It’s official – better dating photos get more likes on Tinder
So if you’ve got a load of moody selfies as your profile photos – you need to read on….
Here at Hey Saturday, we’re always saying that you need to invest in your dating photos if you’re serious about finding love online. But now, you don’t just need to take our word for it, as some brand new research proves just exactly what we’ve been banging on about (but hey, we don’t like to say we told you so…!) An online fashion retailer recently conducted an experiment to find out if dressing the part in our dating profile photos actually helps online daters score more dates. The answer is a resounding yes – by as much as 400%. Yes, we did say 400%!
Two separate Tinder profiles were set up and and run for a period of two weeks each. Apart from the photos used, the profiles were identical. Using the same model, each profile displayed a different set of dating photos. One set of dating pics were taken by a pro and were well lit, showcasing a well-dressed man looking relaxed, smiling and happy. The other set of photos were basic, moody looking selfies with no attention paid to clothing, style or the background of the images. So what happened? The man in the well-dressed Tinder profile received 72 matches over the two week period, compared to just 18 matches for the basic, laid back profile.
Our head honcho, and the world’s first online dating photography expert, Saskia, was quoted for this research as saying:
“The profile featuring the well dressed guy was the most popular because people aren’t just looking to see what you look like in your photos but they’re actually looking for clues about what kind of lifestyle you lead to see if your lifestyle matches theirs or more accurately the lifestyle they aspire to lead. They’re making judgements, quickly and often subconsciously, about what you’re wearing, what you’re doing, where you are etc.
“The other profile not only doesn’t show the guy at his best but also there is very little in the background of the photos to give people a clue about his life and lifestyle. He’s definitely more of a risk for people who are looking for someone with a good lifestyle. The worst dating photos are those that are poor quality, out of date, have other people in the shot or even worse, other people cut-out of the shot. Your face needs to be visible, don’t hide behind sunglasses and ensure you remove any red eye. Don’t settle for poor lighting and avoid those ‘halfway up a mountain’ shots.”
Photo credit: Nicole for Hey Saturday
So, the lessons are simple folks. If you want to make an impact on Tinder and other dating apps, spend some time making sure your dating photos do the following three things…
Show your style
We always say you should have at least one dating profile photo showcasing what you would wear on a first date. This means different things to different people and you don’t need to be head to toe in designer gear but make sure it’s an outfit that makes you feel cool, sexy and relaxed.
Show your lifestyle
Use your photos to show what you’re into, what it’s like to hang out with you, what it would be like to date you. The backdrop to your images, where they’re taken and what you’re doing are all important, so don’t just have a close up selfie of your face.
Photo credit: Nicole for Hey Saturday
Show your personality
If all your photos show you looking moody, you’re not giving potential dates a strong sense of a fun personality, so get some shots of you smiling, looking relaxed and happy. You don’t want to look like you’ve tried too hard either, so head outdoors and avoid studio shots.
To read more about the research, head here
To book a shoot with Hey Saturday, hit us up here
Words by Lauren, photos by Saskia & Nicole
