Let me start by saying, I hate online dating in general. But when social gatherings are no longer an option and humans are collectively bored in isolation, dating apps are one of few ways to get to know someone new. So, I swallowed my pride and downloaded Hinge, because I had my doubts about being pretentious enough for The League. But, what do I know? I had only once dabbled in Bumble, where I secured two dates that actually made if off the app, right into some bullshit. And honestly, I chose Hinge because I really don’t think anyone over the age of 30 should be new to Tinder–I hope my cynicism towards apps isn’t too obvious here.
I don’t know if it’s my cynicism or the online dating stories from friends that has fine-tuned my ability to sniff bullshit before things make it off the app. However, I think it may be my strategic approach to pretty much everything instead. That brings me to my point: you have to curate your online dating profile to attract the type of people you want, while weeding out the type of folks you don’t. I’m about two months in, and here are some of my tips and observations.
Hinge lets you have 6 photos. Choose wisely.
- Include a bikini photo, but don’t make it your first one. This was a hard pill for me to swallow, seeing that I love posing in a bikini. But, men simply may think that’s all you’re about if it’s your first photo or more than one of your photos. Quite frankly, I rarely match with men who have liked my lone bikini picture on Hinge. It’s a strategic way of me weeding out men who solely have a sexual attraction to me.
- Make sure you include a couple of photos of yourself that show off your personal style. Men who are well dressed usually will like these ones.
- Show yourself in at least one interesting environment through your photos. If you want to attract men who travel, include a couple of your favorite travel pictures.
- Go light on the selfies, as men will feel like you’re intentionally hiding your body if your profile is ALL selfies. OWN your body.
Don’t undersell OR oversell yourself.
- On apps with prompts/responses, like Hinge, you have the opportunity to show your personality in a few words. I love these prompts because they give you just enough space to showcase your vibe, but not enough for a full-on monologue about yourself. Think of these as your elevator pitch, and pick which ones to go with based on the harmless, yet important things you’d love for your potential mate to know about you.
- Don’t do too much. I’ve seen guys try to fit every aspect of their lives, every interesting thing they’ve done, and every “fun fact” they’ve got into one profile. Giving away too much information about yourself gives off major “try hard” vibes. Keep it short and cute.
If you’re feeling someone, be open to a video call.
- Now is the perfect time to shoot your shot with minimal consequences. The lack of physical contact for a potential first date takes the nerves out of it. In a way, you feel like you can be more yourself, and get a genuine feel for the other person on a video call. After all, we’re all in this together right now.
As I continue to navigate through the online dating universe on Hinge (and possibly new apps, if I get bored enough), I’ll share more observations and tips. Remember, curating the perfect profile that gives an accurate representation of yourself will take some trial and error.
Here are my top three liked photos on my profile. Oh, and don’t forget to know your colors! Mine are red and yellow.
Denim & Lipstick 