Photo: Peter Cade (Getty Images)
You’ve been swiping and swiping, but you still haven’t heard how the match notification sounds. All the thumb marathons won’t do you much good until your Tinder profile is a well-polished shop window. Most guys make obvious mistakes and put very little effort into theirs even though the competition is fierce. Use these guidelines to stand out in the crowd.
Photo Tips
- Skip the selfies. Selfie-centric Tinder profiles tell people that you only look good in controlled situations and that you don’t do anything awesome. Get a cool profile pic done by a professional and pad your profile with more dynamic shots of yourself.
- Ask around. If you can’t afford a pro photographer and think that your guy friends would bust your balls about asking them to take your photo, ask female friends, relatives, or strangers to take the pic instead.
- Be active. This doesn’t mean a blurry pic of you sprinting, but one of you suggesting physical activity, like standing at the peak of a hilltop hike, mounting a jet-ski, or straddling a bike.
- Go solo. It’s your Tinder profile so you should be the focus. You can put one photo that has maximum one other person in it, but only if it’s legendary. There should be absolutely no exes in photos!
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- Smile. Yes, girls may like bad boys, but even they smile sometimes. Smiling shows them that you’re friendly and fun to be around.
- No hats or sunglasses. These accessories might make you look shady, which is not a turn-on for women. You’re trying to connect with someone over an app; hiding your eyes and obscuring your face won’t help you do that.
- Gaze off. Women prefer when men don’t look directly into the camera lens, maybe because it’s less confrontational. Looking into the distance also suggests you’re contemplative.
- Keep the kids out of it. Is that your child? Someone else’s? It doesn’t matter; posing with kids is a little creepy in a dating app profile. If you’re a single dad, that’s great, but don’t use your kids as a lure, especially not on a place like Tinder. You can show her pics of your adorable offspring once you’re face to face.
Tinder Profile Tips
- Don’t copy a bio that you saw elsewhere on the Internet. Use your own words.
- Don’t write a novel. The bio should be no more than five succinct sentences long.
- Mention your accomplishments, but only the recent ones. Don’t write about something you did 30 years ago; it’s not relevant now.
- Make a self-deprecating joke. This is a good way to balance the brags in your profile and show you’re not a narcissist. For example, “Unfortunately, I only look like I’m a trust fund baby.”
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- Share your principles, but don’t get too high-and-mighty. It’s admirable that you live a healthy and active lifestyle, but don’t slam couch potatoes who still eat carbs.
- Choose an anthem. You don’t have to pick your absolute favorite song (especially if it’s obscure) or the latest Top 40 hit, but music can tell a lot about your personality.
- Ask yourself: “Is my profile a conversation starter?” That’s what it should do: get her talking. But make sure you initiate the conversation. You’re still the man.
