10 Tips That Help Men Master Dating Apps
Key things guys can do to master dating apps include keeping your bio current, making sure you're using the right app and putting up a complete dating profile. With so many women on dating apps, men shouldn't have a problem meeting someone.
If you don't see results on your dating app, this post can help you. It's easy meeting girls on dating apps if you follow the ten tips below.
1. Makes sure you're using the right app.
Saying you have options for dating apps is an understatement. There are a ton of dating sites these days. The key is which app is right for you?
Don't join Tinder looking for marriage and kids. Also, don't join Christian Mingle if you want to date casually or are seeking a non-monogamous relationship.
You're wasting your time if you're on the wrong dating app. There are several apps, and each has its strengths and weaknesses. Each dating app is ideal for a specific type of woman and relationship type.
It's critical you join the right app. For a break down of which dating app is best for you, as well as a list of pros and cons for each site, visit my page:
Online Dating Cheat Sheet.
Lastly, I recommend avoiding niche apps. Some apps cater to dog owners, gym rats, and even people who hate things. Sure, these apps have some women on them, but they cost money for access to a handful of women. You're better off on the major dating apps because they tend to have a lot more female members.
2. Fill your profile and leave nothing blank.
You must put up a profile that is complete and leave nothing unfilled. Make sure you complete every section of your dating app. Things you should complete include (depending on the app):
- An acceptable username for sites such as Plentyoffish (POF), Zoosk, and Jdate.
- A good profile headline (POF).
- Fully answered basics section (kids, pets, social drinker, etc.)
- Photo portfolio with several pictures.
- Well written self-summary.
- Answer personality questions (Hinge, Bumble, Facebook Dating, etc.)
The amount of effort you put into your profile shows women how serious you are about dating. If you type in "I'll get to this later" in your self-summary or use "Abc123" as your username, you won't do very well.
It's so bad, many women write in their profiles, they won't respond to men who put zero effort into their bio. Below is an example from a woman's Tinder bio, where she says she won't swipe right on men who have "written absolutely nothing about yourself."
An incomplete profile is one of the main reasons women don't respond to messages.
Think of each section of your profile as a series of "hooks." These hooks can grab a woman's attention, arouse her curiosity, or speak to her directly. Anything on your bio can prompt a woman to like it, swipe right, and in some cases, start a conversation.
You don't know what captures a woman's attention. It could be a photo, your self-summary, your headline, even the section where you answer personality questions like the one below on Hinge.
How to answer a question on Hinge and get likes
If you want to master dating apps, it's in your best interest to put up a fully complete profile. Leave nothing to chance. You want depth and lots of details. If you put up a half-assed dating profile, you can expect women to ignore you.
For more help for your dating profile, visit these pages:
3. Don't overlook women because they aren't "hot" enough.
One huge positive of online dating is there are a ton of women on dating apps. The negative is there are a ton of women on them. Yep, the fact you have so many options is both an advantage and a disadvantage.
Too often, men focus on the hottest women while ignoring women who are perfectly good matches for them. You may accidentally discount average attractive women after browsing a super hot girl's profile.
One study found men rate attractive average looking women as less attractive after viewing photos of more attractive women. Yep, after you view photos of hot women, you may downgrade an attractive average looking girl’s profile, because you compare her to the total 10 you just viewed.
Don't mindlessly swipe left on women because they aren't supermodels. Take the time to read a woman's bio because you may have a lot in common. Be aware that after looking at a super attractive woman's photos, you may subconsciously see other cute girls as less attractive.
4. Keep your bio fresh.
Update your bio at least once a month. Have you recently accomplished something? Add it to your bio. Maybe you watched a recent show on Netflix; write about it. Have you gone on a recent vacation? Add some pictures to your portfolio.
The benefit of keeping your bio fresh is you may catch a woman's eye who passed on your profile before. Anything you add can impact a woman's decision to contact you.
Below is an example of a bio I wrote where it included a show on Netflix, which was just released; Mindhunter. I included it in the bio, and a woman focused on the show. Remember, everything can act as a hook. Even a show can start a conversation on dating apps.
Keep your bio up to date with Netflix shows you currently watch.
Keep your bio current with the time of the year. Don't use photos of yourself snowboarding when it's July. Don't add pictures of your "birthday" which was eight months ago.
5. Be honest about who you are.
When you write about yourself, add details that show you're unique. Add depth in your bio when describing your passions and interests. You stand out more doing this.
