A new survey from Forbes Health polled 1,000 American adults who have used a dating app in the past year to uncover the biggest “yucks” (defined as “a sudden feeling of disgust or dislike, often in response to another person’s actions”) associated with dating profiles — and find out what makes someone more likely to match.
First impressions are crucial. The survey found that the average time it takes to decide whether to swipe right or left on a match is almost two and a half minutes.
Nearly a quarter of respondents say they spend just 31 to 60 seconds rating another user’s profile, 21% say one to two minutes is more their pace, and 20% say it takes them longer than five minutes.
However, only 12% of respondents said they could decide within 30 seconds whether they were a match or not.
The study found that women are more likely to share screenshots of their matches’ profiles with their friends, with more than half (51%) of respondents admitting to doing so. Meanwhile, only 44% of men said they had done so.
From a generational perspective, 62% of Generation Z admit to this act. In contrast, only 32% of Baby Boomers have shared profiles that caught their attention.
Considering you have about two minutes to impress someone with your dating profile, what are the biggest “yucks” to avoid?
When asked which characteristics of a dating profile would make users more likely to decide against matching with a person, the top factors were negativity or bitterness in their bio (70%) and overly edited or filtered photos (63%).
An excessive emphasis on material possessions was also a major turn-off for 62% of respondents, followed by a lack of effort in creating the profile (60%) and poor grammar and spelling (60%).
On the other hand, according to the results of the Forbes Health survey, a good sense of humor (82%) is the most important trait in a dating profile that increases the likelihood of a person choosing a match.
Respondents also found hobbies, interests or leisure activities (80%) as well as a good sense of style attractive.
Also high were the interest in traveling (71%) and in having a pet in a photo (65%).
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So how should you present yourself on the apps? When describing yourself on a dating app, think about what makes you different from others and be specific.
“Instead of a blank statement like ‘I love to travel,’ explain why or what you like about traveling,” recommends Kelleher. “The more specific you are, the more you’ll stand out from the endless swipes and filter out people who don’t have the same interests as you.”
Be sincere and enthusiastic when you want to start a conversation.
“Let’s work on presenting ourselves as respectful, assertive, and curious to learn more about the person we are connecting with,” says Cynthia Shaw, a 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 firm Talker Research in accordance with the Market Research Society Code of Conduct. Data was collected from March 27 to April 1, 2024. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 points at 95% confidence. This survey was administered by Talker Research, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).
