7 Things You Need in Your Online Dating Profile

Overhead by every girl joining Bumble to her best friend – “So like, WTF do I put in my dating profile?”. Today Nicholle of Topknots and Pearls and I are continuing our dating series and we’re picking up with one of the most common ways of meeting a significant other in 2019. Dating apps. Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, Plenty Of Fish. No matter the platform, it can feel like you’re the next bachelorette and your suitors are lining up to meet you! It can be super exciting and nerve wracking all at the same time. But how do you attract the man of your dreams? Well, for starters you need a kickass dating profile. No matter what you’re looking for (relationship, something casual etc.) your profile is the most important step to connecting with potential suitors! Today we’re talking about what to include (and what to leave out!) in your dating profile to showcase the real you (and score the guy of your dreams!).

Recent Photos That Accurately Portray Your Life

Men are visual creatures, so make sure to include at least 4-5 photos of yourself in your dating bio. Rule of thumb is to include one close up of your face, one body shot, and one action shot in your element. Make sure your photos are recent (if your hair is currently short and blonde, skip the old brunette mane shots). Try not to overly edit your photos – avoid the Snapchat filters! You definitely look cute with dog ears, but your potential suitors want to see the real you. And unless you’re a mother, avoid photos with any kids/babies. Men may be swiping left thinking you have children of your own (and may not be into it). A lot of users completely skip reading bios, so *she’s my niece* won’t suffice. Photos with your family and/or girl gang are encouraged. These photo demonstrate you have a social life and are well loved.

Smile And Tilt Your Head

I’ve done my fair share of research on this topic – and turns out photos of you smiling and slightly tilting your head come off the most genuine. The head tilt actually makes you look more approachable, thus baiting more men to begin a conversation. Who knew! I was laughing to myself as I realized nearly all my Instagram photos include me TILTING my head! Grab a bestie and get her to snap a pic of the head tilt. Besties fo life.

Be Honest With What You’re Looking For

Looking for a relationship? Make it clear. Looking for something casual? Own it. If you’re looking for a partner – include a line in your bio about looking for a partner. Make it super cute and fun! Some examples: “Looking for a cute partner in crime, looking for a future dog dad” etc. You’ll attract those looking for a relationship and scare off those with commitment issues. Win-win.

Stay Positive

People are naturally attracted to positive people. Don’t put yourself down in your bio. For any reason. “I”m horrible at cooking so I’m looking for a handsome chef to feed me all the things”. I’ve seen that line, and it’s a no-no. Don’t ever knock yourself down to make someone else feel better. If you’re struggling looking for positive attributes about yourself – ask your family and friends what they love about you. Include those responses in your profile. Also, avoid negativity towards men. For example “no alcoholics, no emotionally unavailable men, don’t waste my time” etc. This shows bitterness and can be interpreted as you having baggage with past misconnections. Negative energy attracts negative people. Instead, include the positive attributes you’re looking for in men – career driven, loyal, emotionally available etc.

Proper spelling and grammar

You wouldn’t believe the amount of spelling/grammar errors on dating profiles. Do me a favor and do a quick spellcheck on your bio! It will take less than a minute and makes a huge impact on the way you present yourself.

The 70/30 split

I came across this article that explains researchers have discovered the best dating profiles include 70% of their biography writing about themselves and no more than 30% including what they desire in a partner. This makes total sense. No one wants to read a 3 paragraph bio of everything they need to be in order to date the person. Share more (positive) attributes about yourself and include a quick synopsis of the important qualities you’re looking for in a mate.

End With An Icebreaker

Make it easy for another user to begin a conversation with you. End your bio with an icebreaker question. It can be as simple as “where is your favorite place to go for brunch in town?”. When Game Of Thrones was still on air, I included “I love to debate Game Of Throne Theories”. I’d have full paragraphs of GOT theories sent to me. It was the best. One tip: avoid an icebreaker that includes The Office. Apparently it’s completely overdone on both male and female profiles. With that being said, I do still have “Michael Scott” included in my list of favorite things. Long live The Office.