Top ‘Types’ of Online Dating Profiles to Avoid

A new Forbes Health survey polled 1,000 US adults who have used a dating app in the past year to find out the biggest “downs” (defined as “a sudden feeling of disgust or dislike, often in response to another person’s actions”. € € ) associated with dating profiles – and what makes someone more likely to match.

First impressions are key. The survey found that the average time it takes to decide whether to swipe right or left in a match is almost two and a half minutes.

Almost a quarter of individuals say they only spend 31 to 60 seconds to rate another user’s profile, 21% thought one to two minutes was more their speed, and 20% said it takes more than five minutes.

However, only 12% of people reported being able to decide whether or not to match in less than 30 seconds.

The study found that women are more likely to share profile pictures of their matches with their friends with more than half (51%) of respondents admitting this. Meanwhile, only 44% of men claim to have done the same

From a generational perspective, 62% of Gen Z approve of this act. Otherwise, only 32% of young adults have shared profiles that have caught their eye.

Given that people have about two minutes to impress someone with their dating profile, what are the biggest “cons” to avoid?

When asked which quality of a dating profile would make users more likely to choose not to match with a person, the top factors were negativity or bitterness in their bio (70%) and overly edited or filtered photos (63%).

Too much emphasis on material possessions was also a big turn off (62%) followed by a lack of effort put into their profile (60%) and poor grammar and spelling (60%).

On the other hand, the top dating profile attribute that makes a person more likely to choose to match with a person, according to Forbes Health survey results, is having a good sense of humor (82%).

Having hobbies, interests or pastimes was also a turn on (80%), as was portraying a good sense of style.

Also scoring highly was showing an interest in travel (71%) and showing an animal in the photo (65%).

So how should you introduce yourself on apps? When describing yourself on a dating app, think about what makes you different and be specific.

“Instead of an empty statement like, ‘I love to travel,’ explain why or what it is that makes you enjoy traveling,” says Kelleher. “The more specific you are, the more you’ll stand out from the endless slides, as well as filter out people who don’t share your interests.â€

When it comes to starting a conversation, be sincere and enthusiastic.

“Let’s work on presenting ourselves as respectful, assertive, and curious to learn more about the person we’re contacting,” says Cynthia Shaw, licensed clinical psychologist and owner of Authentically Living Psychological Services.

Survey methodology:

This online survey of 1,000 Americans who have used a dating app in the past year was commissioned by Forbes Health and conducted by market research company Talker Research, in accordance with the Society of Market Research’s code of conduct. Data was collected from March 27 to April 1, 2024. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 points with 95% confidence. This survey was overseen by Talker Research, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).