll figure out pretty quickly if someone you match with checks those boxes.
Be Specific
It’s easy to think big-picture when you’re trying to distil your life and character into a short bio, but every second guy on a dating app will probably be using some variation of “I’m funny, active and enjoy a good time” on their profile. But that really doesn’t tell a woman anything about who you are. Are you a racing fan? List which teams or riders you support. Love music? Talk about who your favourite bands are. You’re well-travelled? Write down your three coolest travel experiences. If you want extra brownie points, you could also go into the whys of your activities and interests. Sure, you run every day, but is it because you love the runner’s high or because you’re training for an Ironman marathon?
Got all that? Great – go ahead and build your online dating profile(s) and start watching those dates roll in. When they do, here are a few handy tips for acing those dates.
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