As of August , a reported million people worldwide were using dating apps as their primary means of trying to find a hookup, fling, or a relationship. With numbers like that, the online dating world is far more competitive than ever and is projected to increase as dating app memberships continue to rise. Because of this, having the best dating profile possible is essential.
And the best place to start when creating that perfect dating profile is with photos. Unfortunately, we live in a society that judges looks before anything else, so even if you're the funniest, most charming human on the planet, you better have a handful of great photos to lure in dates.
Rather than trying to optimize for the most hearts, I always suggest trying to optimize for the right hearts. The people with similar passions or interests as you will get excited about potentially matching if they see that you also enjoy hiking, cooking, or hanging out with your family. Whether it's six photos or more, depending on the app you use, choose your profile photos wisely.
Also, be sure to post more than just a couple of pictures while you're at it — you want to project range! While there is nothing worse than some rando telling you to smile on the street — or anywhere at all, for that matter — in this particular case, don't take offense to the suggestion. Just smile. Although contemplative and pensive photos are great, smiling is far more inviting. Online dating can be intimidating enough, so smiling, even slightly sly, can take that intimidation factor down a few notches.
You don't have to be grinning like the Cheshire cat in every photo, but a smile communicates that you're friendly, open, and warm — key characteristics for a future mate — while a frown can make you seem standoffish and cold," Clinton Kelly of "Love at First Swipe" tells HuffPost. In addition to avoiding any Cheshire cat type of smiles, skip any psychotic grins that might give people flashbacks to Joaquin Phoenix in "The Joker. It happens to all of us: in some photos, we look amazing, like so hot we're literally giving Florence Pugh a run for her money, but in others, we look like we're the offspring of the Swamp Thing.
