Arts & Lifestyle

Swipe Right: How To Optimise Your Dating Profile

8 August 2017

Navigating the complex world of dating apps can be a minefield. After all, choosing how much and exactly what to share of yourself online is always a difficult decision, and even more so when the stakes are a potential partner. But, according to the experts, there are a few things that you can do - and avoid - to make a swipe right more likely. As Tinder encourages users to stop using the popular 'tiger selfies' following pressure from animal activists, Bumble's CEO Whitney Wolfe and Tinder's VP Marketing Rosette Pambakian share their top tips for creating your profile.

Alasdair McLellan

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"Like most social-media platforms, dating apps like Tinder rely heavily on pictures to tell a story. The biggest mistake I see is people trying too hard to portray perfection. The problem with that is it comes off as inauthentic and even sterile," Tinder's Rosette Pambakian shares. "By all means, present your best self on Tinder, but don’t forget to let your personality shine through. Include pictures of you doing you favourite activities to give potential matches insight into what makes you, you. Make sure to add your Spotify anthem and connect your Instagram to your Tinder profile. It'll help you stand out and can lead to more meaningful matches. “

"People often feel like they have to be someone they’re not," Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe tells us of commonly made mistakes on dating profiles. "It’s so important to be as honest as you can be. Tell people why you’re there and what you’re looking for. It's important to try and show your personality in your photos where you can, and not to include ex partners, or lots of friends in your profile. We're interested in YOU."
David Mushegain

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Wolfe is clear on what you should include to make a swipe-right more likely. "Smile. And include as many pictures as possible," the Bumble CEO tells us.

The stats back up the theory, according to Tinder's Pambakian. "Always smile. No matter how cool and casual you think that pout makes you look, I promise that it isn’t doing you any favours on your Tinder profile," she says. "Our research shows that if you’re smiling in your photo you’re 20 per cent more likely to be swiped right. Show people that you’re friendly, approachable and know how to laugh."

"Interestingly, professional photos or headshots tend to lead to left swipes, as do photos when you're not facing the camera head on and trying to show of your 'better side'. While you may think that showing off only your best side will lead to more matches, our research shows that if you face forward in your photos then you are 20 per cent more likely to be swiped right on. Looking front and centre helps your potential match assess your facial symmetry and characteristics, such as trustworthiness, from seeing your eyes. The laws of attraction don't change just because you're swiping on Tinder instead of meeting in a bar or coffee shop."
Patrick Demarchelier

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"There are a lot of people on Tinder, which means that you have a lot of potential matches and different kinds of people to meet. This also means it’s important to step up your game and stand out from the crowd by showing different sides of yourself," Pambakian tells us. "You can link your Instagram, add your Anthem and Top Artists through Spotify and get creative through words in your bio, which all help add more personality to your profile."

"When I ask my friends who met their significant others on Tinder what made them swipe right, it’s often that one question that they were dying to ask after they saw the other’s profile. Make sure that you are opening the door to conversation. Whether that question is, 'So did you win anything on that Vegas trip?' or 'I love Game of Thrones, too - which house are you in?', it’s so much better when you give them something to talk about naturally.
Corinne Day

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Pambakian also gives advice on how to ensure that your true self shines through in your profile. "Sometimes we really don’t think about how others may interpret the signals we are sending through our profiles - and that’s a huge mistake," she says. "Are you highlighting your interests and hobbies? Are you showing how much you really love travelling or a nice glass of rosé? Does your profile naturally include some conversation starters so your match your matches don’t have to send a generic 'hey'? Have your friends look at your profile and give you advice on what you should include. They know you best and can help you create a profile that truly captures and portrays the real you."

Lachlan Bailey

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"Fill in your bio as much as possible," Bumble's Wolfe advises. "You might look great, but we want to know about your personality before we swipe."

"Always have a bio. No matter how great your photos are, I still want to know what you have to say about yourself. Yes, we read your bios. And if you haven’t taken the time to write a short bio, then it’s an automatic swipe left for me" Pambakian reveals. "It’s one of the few things my friends and I can all agree on when it comes to swiping."
Tim Walker

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"This should go without saying, but avoid the ‘duck face’ and mirror selfies (note: unless the bathroom is truly out of this world)," Pambakian tells us. "The last thing you want to do is look vain, self-obsessed or even behind on the trends (the duck face is so two years ago, anyway)."

And that's not the only thing that should be avoided. "Group photos can be great because they show that you’re social - but they also tend to lead to confusion, especially if it's your primary photo. You only have a certain amount of photos you can include on your profile and you want them to give potential matches insight into you. If most of them are group photos, you're not really helping yourself."
Patrick Demarchelier

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"Be real, and honest," Wolfe tells us. "Your profile is yours to show who you are in whatever way you feel is best for you. The most successful profiles are the ones that are truthful and feel honest to that particular person. For example, pictures with animals are totally fine if you are a person that loves animals and that’s something that is important to you and something you want to reflect. Again, if you’re adventurous and want to show that then pictures of you on holiday or climbing a mountain are great! As long as your profile truly reflects who you are today, that is what will make a profile successful."