A 4-Step Guide To Creating The Perfect Dating Profile (Says Study)

What's your profile missing? Find out!

This Is The Perfect Online Dating Profile Getty 
Advertisement

It's a new year, and that means that it could be time to revamp your love life. According to statistics, singles, you probably have just made an online dating profile between Christmas and New Year's Day, but it's time to show you how to make your profile perfect whether you are a lady or a guy.

Where should you take your photo? Should you mention your baggage? Is using slang okay? Finally, your questions have been answered, thanks to a study of more than 4,000 online daters by Zoosk.com. There is now a recipe you can follow to find love — and emoji-lovers, you're in luck.

Advertisement

1. The Photo

Ladies, Stay Indoors

Stay  indoors to take a picture for your profile if you're a gal. It turns out, the women who pose inside get 60 percent more messages (sorry, outdoor lovers). Also women get the option to take a selfie since with those they get 4 percent more messages. So forget about all that selfie-criticism and find some good lighting for your solo shot.

Men, Get Outside
Unlike women, men get a 19 percent better response from online daters if they go outside to take a picture for their profile. Perhaps ladies dig a man that appears to be active and adventurous. But not too adventurous: men who take selfies are actually a turn-off, and get 8 percent fewer messages for having them! Perhaps that isn't very surprising since we all know those obnoxious shirtless selfies that some guys like to take, or that raising eyebrows and squint to look like you're high pose that has become oh so popular (we are looking at YOU, Justin Beiber!) but is never a good look.

Advertisement

Both sexes get 203 percent better reception from other online daters by having full length shots! The obvious reason is that no one likes to guess what is your body type. When you are making a dating profile it is better to put yourself out there in an honest and confident way. Another tidbit? Leave the pet and your friends behind. Taking a picture with an animal and others actually reduces your chances by 53 percent and 42 percent — no matter your sex.

2. Your Baggage

Men, Dump It 
You'd probably think that the less baggage revealed on your profile the better, but that's not actually the case for men. In fact, profiles that mention divorce and marriage get 52 percent more responses! Mentions of children get a 7 percent advantage. 

Women Should Wait
Sadly, things do get sexist in this area since women who do the same will be disadvantage by 7 percent. Not fair.

3. Your Hobbies

Confident? Like To Work Out? Play Music? Win, Win, Win.

Advertisement

Definitely do not lie if these certain things don't describe you, but if they do, then make sure to mention them in your profile. Outgoing personalities get 4 percent more messages — and "confidence" receives 23 percent more responses.

For hobbies, exercise is popular — since the mention of it gets 21 percent more messages for everyone. Musicians get even more responses by 15 percent.
Make sure to keep this part of the profile short and sweet between 100-200 words in order to get a 10 percent boost. 

4. Time To Flirt

Emojis Need Noses

When you reach out to message people, don't be afraid to use an emoji. When you do, don't forget the nose since :-) gets 13 percent more positive response while : ) is 66 percent more likely to get you ignored. Who knew?

Advertisement

Ladies, Make The First Move

Ladies, don't be afraid to make the first move to set up a meeting in person. When women mention dinner or lunch they get 73 percent more replies, men on the other hand can’t be as forward since using the same words receive 35 percent fewer replies. Perhaps people are less trusting of a man’s intentions of wanting to meet in person.

Men, Relax With The Pet Names

When it comes to using pet names like 'baby' and 'beautiful' men are suckers for it, and respond more by 118 percent and 50 percent. When men try to use these names, however, they get 10 percent and 13 percent fewer responses.

Advertisement

Hold Off On The Slang

Grammar and spelling is important not just for paperwork, but for talking to someone online, too. In fact, people who misspell decrease their chances by 13 percent. So get to know you first before using slang.