Hinge Conversation Tips For Men [Two Strategies That Work!]

VIDA Select's team of dating experts has been helping singles with online dating since 2009, and we've been using Hinge on behalf of clients since the app launched in 2012. That's thousands of hours of first-hand experience writing Hinge profiles and sending messages—and you can use the fruits of our data analysis right now.

When it comes to your Hinge dating strategy, there are two approaches you need to master. First, understand what makes for a successful first message so your conversation starters get responses. Second, have the kind of profile that makes interesting women send comments and likes your way. By the end of this article, you'll have everything you need to accomplish both goals.

Hinge works differently than apps like Tinder. You can send a message at the same time you "like" a profile, rather than just swiping right and hoping for a match. According to the app's internal data, that comment makes it 3x more likely you'll get a response.

Just use one of her photos or prompt answers as inspiration for your first message. And it works both ways—if she likes what she sees in your profile, it's easy for her to reach out to you.

Hinge also has a special feed called Standouts designed to get people messaging each other. Tap on the star icon to browse through a curated selection of prompts and photos from people the Hinge algorithm identified as potentially compatible. (This is separate from the Enhanced Recommendations HingeX users see in the Discover feed.)

Free users get a new selection of around 10 Standouts to scroll through each day. When you like what you see, tap the "rose" icon to let her know. You get one free rose each week that replenishes on Sundays, and you can buy more at any time. Roses never expire and cost around $1.49 each when you purchase 50 at once.

The message you include with your "like" needs to start the conversation and elevate you above the competition. While "hi there" technically gets the exchange going, it does nothing to make her want to reply.

A lot of guys take the compliment route, thinking that's the best way to impress her. It's not.

Women on dating apps get flooded with looks-based compliments from guys hoping to get their attention. You're much more likely to get an eye roll and a hard pass than a response to messages like the ones above.

Commenting on a piece of content in her profile that interests you—whether it's a photo or a prompt answer—makes a much better messaging strategy on Hinge.

The Three-Part Formula That Works

A Hinge conversation starter should accomplish these three things: show you're interested in learning more about her, share a bit of attractive information about you, and ask a question.

Here's what that looks like in action:

Let's unpack this. Any time someone mentions their dog in a dating profile, odds are excellent she's going to be receptive to talking about it. That's true of just about any hobby as well—if she took the time to mention it, she'll generally consider it a great conversation topic.

She's also learning that you two have something in common. You're both dog owners. That's a subtle way to build attraction quickly because you're putting the implicit egotism effect to work. People are naturally more drawn to others who remind them of themselves, so any time you can connect on that level it's a win.

The "Should I bring" line shows confidence. You're basically assuming you'll be meeting her pup at some point, but you're doing it in a natural, genuine, and non-arrogant way.

You can adapt that conversation strategy to fit a wide range of messages. Simply write it assuming that the two of you will at some point be sharing the experience.

Why Questions Are Essential

Most importantly, you're asking her a question. That's a key conversational tactic when you want to engage the other person. Invite them to share something about themselves, and they generally will.

You're also making it much easier for her to craft her response since she's providing information she already knows. The conversation has a clear direction, so not a lot of effort is required on her part.

Want more help starting an online dating conversation? Check out these expert messaging tips!

If you’ve used dating apps for more than a minute, you already know you need to include profile photos, video clips and video prompts where you look your best.

But on Hinge, it’s just as important to choose content that also inspires comments & likes.

Even if you look decent, a lineup stuffed with boring selfies taken in places like your car doesn't make it easy for her to start a conversation. And if your prompt answers don't make you look like a good catch, why would she even bother sending the first message?

Choosing Photos That Generate Messages

If you’re not confident in your ability to choose photos where you look your best, make sure to read these dating profile picture tips.

Once you’ve got a good selection, now you can determine which ones have the most potential to inspire messages. That’s the key to getting more conversations started on Hinge!

Hinge recently had a team of data scientists analyze 1,000 user photos to determine what traits and attributes helped a photo perform well—and not so well. Here are three insights from their research:

Activity photos outperform everything else. Photos featuring sports and physical activities (or even just watching them) consistently outperformed other types of photos in Hinge's analysis.

Activity photos are also easy to comment on. She might point out it's an interest you have in common, an activity she's always wanted to try, or simply ask if you won that day. There are a million easy questions to choose from if she's intrigued enough to start a conversation, which is what makes it a great Hinge photo.

Social settings signal you're fun to be around. Snaps of people enjoying a night out also performed well. That makes sense since the first few dates with a new person are typically in social settings, and it's good to reassure her you're fun to hang out with.

However, it's generally better if the photo is just you or you with friends of the same sex. Having an opposite-sex friend mistaken as a possible significant other got Hinge's "epic fail" title. Also make sure the evening you're portraying is one she'd like to join—save the proof of epic bar crawls with your bros for Facebook.

