The days are getting longer and the leaves are changing color. The spicy scent in the air is pumpkin, and you find that instead of holding someone’s hand, your jacket pocket keeps your hand warm. Even though society tries to make fall seem romantic, it is statistically the time of year when the most break-ups happen. Due to high school sweethearts dealing with the struggle of long distance relationships, or the pressure of having the holiday season around the corner, not many relationships last through the fall.
For some, it isn’t exactly easy to go from one relationship to the next, and enduring the holidays alone as everyone sings about holiday cheer isn’t exactly fun. Today, some of us are willing to look to online dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, or Match to look for someone new. But how exactly do we maximize our chances of getting that right swipe?
1) Tailor Your Photos
What exactly are people looking for when they’re looking at your photos? Well, you want a nice mix of shots to give them different perspectives of your personality. Photos taken outside tend to get 19% more likes. Psychology says that people prefer symmetry, so use that to your advantage with you headshots and camera angles. Also avoid selfies, because while they’re fun to take, they get 8% fewer likes than other photos.
2) KISS Your Bio
No, not the camera shot–KISS means Keep It Super Simple! People go on their phones for a mental break. They’re not going to read your 20 page life story, even if you had saved a child from a burning building in that story. Thanks to social media, the average person spends roughly eight seconds per topic. That means someone will spend eight seconds on your bio. Keep it super simple, or kiss that right swipe goodbye!
3) Be Perfectly Imperfect
Everyone enjoys looking at someone that they consider perfect. However, wanting and chasing after someone perfect is a different story. Not everyone can find perfection relatable, and there is a positive correlation between relatability and likability. Don’t filter every photo, or go without make up in one or two if you’re confident in it. Or include a cute little flaw in your bio if an imperfect photo really bothers you—something like “I may be nice, but that probably means I’m passive aggressive” or “I know what I want, which makes me stubborn” or the unlikely “After I get drunk, I like to go home and crank up the karaoke machine”. Even if it’s a trivial flaw, being a little more relatable is the difference between a yes and no.
4) Stand Out in the Good Way
Statistics say that 56% of women and 72% of men dress in dark colors. Try changing your color scheme to pastels or neon colors. Avoid hats and sunglasses and look at the camera, because they obscure the view of your face. It goes back to the whole “eyes are the window to the soul” idea, and a smile couldn’t hurt. Something I’m tired of is seeing guys holding up fishes. However, the cute little animal or baby photo is great bait if you’re in it too. It adds a little bit of humanity to the process of mindlessly swiping on technology.