Bumble has a rep for being a classier Tinder, and girls have to message first. A match expires within 24 hours along with the chance of a mediocre date, so the stakes are high folks.
I have conducted an unprofessional and def not scientific study on what’s the best way to hit it off with a cutie on this app. What’s worse than a forced “so what’s up?”. Nothing.
I may have sprained my thumb doing this, but I’m a public servant and this is for the people. So unlike how I usually use this app, I started swiping right on EVERY BOY because I wanted to get all types of guys for the sample to get a better idea of what works best overall, not just boys who are my type (AKA the nerdiest of the bunch). I tested out the following: bumble bee sticker, waving bear gif, and “hey ___! :)”
If a boy sends back “Hey! How’re you?”, really any question, or an equally awesome gif it is a success. If a boy has a one-word response such as “hi”, “hey”, “sup”, a rude response, or no response at all, it’ll count as ineffective.
Hundreds of matches later, this is what I’ve found:
Sticker (specifically the bee one)
30% Success Rate
* Sidenote: this was the only opener I received hostile responses to… Bumble boys really don’t appreciate the bumble bee. Like really don’t.
Waving Bear Gif
90% Success Rate
Hey ____! :)
70% Success Rate
Conclusion: The more standard an opener is, the less likely the person you’ve messaged will want to take the effort to get to know you over the other people in their match list. The waving bear gif is cute and quirky enough to somewhat standout! Exchanging a few cute and lighthearted gifs led to more natural flowing conversations, and just more good outcomes in general. Gifs seem to prevail, so go search for your favorite and start sending it for your first messages.
Also, I cannot emphasize enough how much the bee sticker was unappreciated, I would recommend never using it…Ever… Anything else seemed to work pretty well to start a convo.
Disclaimer: It can always differ from person to person, your pictures/bio make a big influence. That being said, take a minute to come up with a unique and funny bio that showcases how much of a gem you are (and it helps guys get an idea of if you would appreciate a bad pick up line or just “how are you today?”).
Have fun swiping!