Most of us would already be on cloud nine and think, “Okay, I’ve done it, I am ready to swipe,” soon after signing up on Tinder. However, the trickiest part comes later — completing a profile. We would hurriedly complete it, thinking it to be a cake walk, but here is the glitch. It simply isn’t as easy as it seems. ‘What makes a good profile picture? What should I write in my bio?’ These are the questions you can’t help but ask yourself, because the responses have to be personal and tasteful. You wouldn’t like to give the impression that you are a possible psychopath now, would you!
Best profiles win big
Tinder just announced #AmalfiYachtWeek, and it could include you. Tinder is going to reward its top users who have the best profiles with a chance to go on an epic experience in Italy this summer, which entails an all-expenses-paid yacht trip sailing along the Amalfi coast. This means that with every right swipe on Tinder, you can not only get a new connection or a chance at self-discovery, but also a trip along the Italian coastline! However, before we go start dreaming of ourselves relaxing on the Italian coast, it’s time for brass tacks...
What makes a good Tinder profile?
A good Tinder profile should be genuine and really tell your story. This means no gym selfies, no sunglasses and no group photos either. Profile images should show your entire face (preferably smiling) and weave a good story about your interests, passions and hobbies. Tinder’s own research has shown that a smile in your profile picture increases right swipes by 14%, while hats or sunglasses or anything else that hides the face decreases chances of a Right Swipe by 12%.
Tinder bios are important, and sharing nuggets of likes and dislikes can also help spark interest from potential matches and provide some great conversation starters after you have matched. (PS: Wanderlust is one of the top most mentioned terms in Tinder bios). Here are a few tips from some of the experts when it comes to improving your profiles on Tinder...
Pictures speak for you
According to Dr Sonali Gupta, Mumbai based clinical psychologist and an expert in relationships and intimacy for over 14 years, it is the pictures that should speak for you. “Your pictures are a glimpse into your personality. Pictures taken with pets, during vacations are more likely to garner attraction and often can be a good cue to initiate a conversation. I would suggest using a picture without sunglasses, it gives your potential match an opportunity and glimpse into your facial features, a slice of your personality and most importantly indicates confidence while also conveying how you feel comfortable in your own skin,” elaborates Gupta.
Indicate your interests
Gupta is also of the opinion that users should open up more about any unique quality that speaks of them as it is not just fun but can also be a great conversation starter. According to her, people may often describe in their bio if they are a pet-parent, a show they are crushing on or music/ books that currently define their mood state. Often wordplay is an indicator of your intelligence and humour; both can be very endearing qualities when it comes to a potential match. “Choose to be as authentic as you can. It's very common for people to describe if they enjoy adventure, whether it’s snorkelling or paragliding. Be genuine – if your idea of exercise is late night solitary walks, just mention that and if you are not an exercise person, use humour to diffuse it - ‘My idea of cardio is shopping’,” she explains. Tinder’s own dating and relationship expert, Darcy Sterling, PhD, also gives tips on how to optimise your Tinder profile to make you stand out in a sea...
Exploit Tinder
Sterling is of the opinion that users should make the most of their Tinder profiles. In this way, they do not hide anything. Also one should not worry about the creepy users that you will eventually reject.
Turn on ‘Smart Photos’
This Tinder feature tests your top pics and automatically puts the one with the most right swipes at the very front. In other words, Tinder does the work for you, ensuring you get more matches. Let them work their magical algorithm!
Be perceptive and relevant
Getting a conversation started online is often the most difficult part of online dating. When you are figuring out what to say, all you have got to go by on Tinder is the short bio and six photos or less. In other words, there’s not a lot, so you will have to be extra sharp at assessing their profile to come up with something relevant to say.
See if they have listed anything interesting in their bio or showed off an interesting location or activity in their photos. Common ground is your best conversation starter. And if you are able to leverage humour into your opener, then go for it.
Tinder seems easy, but getting to the date isn’t always easy. Some of these tips may seem like more work, but being a good online dater is about making your profile and messaging the best it can be through small tweaks.
Tinder updates itself
Apart from the contest, Tinder is also planning to roll out a major update to formally introduce sexual orientation into its signature matching experience. For the first time, users can share more information about their sexual orientation, which will impact how potential matches are surfaced.
The update is in response to user feedback as well as a study conducted by the app, which found that the majority of LGBTQ+ respondents in India were interested in more options or easier ways to express their sexual orientation on dating platforms. The study also found that 73% of Indian LGBTQ+ adults believe online dating and social media have benefited their community positively over the last five years. More than half of the respondents say they have identified as LGBTQ+ online before formally coming out.
To add more information about sexual orientation on Tinder, users can simply visit Edit Info within the app. After tapping “Orientation,” they will be able to select up to three terms that they feel best describes their sexual orientation. From there, users can also select whether to display their sexual orientation on their profile.
