Is checking Hinge leaving you feeling cold and alone? Don’t worry - whether you’ve got no matches on Hinge or you’re not matching with the people you consider true “relationship material,” all that’s about to change. "I can't get any matches on Hinge!" is something our dating coaches hear all the time, and VIDA's team of experts is here to help. We've found these are the two most common reasons guys aren't getting the results they want on Hinge: * Your photos aren't cutting it. If you’re relying on lazy selfies, group shots, low quality images, boring backgrounds – or all of the above, you're handing her a reason to move on. * Your Hinge prompt answers are boring, cliché, and unimaginative. Your profile needs to be a pattern interrupt—something that disrupts the endless scroll and forces her to stop, smile, and think, 'Now this is someone I want to know more about.' Hinge is one of the fastest growing apps out there, so if you don't stand out you'll get lost in the sea of competition. We've been using Hinge since it first burst onto the dating scene, logging hundreds of thousands of hours scrolling through profiles, sending messages, and arranging dates on behalf of our clients. We know Hinge inside and out, and more importantly, we know what approaches work and don't work when it comes to using this dating app effectively. #1 - SET THE RIGHT MOOD WITH YOUR PRIMARY PHOTO Your primary photo is the bread & butter of your profile. It’s the very first thing every potential Hinge match sees, and it sets the mood for how she’ll judge everything that follows. Ideally, she’ll invest one of those 10 daily likes and tap that heart icon right away. For that to happen, you need to come out of the gate with a perfect Hinge photo. Salvation has come from an unlikely source - a team of European neuroscientists [https://imotions.com/blog/science-tinder-case-study/]. And while they used high-tech tools to determine why some Tinder photos were rated more desirable than others, what’s attractive on Tinder will be just as hot on Hinge: Your primary photo will also be included in the notification she’ll get when you “like” or comment on her profile, and it’s also front and center when your profile is recommended by Hinge on one of her most compatible matches. #2 - SHOW SOME VARIETY IN YOUR LINEUP When it comes to your other 5 Hinge photos, you want to give her a glimpse of the interesting, multi-faceted guy you are. If she isn’t immediately sold on your first photo, the others need to seal the deal. Per Hinge’s internal data, some types of photos get more “likes” than others. Here are the 3 most popular Hinge photos: 1. Participating in sports 2. Enjoying a night out 3. Showing your smile Here are the 3 least popular Hinge photos: 1. Posing with a (possible) significant other 2. Using Snapchat filters 3. Wearing sunglasses And when it comes to selfies, it’s best not to include many. Hinge says selfies are 40% less likely to receive a like, and that more than doubles if the selfie was taken in your bathroom. Not only will selfies make you seem narcissistic and less likeable [http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1948550616644299] (ouch), they likely won’t entice a potential match to send a comment - simply because there’s usually not much else going on in the frame. See how dull and repetitive a line up like the real-life example above is? And while the naked bathroom mirror torso shot technically adds variety, that mistake won’t help rectify your “no Hinge matches” situation. If you want to showcase your 6-pack, do it in a more attractive - and natural - environment, like hanging out at the lake or the beach. Hinge also lets users upload videos to their profiles as well. So instead of having all photos in your lineup, you could include a video clip or two [/hinge-video/] to add a little variety. You can also link your Instagram account to Hinge, which can be an incredibly effective way to give her a glimpse into your daily life. Of course, linking social media to your dating profile isn't without risk, as it then becomes an extension of your dating profile. Make sure your Instagram is up to that particular kind of scrutiny, and everything she sees there portrays you in an attractive light. Hinge is a dating app geared toward people looking for a long-term relationship, so a slew of posts that give the opposite impression could lead to a very frustrating experience. #3 - CHOOSE PICS THAT SPARK CONVERSATIONS Hinge profiles are specifically designed to encourage interaction instead of swiping. So when she “likes” your photo, she can send a comment along with it. That’s a handy feature because now you don’t need an icebreaker - the conversation has already started! Want to make your profile attract messages like a magnet? Check out these pointers on how to use your profile to start a conversation on Hinge [/hinge-conversation/]. Puppies are dating app gold [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40806-021-00294-w] when you're looking for a relationship, as are photos of intriguing trips, interesting hobbies, and adventurous activities. Choose pictures that pique her interest and encourage questions like “where was that taken?” or “how long have you been kitesurfing?” You can also caption your images with "stock" photo prompts. There is a list of over 70 to choose from, and it's another perfect way to spark a comment - provided you use the Hinge photo prompts correctly. Every single tidbit in your profile should work to make you more attractive, not inadvertently highlight what could be a perceived