Everyone likes to cook, travel, and hike. There's nothing wrong when you include these topics in your bio, but you should expand on them if you mention them.
So, if you enjoy traveling, share a funny travel story. Or maybe discuss the next place you plan to visit and what you look forward to on your adventure.
Maybe you enjoy cooking, share your favorite recipe or something you're experimenting on in the kitchen. Talk about why you love cooking.
You don't want to sound like everyone else, and it's the little things you mention that are the difference between success and failure on dating apps. If you like watching Real Housewives of Atlanta, do it. Maybe you play board games; include it as well.
6. Be active on your app.
Make sure you check your dating app inbox daily. Don't let women sit waiting for your messages, nor take your sweet time sending an icebreaker after you match.
If a woman swipes right on Tinder, don't let her sit in your queue days on end. Take the example below on Tinder; the woman writes, "Don't swipe right if you're not willing to send the 1st message."
Why swipe right on a woman if you never intend to send a message?
Once you start a conversation with a woman, never let the momentum of it slow down. When a woman sends you a message, don't wait days to respond. A few hours is fine. Anything over 24 hours is unacceptable.
Women lose interest when you take your time responding. Also, some other guy may swoop in on you and steal her attention. Men who master dating apps never let women sit around in message limbo; they engage in conversations and crank up the attraction.
7. Avoid sending only likes!
One thing that drives me nuts is guys who "like" women without sending a message with the like. Likes, by themselves, are low effort and lazy.
It's so bad for women that many of them write in their bio's that they can't see you like them. They do this because men choose to send likes instead of messages. Below is an example from a woman's profile on OkCupid, where she says she can't see likes.
Send messages to women on OkCupid instead of likes
Some apps require you to like something on a woman's profile before sending a message. OkCupid is a prime example. Liking a woman's profile is fine as long as you send a message with it.
Never send a like by itself. Instead of liking a woman's profile and hoping she likes you back, send a message along with your like, always!
8. Send great messages to women.
Sending great messages is a no-brainer; they are critical for you to master dating apps. The amount of effort you put into your message shows women how serious you are about meeting them.
If a woman takes the time to write about herself, you better comment on her bio. Don't write, "Hello," "Hi," or ask her, "How's your day going?"
Anything a woman shares on her bio is fair game, so ask open-ended questions about something you see. If she likes traveling, ask about her traveling adventures. If the woman volunteers, ask her what she likes best about it.
Below is an example from Hinge. The woman shares on her bio that she enjoys sushi. I use that in my icebreaker and start a conversation with her.
Ask women questions about anything they share in their bio.
It's easy to start conversations on dating apps. For more message tips, visit my blog post; What Are Good Online Dating First Message Tips For Men?
9. Dating app matching percentages are overrated.
Most apps have a matching percentage. They have some benefits but aren't the end-all. Take them with a grain of salt.
I hear guys say all the time, "We're a 99% match," and think they found the "one" because of a high match percentage. Nonsense! Sure, the matching percentage has some merit, but don't think it's 100% correct.
One study, "Online Dating: A Critical Analysis From the Perspective of Psychological Science," found online dating algorithms don't work. The study found dating sites cannot predict how people will act once they meet someone they are matched with. "We are not optimistic that mathematical matching algorithms can be especially effective at finding compatible partners for users," the study states.
I've met women who were 90% matches, and the date was a dud, while I hit it off with women who were 70% matches. The matching percentages are helpful but don't put too much stock in them.
Matching percentages on dating apps aren't always accurate.
10. Ask women out already.
Why did you join a dating app? To meet a woman right, right? Women joined your dating app for the same reason; to meet a guy.
Yet, a lot of men drag out conversations for whatever reason. Maybe they are shy, can't read the signs a woman is interested in them, or a host of other reasons. Some guys want to feed their egos and get attention.
The last thing you want is dragging out a conversation. You want to get a woman's number quickly so you can take your conversation offline and set up a date.
It's so bad for women; many write on their bio's how frustrated they are with men who don't make a move. Below is a woman's bio on Hinge, who wrote that she's not looking for a pen pal. Adding a warning for pen pals is a common site on dating apps.
Women aren't looking for pen pals on dating apps.
You don't want to ask a woman out in your first message, but don't want to become an online dating message buddy. Read the woman's energy. It shouldn't take more than 5-7 messages to build up the chemistry before asking a woman for her number.
If you ever send a message asking a woman, "How's your day?" or "Anything fun planned for the weekend," it's time to get her number. You want to master dating apps? Ask women out!