Okay, raise your hand if your dating app profile hasn’t been updated in a hottt minute. (Like, your profile still features pictures circa 2016 or you haven’t so much as touched the bio your friends wrote for you—after copious amounts of wine—when you downloaded the app in the first place.) Because, hi, guilty.
But JSYK: Giving your profile a lil TLC is actually super important—not only for just keeping your profile up to date with what you look like and what you’re into but also in terms of pleasing the algorithm gods.
“When you update your dating profile by adding more photos or filling out more prompts, most dating apps will treat you like a new person and the algorithm kicks into gear, showing you to more people,” says Michael Kaye, global communications and public relations manager at OkCupid.
And more people viewing your profile = more potential matches = more of a chance of actually finding someone worth deleting the app for.
A Tinder spokesperson confirms: “Tinder is designed to match you with people who are most active on the app—whether that’s updating bios more frequently, switching up their photos, adding more songs, and especially swiping more.”
So really, if you ever find yourself bored by your dating prospects and selection, all you need to do is change up your profile. Total pro tip, right?
But no need to go overboard and update so frequently that you’re literally running out of one-liners to add to your bio. Kaye recommends giving your profile a nice lil refresher at least once a month. “It only takes a couple of minutes and it doesn’t require a complete overhaul of your profile,” he says.
Most important: You don’t want to be that dater who thinks loving The Office (or any old show that came out however long ago) is still relevant. “It shows people you aren’t putting effort into your dating profile and that you might not be taking dating as seriously as other candidates.”
So for your bio, keep it simple. Include things you’re interested in right at this very moment: Is it the new season of Pen15? Black Lives Matter? What you’re looking for in a day-drinking partner once COVID-19 goes away? Make it your own, recommends Kaye.
And as for what to do when updating your photos, Kaye encourages users to swap for pics that show personality. “Avoid using the same type of images over and over. These should show your personality and also help people viewing your profile come up with the perfect icebreaker,” he says.
If you’re a die-hard football person, upload the pic of you cheering in your team gear. If you’re really passionate about politics right now (cause, ahem, what is 2020), include a picture of you submitting your absentee ballot to vote. And if you just need a complete redo on your profile, more tips and tricks right this way to better optimize your profile.
Basically, upping your dating app game is really as easy as just updating your profile once or twice a month. Major congrats are in order since you’ve now officially hacked the dating app algorithm system, you IT wizard, you.
Taylor is the former Sex and Relationships editor who can tell you exactly which vibrators are worth the splurge, why you’re still dreaming about your ex, and tips on how to have the best sex of your life (including what word you should spell with your hips during cowgirl sex). You can follow her on Instagram here.
