A thoughtful, clever username if the app allows.
Your main photo is the most important since this is your first impression- I do not recommend shirtless, wearing sunglasses, holding alcohol unless this is part of your identity, and please no filters or enhancements, be real! Smile!
Pets should not be part of your main profile pic, you want matches to fall for you, not your fur baby. (Keep reading, there is a place for these things).
A selection of photos in a variety of settings- you can have some fun, may include what are you passionate about, and please smile!
Now you can include the gym, or beach pics if you want to show your hard work. Most people are relaxed and happy with their pets so include those as well.
A mixture of dress up and casual attire, work pics if this is important although I would not recommend identifying logos, etc.
You definitely should include full body shots, yes, it is crucial to be up front about your body type. Not everyone is into social media, and I can recommend an inexpensive tripod from Amazon that you can easily set up and get some shots of yourself to get started.
A photo outdoors or at a park, in natural light is almost always flattering.
I recommend that all photos are less than a year old. If you change your hair frequently or sometimes wear glasses, include that as well, for your unique versatility.
Be realistic and human, the goal is to meet in person, and you don’t want to disappoint!
Do not recommend group photos unless it is absolutely necessary and there is no doubt who you are in the photo. Yes, I have seen two similar people side by side and it is confusing and sometimes disappointing.
No kids please, for many reasons minors should not be in a dating app photo, this is not to say you are hiding them, just no pics.
Please no bathroom pics! There are other mirrors out there, I promise. Avoid the driving pics too, there are many other interesting places to pose.
Do not hide physical disabilities, you are building a foundation of honesty. Prompts help your matches get to know you, so take your time and be interesting.
This is not homework, this is your opportunity to show the personality that is behind that pretty face.
Don’t skip questions or say “ask me” or tell you later. Your matches deserve to “screen” you as much as you deserve to screen them.
Yes, there are scamers and fake people who want to play games, there is nothing you can do other than be vigilant and avoid the same- others who are vague or who don’t have complete profiles.
Forcing matches to ask you basic questions to determine if they would like to get you further rarely is worth their time.
You can answer in general terms such as disclosing that you are in banking rather than stating your specific title and branch location.
No rants yes, this process can be disappointing at times, don’t take it personally. This is not the place to list your bad experiences, and vent about the process, there isn’t much else out there other than going to Home Depot or Target hoping to bump into someone or even worse…the dreaded blind dates.
Make the first move? That is up to you, some people are comfortable initiating, some apps require one or the other to initiate, but please don’t just “like” a photo hoping that will lead to a meaningful connection, it usually does not.
When you do reach out, comment on something in the matches profile that caught your attention, ask a question, open the lines of communication. It takes two and it takes effort to connect online.