flaw. For instance, in the example above the "My life behind the scenes" and "My weekends look like" prompts would be a lot more effective when paired with photos where you're doing something interesting. Dave here has basically just used those photo prompts to imply he's a pretty boring dude. Want even more Hinge photo advice? Check out these profile picture tips [/hinge-profile-picture-tips/]! #4 - SERVE UP THE RIGHT PROMPTS You’re limited to selecting 3 Hinge questions from a menu of 80+, and some are much better options. The best Hinge answers [/hinge-questions/] highlight at least one intriguing trait of yours. Others, not so much: Negativity tends to ripple through your entire profile, so one poor answer can derail the attraction train. Unless she has a Hinge+ or HingeX membership [/hinge-plus-vs-hingex/], she's only got so many "likes" to dole out each day. If you immediately turn her off, she's not likely to invest one on your profile. Scribble down a list of the qualities you bring to the table in terms of ‘relationship material’. It could be anything from your DIY skills to your stable career to your fitness level. Now choose Hinge prompts that let you highlight those attractive traits. The key to success here is doing it in a natural, casual way that doesn’t sound like you’re bragging. Here are 2 examples of great answers to Hinge questions: #1: In this example, “doctor” is used - but you could swap in just about any occupation, like entrepreneur, exec or consultant. And if you’re not into music, that’s fine - substitute whatever hobby you are into. For instance, “I would be opening the world’s first cajun/Italian fusion restaurant by now.” It’s a funny way to highlight both a great career and an interesting hobby, so this Hinge answer is doing double duty. #2: The formula for this one is simple. Choose something you’re interested in that you hope to have in common with your perfect match. It could be anything from a delicious food like sushi to an adventurous hobby like wakeboarding or kitesurfing, i.e. “As a no good scuba diving addict.” Then choose something it’s common to be terrible at, like karaoke, cooking or playing the piano. Don’t choose something that could be perceived as an actual flaw if you’re bad at it, like “terrible at paying the rent.” Next, add a specific example of something you’re really good at, like “great at grilling salmon steaks” - and you’re done! It’s best to avoid the Hinge questions that lend themselves to negative answers, like your pet peeves. This is her very first impression of you, so why hand her a list of things that annoy you? Letting her know you’re prone to Hulk out if you’re trapped in the fast lane by a slow driver doesn’t exactly scream ‘fun guy to be around.’ Here are 5 more things to avoid doing in your Hinge profile: 1. Repeating yourself. You’ve got limited real estate, so don’t mention the same things twice. 2. Hinting at past drama. Don’t mention a previous relationship in your profile - it implies you’re not quite over it yet. 3. Making grammar/spelling mistakes. They really stand out - and it’s a huge turnoff [https://word.tips/talk-nerdy-to-me/] (worse than bad-sex-level turnoff!). 4. Making her nervous. If your answers send up red flags in her brain, she’s not going to “like” your profile, much less share her phone number or agree to meet you. Things like drugs, violence and weapons in basically any context are all taboo on a dating app like Hinge. 5. Wasting space. All your answers need to contribute something to the overall image she’s building of you in her imagination. Don’t give a non-answer like one of these: Make sure you’re not guilty of any of these common Hinge mistakes [/hinge-mistakes/], either! #5 - DOUBLE CHECK YOUR MATCH PREFERENCES Once you’ve polished up your Hinge profile, take a quick look at how your match filters are set. Make sure you’re not limiting yourself too much, especially if you’re living somewhere there aren’t a lot of other users. Hinge allows you to make any of the preferences you set as a “dealbreaker,” meaning you won’t see any profiles of people who fall into that category. It's one of the things that make it such a great relationship app. But while that’s a great way to screen for important compatibility issues like kids, does it really matter if she’s between 5’7” and 5’9” and no more than 4 miles away? When you don’t specify a filter as a dealbreaker, you may see a few profiles that don’t match that particular preference, but whom the app feels are otherwise a good match for you. THE FASTEST (AND EASIEST) WAY TO GET MORE HINGE DATES You've just read 5 actionable steps you can use to optimize your entire profile, and take your Hinge dating experience to the next level. Time to get to work! Or instead of figuring out the most effective - and attractive - way to present yourself on Hinge, why don’t you consult a team of dating experts who have been making guys look great online since 2009? With VIDA [https://www.vidaselect.com] on your team, you don’t have to worry about which photos to use or which Hinge prompts will make you look like the incredible catch that you are. We do all that for you! Whether you want to use Hinge or any other dating app, we’ll handle everything from generating interest in you to messaging and scheduling dates! And not just any dates - high-quality dates. If you’re serious about finding a serious relationship, doesn’t it make sense to invest in the team that can make it happen for you? And in as little as 3 months of service! Click here to find out how! [https://www.vidaselect.com]
