Whether you’re looking for a fun spontaneous date or you’re searching for The One, romance and online dating are pretty much synonymous in 2022. But how can you make your dating app profile stand out — in a good way? The right dating app profile picture can help — and the wrong pic can be a big turnoff for your potential love interests.
A survey of single people in the UK, conducted by the dating app POM, identified the most off-putting types of dating app profile pictures. According to the survey, certain types of profile pictures — think: super-filtered pics, gym selfies and posing with a freshly caught fish — tend to repel more than they attract.
Not sure if your dating app profile pic is a winner or an ick-inducer? While your profile photo is, of course, your own choice, it might be a good idea to reflect on what your photo might be saying about you — and if it’s sending out the message that you want it to.
Related: Hinge predicts what Canadian singles want in 2022.
What are the top 10 dating app profile pic red flags?
According to the POM survey, if you’re looking for love, stay away from these 10 common dating app profile picture types:
- Car pictures. Resist the urge to post a pic of you posing with a car, especially if you’re looking to attract a woman. The POM survey found that a whopping 92 per cent of women found these photos unappealing.
- Something fishy. Look, you can definitely be proud of the fish that you caught — maybe just avoid making this your main profile picture. According to the POM survey, 56 per cent of single people over the age of 25 found that a profile picture of someone posing with a fish they caught is a no-go.
- Heavy filters. Filters can be fun, but they might send a less-than-favourable message when they’re the first impression of you someone sees. Specifically, the POM survey found that 73 per cent of men were deterred from dating app profiles with heavily filtered pictures.
- Gym snaps. Sweaty selfies might not be the best choice when you’re looking for love. In fact, more than half (56 per cent) of the women surveyed said that pictures taken in the gym on a dating app profile would lessen the likelihood of them looking for a relationship with someone.
- Pouting. Your lips may be lovely, but maybe go for a smile over a pout, especially if you’re over 30 (the survey found that 24 per cent of single people over that age didn’t love profile pictures of someone pouting).
- Covering part of your face. People are wearier than ever of potential catfishing situations, so profile photos that are shrouded in mystery can come across as more sus than sexy.
- Club pics. We get it — you look great in that picture at the club. However, for your dating profile, it may be best to avoid club photographer pictures, as survey respondents found them unappealing in that context.
- Endangered animal pictures. If Tiger King taught us anything, it’s that wild animals aren’t meant for photo opps. With this in mind, posting pictures of you with endangered animals as your dating app isn’t likely to attract a match.
- Celeb selfies. We love celebrities as much as anyone, but a selfie of you and your favourite star isn’t going to make you look more attractive to your potential love interests.
- Vaping photos. Don’t blow smoke on your potential love match — save your vaping pics for another time.
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