I’m nearly 42 years old and haven’t dated in over 10 years so I can’t give any personal advice about writing a great dating profile, but I’ll pass on some ideas from relationship and dating app experts about how to show yourself in the best light when using a dating app.
1. Choose the app carefully.
There are loads of dating apps out there and lots of them are quite different. For instance, Tinder and Grindr (for LGBTQ people) are very visual (with lots of pictures) and often used by people who want to go on dates with several different people and who may be looking for a more casual relationship. Apps like Bumble and
Hinge are more focused on people who are looking for a committed relationship, so expect to use more text in your profile.
2. Decide what it is you’re looking for.
Once you’ve chosen your app you should spend time thinking about what kind of person you’re looking for. Do you want someone who shares the same interests, or would you prefer someone who will challenge you? How do you want to spend your time with this person: partying all night or flopping on the sofa? What kind of relationship are you looking for: casual or committed? Having a clear idea of what you want will help you write your profile and cut down on those boring first dates.
3. Think about who you are.
What are your most attractive traits (qualities, not physical)? What are you good at? You might want to ask your friends about this if you’re having trouble. Think about previous relationships for ideas on what you did well.
4. Write a draft profile offline.
This way you can reread and edit your profile as many times as you want. Writing at length about yourself can be daunting (intimidating). Here’s a tip from www.myheartskippedabeat.co.uk about how to start. The first is short and sweet, and the second has more detail.
5. Be positive.
There’s nothing more off-putting than a list of things you don’t like or find unattractive, so avoid starting sentences with ‘I don’t, I won’t, I can’t’ and ‘I hate’. Find a positive way of expressing the same idea e.g., instead of ‘I hate smokers’, write ‘I’m a non-smoker’.
6. Use your friends (again).
Think about having a good friend read over your profile and make suggestions. They will have a perspective on your character and what kind of people you are suited to dating. They may even have experience of writing a dating profile themselves!