Beware, but also, take notes.
Remember the old saying “A picture is worth a thousand words?” Well, that applies to online dating profiles, too. If you’ve ever stumbled across someone who was oh-so attractive, yet an aspect of their profile required an instant swipe to the left: this is for you. Additionally, if you are someone left wondering why exactly you are lacking in the online dating department, this is also for you. Without further ado, here are some tips of what not to include in your dating profile, unless your goal is to see how many matches you can’t get.
Hunting Photos
Online dating should be sexy and alluring. It may come as a shock, but seeing a photo of a guy holding up a dead, bloodied animal just doesn’t do it for most people. Rather than posting a gross image, maybe mention it as a hobby, but please don’t make it part of your profile.
Fishing Photos
Just because the dead deer didn’t turn them on, doesn’t mean the dead trout will. We’ve moved past the hunter/gatherer stage of life, so people don’t care that you can catch a fish. Again, just mention it when you talk about your hobbies, but leave it out of your profile.
Snapchat Filters
Snapchat’s classic dog filter or any other fun face filter defeats the purpose of showing what you look like, along with being a little cheesy and outdated. Make sure to save face by avoiding face filters.
Group Photos
Group photos are a great way to show your social side to potential matches. However, when your main photo is of a group of people, or all your photos are group photos, it creates a guessing game. Nobody wants to waste time hoping they matched with the cutie on the right when it’s the one on the left that isn’t their type. Unless you decide to somehow clarify which person you are in the photo, make sure to keep a solo photo of yourself as your main picture. Once you do that, you can sprinkle in a few group photos on the side.
Hidden Faces
This one follows the same lines as Snapchat filters. If every photo on your profile is of you in sunglasses or a mask, how is anybody supposed to know what you look like? It’s okay for one photo, but when it takes over your entire profile, nobody wants to gamble on whether you’re their type or not.
First AND Last Name
There’s something kind of unsettling about seeing a “Derek Smith” or a “Derek S.” in a sea of Johns, Nicks, and Sams, you know? The norm on dating platforms is use just your first name on your profile. Until you decide to set a date with one of your matches or move the conversation to another social platform, let’s keep things on a first-name basis.
One-Letter Names
Profiles like “G” or “J” just give me the heebie jeebies. It feels more like someone is hiding their identity for reasons unknown. What’s your name? What are you hiding? Maybe instead of “G” as your profile name, mention you go by a nickname like that in your bio. Unless, you know, that’s actually your name.
Rude Bios
This should be self-explanatory. If your profile has any offensive language, get rid of it… and also check yourself. It doesn’t make you look cool.
No Bio
To me, profiles with no bio strike me as overly-confident, even cocky. It gives off the vibe that you expect your pictures to be enough to get matches. Bios are a good way to let potential matches know a little bit about you. Including an interesting fact about yourself, a cute or flirty joke, even what you’re specifically looking for is helpful. Think of it like this: having a substantial bio helps attract what you’re looking for, and helps weed out people you might not connect well with.
I hope this helps you to dodge a few bullets or even revamp your profile. Remember to be yourself and trust your intuition. Happy swiping!