Even if you’re new to dating apps, the importance of standing out has likely occurred to you. There are, after all, plenty of fish to swipe through, and you want to create a profile that will attract the kind of people you’re looking for.
As certified sex therapist De-Andrea Blaylock-Solar, MSW, LCSW-S, CST tells mbg, when setting up your profile, you want to be as true to yourself as possible, and know what you’re looking for from the get-go. “Get really clear, even before setting up a profile, of what you’re looking for—and you can even put exactly what you’re looking for on your profile, whether that’s a long-term relationship or you just want to go on dates,” she explains.
In terms of what to include on your profile, she adds you can do a quick assessment of what’s important to you as an individual and within a relationship. Things like values, interests, and hobbies are great to work into your prompt responses, for example, because it helps people find things in common with you, opening up the door to conversation. And if you can add a touch of humor, Blaylock-Solar adds, all the better.
When picking photos, choose ones that clearly showcase what you look like, she says. Group photos are OK, she notes, but if all you have is group photos, it can be hard for people to figure out which one is you.
And remember: honesty is the best policy. If someone doesn’t appreciate the fullness of who you are—they ain’t the one. As licensed clinical social worker Rhonda Milrad, LCSW previously told mbg, “You don’t have time to waste sifting through mounds of overtures from subpar suitors. So, put the games aside and be honest and direct about who you are and what you’re looking for.”