We’ve spent the long winter hibernating inside, eating biscuits and watching episodes of Don’t Tell The Bride back-to-back. But now the weather’s starting to perk up (we swear, sunnier days ARE coming) we’re dreaming about picnics outside and summer flings.
So you know what that means? Time to refresh and reboot our dating profiles.
You may think your profile’s up to scratch, but that picture you uploaded two years ago may not be the best representation of yourself now. Looking back, we really took the sports luxe trend too far…
And if your interests still reads ‘watching Mad Men’ it’s definitely time for an update.
Here are some pointers to successfully spring cleaning your profile to help you pull in more potential dates…
Add new interests to your profile
In 2016, ‘listening to music’ just won’t cut it. Your interests should be, well… interesting. A study by Wired.com looking at the most successful dating profiles on Ok Cupid and Match.com found that they include for women, the words yoga, surfing and/or athlete.
But if music really IS your hobby, you can make standard stuff sound more individual with a little imagination. Try making tiny tweaks to basic statements, like, ‘Music lover and party playlist pro,’ as it'll stand out more.
Still stuck? Experts at TrueView dating site – which aims to help you meet likeminded singles that suit your lifestyle - recommend:
“Go out and find new interests and share them on your profile. For all you know, discovering that you love bungee jumping might just be the new hobby to help you find the one. Suggesting you would love to share these newfound interests with someone special will encourage those to get to know you more.”
The perfect excuse to try something new.
Make some tough edits
Set up your profile just after a massive break up? Have a good scan through what you wrote all those moons ago, and make sure there’s no undertone of negativity, self-pity or bitterness - it’s not so sexy. You may find you want to do a total rewrite – and it’ll be well worth it.
A study published by eHarmony found that certain words used on women’s profiles correlate with the most online matches, so including these buzzwords in your profile will boost your chances of getting Mr Right's attention. The top ten words for women were:
Get rewriting, people. Just don't make it sound too much like your CV...
Ask friends for help
And if you do go for the rewrite approach, talk to your besties to help you craft an accurate portrayal of your finest self. Get them to list their favourite things about you, and include them in your bio. It’s a great way to big yourself up if you find the whole self-praise thing cringy. "My friends say I'm..."
Really, really shy? Then maybe asking mates to make you a page on My Single Friend would work better for you. What do you have to lose?
Upload new, fun profile pictures
That beach shot from your 2007 holiday to Tenerife? Probably not the most honest reflection of you in the present day. Update your profile with recent images of yourself doing things you love right now. If all your pictures are of you downing shots and partying hard (even though the last time you saw in the inside of club was New Year’s 2011), then your new potential partner will never know you much prefer nights in curled up watching Emmerdale over evenings drinking cocktails in clubs.
Uploads pictures that reflect what’s important to you – friends, family, pets, hobbies - perhaps in your favourite sunshine-seeking spot or brunch hideout. This offers a glimse into what life with you would be like.
The experts at TrueView reveal:
“We’ve seen that though someone may have been on their site for a while, as soon as they update their profile picture, they receive a flurry of messages from people asking if they had just joined!”
... And take down those pouty pictures and smile instead
There's nothing like a smiley face to grab someone’s attention and warm hearts. So, save the trout pout pics for your Whatsapp girl group chat and NOT your dating profile. Big smiles suggest you're happy, upbeat and easy going – pouts make people believe you take yourself super seriously, even if it does show off your killer cheekbones.
The experts over at Flirtify confer:
“You want to come across as happy, positive and someone who's fun to be with. As attractive as your Keira Knightlyesque pouting selfie may be, a smile is much more approachable."
Take centre stage and rethink your body language
Nobody wants to spend ten minutes deciphering who you actually are within your snaps, so make sure you take centre stage in at least half your pics, and certainly the main image. People spend just seconds scanning over a dating profile, and if they can’t figure out who you are straight away then you’re giving them another reason to skip past your page.
As the dating gurus at Flirtify put it:
“It’s a good idea to have a few pictures in your gallery of you with your friends, but for that profile picture make sure it’s just you. No one wants to play Where’s Wally in the world of online dating.”
Preach!
Research has also shown the pose in your picture makes a massive difference. A new study has revealed that those with open, space-occupying body language are twice as likely to be rated as attractive and to be asked on a date. Hurrah!
Add a new, captivating fact about yourself
The experts over at Once – the dating app that gives you one tailor picked match per day – suggest adding a new interesting note about yourself to make it easier for matches to spark conversation.
Jean Meyer, the founder of Once, states:
“Many people leave their biography the same as when they first created their profile. Update your dating description with something new about yourself, a recent achievement or a witty joke that will make you stand out. Avoid quotes or leaving it blank, your potential match wants to know something about you.”
Check your spelling and grammar
Yes, it sounds like we’re sending you back to the classroom, but research has shown that profiles with good ABCs secure more matches. Back in October last year, Match.com revealed 96 per cent of women rated good grammar and spelling above confidence in what they look for on dating profiles.
Analysis from proofreading service Grammarly also revealed that guys with two spelling mistakes on their dating profiles were14 per cent less likely to receive a positive response from potential dates.
Time to proofread…
Don’t be afraid to make the first move
A recent study by OK Cupid revealed that women who make the first move have the most success with online dating. Yes, women are 2.5 times more likely to get a response than men if they initiate conversation.
The study also showed that most people are ‘reachers,’ meaning they tend to send the first message to people who are more attractive than themselves, meaning women who message first will contact men who are 10 percentile points 'more attractive', often with success. Now that’s math we can get down with.
Still feeling making the first move is taboo? Then you NEED to download Bumble - the app that ONLY lets couples communicate if women message first. There's simply no getting around it.
Clean out your inbox
Been a member for a while now? Well it’s time to clear out your inbox of message from ones who weren’t THE one. Jean at Once advices:
“If you have matched with somebody but neither of you have messaged each other within the first day or so then it is best to delete this match.
“If a conversation hasn’t sparked instantly then it probably isn’t meant to be and will clutter your inbox! If you’re stuck for things to say first, Once users have more success with talking about a shared interest – you can increase your chances of a reply by 27% by commenting on a match’s recent holiday picture, favourite sports team or their hobbies.”
Try a NEW dating site
Fancy more of a move than simple a spring clean? Then why not try a new dating site all together? There’s constantly new and niche sites popping up, so post your profile onto something less mainstream to try and secure a new date. Try True View to help you find people that go to the same spots and venues as you – like a Facebook check-in of the dating world.
Need more niche? Yes, Gluten Free Dating, Clown Passion and Gothic Match all exist.
Aww, the Internet.
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