What Makes A Good Dating Profile?
What makes a good dating profile for a man? It's a combination of several things. Obviously, your photos and written bio are essential, but so is the section where you select options such as smoking, if you want kids, and your politics. If you're on an app that has a username and headline, those are critical too.
A good end-to-end dating profile causes women to swipe right, add you as a favorite, "like" your bio, and in some cases, start conversations with you. No one thing makes your profile good, but if you take the time and put effort into your bio, you'll stand out.
On the flip side, a lack of effort, red flags, negativity, and bad photos dooms your chances. Hinge found 57% of women don't respond to messages from men because they "took a closer look at the person’s profile and realized they’re not attracted."
This post shows you what makes a good dating profile for men. I'm just going to assume you are on a site with the following:
- Username
- Headline
- Basics Section (kids, smoking, pets, education, etc.)
- Photos
- Self-Summary (written bio)
If you're on an app that doesn't have one of these sections, just skip to the next. For example, Hinge doesn't have a username or headline. You can jump to the Basics section in that case.
1. What makes a good username?
Sites like POF, Zoosk, and JDate still have usernames. Even Tinder lets you create one.
Your username is the first impression women get of you. Dating sites send messages to women that they received a message from you, and what do they show? The dating site shows your username.
Never type random letters and numbers as your username. And for goodness sake, don't use your full name; your first name is OK.
Keep it simple when creating a username. Think of an activity or hobby and add the word to your username. A great username won't flood your inbox with messages, but a bad one will scare women away.
For an overview of creating a username, go here: How To Create A Good Dating Site Username.
2. What's a good profile headline?
Headlines are still used on POF. Don't underestimate its importance. One study found that a good headline is "positively connected with photo attractiveness."
A good headline causes a woman to pause, read your headline, and think about the headline. This delay increases the time she is exposed to your primary photo on your dating profile, which, in turn, increases your attractiveness.
All too often I see guys write stuff like this as their headline:
Avoid bad headlines because they never catch a woman's attention.
Do you see how boring it is? "Lets chill" is meaningless and a terrible headline. Instead, keep your headline fun, light, and positive.
One trick you can use for your headline is keeping it ambiguous. Use a headline that functions as "clickbait." This type of headline grabs a woman's attention because it creates curiosity and encourages her to contact you. Here's an example:
I discovered the best place in town for (THING)...
Note the periods, it's merely a way to continue the sentence. THING can be anything:
- I discovered the best place in town for Mexican food...
- I discovered the best place in town for red wine...
- I discovered the best place in town for live music...
I took this phrase and modified it on POF, "I discovered the best place for margaritas..."
An effective approach for a profile headline is using clickbait.
A great headline will grab a woman's attention and just might start a conversation like mine did below on POF.
An effective approach for a profile headline is using clickbait.
3. How important is the basics section?
An often-overlooked section of your dating profile is where you enter your income, height, relationship status, if you drink, your political views, kids, etc.
Sites like Zoosk, Match (see below), Eharmony, OKCupid, Jdate, Bumble, etc. have them so answer each question, and do it honestly. Believe it or not, this section impacts your results.
It's important to answer each of the questions in this section of your dating profile.
Women look at this section to see if you're on the same page (kids, for example). Dating sites also use these settings in matching you with women, so don't ignore this piece of your profile.
4. You must have a diverse profile portfolio.
You must post pictures which give insight into your life. I can't believe I'm writing this, but you need a photo. A lot of guys choose to hide who they are citing some lame excuse like how they have a high profile job.
Here are a few facts about photos:
- Plentyoffish users with at least 10 images on their profile receive eight times more messages.
- A Match.com survey revealed that profiles with photos had 15 times the response rate as profiles without photos.
- 52% of Elitesingle members said they wouldn’t even open a profile without a profile picture.
- Ninety-three percent of people said they would straight up ignore someone on a dating app if they didn’t have pictures on their profile
Ditch the selfies and gym photos. One survey by Match.com found 29% of women indicated that a photo taken in a mirror with a smartphone was the biggest reason they’d click away from a guy’s profile.
Here's a rule for your photos; if you aren't in the photo, don't use it. This means no picture of your dog, a beach, your car, a drink, food, a sunset, etc.
And no women! One study found standing with a member of the opposite sex is one of the worst things you can do. Even if the person is just a friend or family member, if it looks like it could be a significant other, your likes decrease by 98 percent.
Ideally, you want to upload 5-10 photos total. If you don't have any photos, grab a friend or family member and have them take pictures of you. You can even find cheap stands on Amazon that hold cell phones. Use your timer if you have a phone stand.
You want photos which show you doing fun things. People who have pictures of themselves doing something interesting have a 40% higher chance of receiving more messages, according to a study by OkCupid.
If you play a weekend sport, hike, travel, surf, run on trails, ride horses, hang glide, even grilling burgers on a BBQ works as a photo. Basically, anything similar to these type of photos beat selfies hands down.
80 percent of people in one survey said they liked to see snaps of their matches on holiday or traveling while Match.com found that "those who mentioned a local adventure or a travel hot spot were more likely to get a response" to their messages.
Lastly, be sure to smile in your photos. It's the first thing women look at, so flash those choppers. A smile makes you more likable and trustworthy.
The first thing women look at in your photo is your smile.
5. How to create a good self-summary.
Your written bio is the main thing women look at on your profile. Your photos are important, but this section has more impact on women who are looking for a relationship:
- Match.com found nearly 70% of women contact you based on the written section of your profile.
- Coffee Meets Bagel found the top 10% most LIKED profiles were 35% longer than the rest.
- Zoosk found writing a description about yourself gets you up to 28% more incoming messages.
The reason a lot of men do poorly on dating apps is they put zero effort into their written section. Most guys offer nothing about themselves; there is little to no depth on their bio.
Take the bio below I found on Match.com for a guy who lives in San Diego. Do you see anything which shows the guys passions or interests below?
This bio lacks any depth; no mention of interests, hobbies, or passions.
Notice how there's zero insight into his life. This is an all too common problem with men when they write about themselves. This is a far better introduction:
"I'm a recent transplant from Minnesota who can't imagine living anywhere else. The weather here is perfect for my active lifestyle. One weekend you'll find me hiking Mount Woodson followed by fish tacos and a margarita at the Brigantine while the next weekend, I'll be running on Solano Beach followed by a pint at Pizza Port. I love that adventures at the beach or mountains are a short drive away."
You see how I took the guys profile and expand on it by adding depth about his active lifestyle in San Diego. I mention specific locations and restaurants that all San Diegans are aware of.
It's important to provide depth in your summary. Paint a picture in a woman's head about your lifestyle. You can write about any of the following:
- Passions
- Interests
- Goals
- Achievements
- Hobbies
Choose 4 or 5 things and expand on them. For example, maybe you're an avid traveler. Don't just write how you "enjoy traveling." Instead, provide details and share what you love about traveling or why you enjoy traveling. Include your next destination and why you're excited about it.
Keep this in the back of your head as you write your bio; the amount of effort you put into your bio shows women how serious you are about finding someone.
Lastly, keep your profile positive. POF found that men with "positive identifiers" in their dating profile receive 23% more messages than men who don’t have them. So, no negativity; "I'm not here for games or drama."
Please add comments below. What makes a good dating profile in your eyes?