Selfies tank your results. Selfies are 40% less likely to receive a like according to Hinge's data. That percentage rockets up to 90% if your backdrop is a bathroom. Save the selfies for social media—daters are tired of them.

Studies from other sources support Hinge's findings. In one study, researchers showed participants photos of the same subject, one a selfie and the other taken by someone else. Participants thought the subject seemed more likeable and more attractive in the photo taken by someone else.

If your current Hinge lineup has a selfie/Snapchat filter combo, you definitely need to change it for a more attractive dating photo.

Not only did filtered selfies score the lowest in Hinge's study, but some dating apps like POF banned them because they hide your appearance to varying degrees. POF conducted a study of their own in which participants revealed they thought face filters make you seem insecure, superficial, and like you're pretending to be someone you're not.

Those are three compelling reasons to skip the face filters on any dating app.

Bonus tip: Adorable dogs are Hinge gold when it comes to inspiring messages and likes. It doesn't even have to be your dog—research has shown the mere perception of dog ownership makes you a more attractive catch.

Your Hinge profile photos have the most immediate visual impact, but that doesn't mean you can phone it in with your prompt answers. Everything she sees and reads contributes to her first impression, and when you have a lot of competition it doesn't take much to knock you out of the running.

Here are three common mistakes guys make when answering Hinge prompts, and what you should do instead.

Mistake #1: Waving an unintentional red flag. Each Hinge prompt allows for up to 225 characters, which means content that's negative or questionable can have a huge impact on her impression of you.

Take the "pet peeve" prompt. Unless you can find a way to make your answer funny and light-hearted, you're more likely to come off as a complainer who lets life's little annoyances affect his mood. Don't answer any prompt in a way that inadvertently highlights a less-than-attractive personality trait like insecurity, clinginess, or arrogance.

How To Fix It: Use Each Hinge Prompt To Highlight A Specific, Attractive Trait

When deciding which prompts to answer, make a quick list of the traits you possess that your ideal woman would be looking for. Then choose prompts that let you "prove" you're that type of person.

For example, if you're an outdoorsy, adventurous guy looking for a nature girl who will hit the trails with you, choose a prompt like "Best Travel Story" or "On My Bucket List" where you can describe a recent experience or a goal. Here are two examples:

Other attractive traits to highlight include a stable career, ability and means to travel, physical fitness, strong family bonds, interesting hobbies, and practical skills. With over 80 prompt options, you should have no problem finding ones that allow you to shine. Want more examples? Check out these great Hinge answers for guys!

Mistake #2: Implying you've been burned by past relationships. Most people on dating apps have at least one breakup or bad dating experience under their belt. The last thing you want to do is imply you're not over your last one.

Leave dating and relationship drama of any kind out of your profile. Positivity projects confidence and happiness, while starting on a negative note gives her much less motivation to learn more about you.

How To Fix It: Focus On What You Are Looking For, Not What You Aren’t

Including a line or two about your definition of girlfriend material is a great idea since it includes her in your profile and can help forge a connection. Just do it in a positive, constructive way:

Mistake #3: Underestimating the impact of poor grammar and typos. 225 characters isn't a lot of real estate, and there's not much text in a Hinge profile. Over 60% of single women say they scrutinize profiles on dating apps rather than just quickly swiping through them. Misspelled words, terrible grammar, and sloppy typos can quickly derail the attraction train.

This is especially true if she's looking for a long-term relationship—details matter. If she thinks you're not invested in making a good impression, why would she invest her time in a message exchange with you?

How To Fix It: Pay Attention To Your Spellcheck

In the era of smartphones, there's no excuse for mistakes like that. Incorrectly spelled words are underlined in red, and your phone will suggest the proper spelling. That's one of the reasons it makes such a bad impression—it's literally a split-second fix that you apparently can't be bothered to make.

It's also a good idea to get a second opinion on your profile since it's hard to be an unbiased critic of something you wrote yourself. Run it by a few friends, preferably ones who are the same gender as you're interested in dating. Their opinion of the first impression your profile makes can be tremendously helpful.

VIDA’s team of professional writers has the expertise you need! Writing a successful dating profile is both an art and a science, and it’s not something most guys can do right out of the gate.

But why spend hours of your free time figuring out what works and what doesn’t when VIDA has put in over a decade of research and data analysis?

From your dating app profile to your photos and even your messages, why not let someone who truly understands the language of attraction handle everything for you - so you can concentrate on all your first dates!

If you’re serious about finding a long-term relationship, and finally meeting your ideal partner, you owe it to yourself to see how VIDA Select can make that happen for you.

To learn more about the process, just click here!