So, you’re finally putting yourself out there. You’re ready to meet new people and you’ve heard that Tinder is the place to start. But it’s been a week and you must have swiped through dozens of profiles a day. Why aren’t you landing any matches?
The answer is likely a combination of factors. It’s possible your profile needs a makeover or you’re being too picky yourself. That or maybe you just need a little boost. Here are some tried and true methods for getting more Tinder matches.
Boost Yourself
That’s right. That boost we were talking about is a literal thing. The Tinder boost makes your profile one of the top profiles in your area for 30 whole minutes. That means more people will find you and have the chance to swipe right.
You can get a Tinder boost in one of two ways. Either get Tinder Plus, Tinder Gold, or buy them directly. We cover the first two later on, so lets look at how to buy them directly. Follow these directions from the Tinder home view.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap the lightening bolt above Get Boosts to Increase Your Matches.
- Decide how many boosts you want yo purchase. The more you buy, the less you pay per boost.
- Tap Boost Me.
- Tap Purchase.
Become a Tinder Plus Member
Want your money to go a little further? Consider getting a Tinder Plus membership. Tinder Plus gives you one free boost per month. But that’s not all you get.
Users also get unlimited swiping, 5 super likes a day (instead of the usual one), the ability to edit their location (to match with people all over the globe), and more. All of these features will help increase your chances of matching. After all, the more people you like, the higher your chance of coming across someone who likes you too.
To become a Tinder Plus Member, follow these steps from the Tinder home view.
- Tap My Tinder Plus at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap Get Tinder Plus.
- Select the length of time that you are willing to commit to paying for a membership. The longer you commit, the smaller the monthly fee.
- Tap Continue.
- Tap Confirm.
Become a Tinder Gold Member
Welcome to the most exclusive club on Tinder. It comes with all of the same perks as Tinder Plus. However, it also comes with the handy ability to see everyone who likes you before you like them back.
Of course, this won’t change the number of people who like you. But it does fast track you to those profiles. No longer will you need to drudge through dozens of profiles hoping to find someone who happened to come across your profile and feels the same way. With Tinder Gold all of those people are handed to you on a, well, gold platter.
To become a Tinder Gold Member, follow these steps from the Tinder home view.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Tinder Gold.
- Choose how many months of Tinder Gold you want. As with the others, the more you buy the more cost effective it is.
- Tap Continue.
- Tap Confirm.
Up Your Bio Game
You could make yourself more visible by boosting every day, or even twice a day, but that won’t guarantee that anyone who sees your profile will like it. You need to craft a profile that draws people in. Here are some tips for accomplishing just that.
- Keep it short and sweet. People come to Tinder for a speed dating experience. They aren’t here to read your novel. Don’t feel like you need to use up all 500 characters and do break your text up into mobile digestible paragraphs.
- Be sincere. Remember that the goal is to find worthwhile matches, not to match with as many people as humanly possible. Be honest about who you are and what you’re looking for. Be specific too. If your bio is just like the last 10 that person viewed, you’re not likely going to sway them.
- Have a Bio. While we’re on the subject of bios, it’s always good to, you know, actually have one. No bio? No swipe right. That’s almost a guarantee.
Tinder does not require proof of identification, and there are a lot of bios out there that are questionable at best. Let others know that you’re a genuine human being looking for a genuine connection.
Reconsider Some of Those Photos
Not all photos are created equal. That’s not to say that you don’t look terrific in them. But that they may sending the wrong message to people who don’t really know you. For example, let’s say you include a photo of you doing a stellar yoga pose in front of a waterfall. You might think you have a winner there, but consider how many other stellar yoga poses are showing up on Tinder. Try finding some photos that set you apart.
Of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Check out some of these tips for choosing solid Tinder photos.
- Don’t try too hard to be cool. That selfie of you in the driver’s seat with your aviator shades on isn’t fooling anyone. If you are trying too hard, chances are other people can tell.
- Avoid being overly sexual. How many times has a new profile popped up only to show a ripped torso, tight shorts, and no head? Or what about the selfie shot that shows more cleavage than face? We all want to look attractive, but don’t overdo it. It’s a turn off for some and might intimidate otherwise worthy matches.
- Smile. A lot of people avoid smiles. They worry that their smile isn’t attractive or it puts too many lines on their face. If you want to include a couple of photos of you looking more serious, then do it. But make sure to include some smiles. Show people that you’re approachable and don’t take yourself too seriously.
- Show Your Interest. If you’re outdoorsy, show some pics of you on the trail. If you’re a club-goer, include some reasonably well lit bar shots. Try to show people who you are.
- Group photos in moderation. Group photos show that you’re active and outgoing. But too many distracts from the main subject: you.
- Photos with animals and kids for the win. This goes double if you’re a dude. It shows that you’re kind and approachable.
- Variety is the spice of life. Tinder allows you to add up to six photos. Don’t make them all action shots or selfies. Get a little bit of everything going.
Allow Tinder to Test Your Profile Pics
First impressions are everything. Once you have the perfect line-up of Tinder photos loaded in, it’s time to decide which photo to display first. That’s the photo that will either encourage the other user to check out your profile or reject you outright.
Sound like a lot of pressure? Tinder understands and wants to help you out. There’s a Tinder function that allows the app to test out each of your chosen pics as the primary one. The app checks to see which primary photo results in the most likes and uses that.
To turn this function on, follow these steps from the Tinder home view.
- Tap Edit Info.
- Toggle on Smart Photos located beneath your photos.
You can turn it off and take the wheel at any time.
Try Being Less Choosey
We’re not saying you need to swipe right on everyone. That would defeat the purpose of the app. All we’re saying is that it takes two to make a match. There might be a lot of people out there that like you but won’t get to know you because you rejected them. Consider the possibility that you might be too picky. Start giving people the benefit of the doubt, and start getting more matches.
