A Picture is Worth a Thousand Swipes (or Words)

Online Dating Goals

Have you ever been swiping and scrolling on a Dating App and seeing photos, and you say out loud, “You have got to be kidding me?”

Welcome to the wonderful world of online dating. People are searching for a something-a life partner, a husband or wife, or a hookup. Whatever it is, it’s important to do it well, with intention and purpose.

Let’s unpack this. When we build our online profile, we want to:

  1. Put our best face forward, which means putting your best photo first, and it’s a close-up of YOU.
  2. Market ourselves to attract someone who wishes to get the conversation started. The reader gets your vibe and a gist of who you are by doing this.
  3. Have a fantastic profile that draws the attention of potential suitors clamoring for more!
  4. Represent ourselves in who we are now-NOT, what we looked like in the ’80s or “back in the day.”
  5. Be authentic and not show up to a date with someone saying, “Are you really Michael? Gosh, you look SO DIFFERENT IN PERSON!” (This is also known in girl-talk for: I’m disappointed that you are not the dude in the photo.)

How to stop this and take control:

  1. You only need three great UP TO DATE (1 year or less) photos in your dating app profile. Think of them as the ABCs of online dating photos. Action shot, Body shot, and Close Up. Use the close-up as your primary photo, be sure to include a full-body image so that your suitor knows how you look from head to toe. Lastly, if there’s something you enjoy, show it in your action shot. Want to add more photos? Don’t exceed six, and make sure they’re all great because you get judged by your worst picture.
  2. Gather a committee of honest people to help you choose your best photos. Ask some friends what shots capture you the best. High school prom photos–nope.
  3. Do not use photos that have been on other forms of social media. Why? All one has to do is drag those photos into Google for a reverse lookup, and they can find out who you are, where you live, and your phone number. Be safe. Think safety first.
  4. Use a neutral background along with good body language. Are you saying “come hither” or “go away?” People look closely at photos-so a bathroom selfie with the dirty towels on the rack will not cut it.
  5. Only you should be in the photos, not your kids, grandkids, friends, or family. We want to see who YOU are… not your tribe… just yet. 
  6. No extraneous things-cars, fish, boats, motorcycles, gardens, trips, homes. NOPE!

I’m Lori Mendelsohn, the Dating App Expert at AVConnexions. Click here to book a Dating App Profile reboot with me-invest in yourself for the best outcome. https://book.avconnexions.com/online-dating-reboot.