You’ve decided to finally put yourself out there on dating apps. Your profile’s pretty solid and you’re swiping regularly, but somehow you’re not getting many matches or maybe you’re getting no matches at all. Trust us, it’s the online dating question that has crossed everyone’s mind at some point in time – why do I have no matches?
There’s no one simple answer – every app has a different algorithm. For example, on the #Dating app, the algorithm takes all your preferences into account (including your hashtags, location settings, age preferences and so on) to show you the people who fit best to you.
Your situation of having no likes could be a culmination of one or several reasons. But if you feel like your dating app isn’t working for you, it’s not time to throw in the towel yet!
If you’re determined to meet someone and get out of your online dating slump, we’re here to help with some reasons why you might not be getting any dating matches. We’ll also tell you just how to make a good dating profile and how to find someone on dating apps.
1. You swipe right on everyone
Yes, dating is a numbers game, but it’s not ideal to swipe right on (or “like”) everyone in a bid to get more matches. You see, dating apps run on algorithms and while it differs from app to app, what remains the same is that with every swipe, the app aims to show you profiles that match you and your preferences.
If you swipe right on everyone, it means that you’re alright with every person on the app – that includes those who don’t reply, those whose profiles are less popular and those who probably barely filled in their profiles. As a result, you fall into a situation where you’re swiping more but getting no matches that are genuine.
What to do: Make sure you’ve set your filters and hashtags so that they actually represent what you want. Swipe right only on people that you genuinely have an interest in or would be keen to chat with so that the app can learn your dating type. As you swipe, it will then serve you more quality profiles that are more likely to match back.
2. You don’t fill your profile out
No one’s going to swipe right on someone they barely know or even see – it’s like a blind stab in the dark. You cannot be expecting matches if you’re not giving your potential matches anything to work with.
What to do: Fill your profile out, including addi<ng hashtags and completing the useful “My info” section, and upload at least two to three photos that showcase your personality or your interests (and make sure they’re your photos and recent ones!). Better yet, have a good friend vet your profile and see if they feel it’s a good reflection of you and tweak it from there.
3. Your photos don’t show your face
In the same vein as not having a complete profile, even if you fill it up with a solid representation of your personality and interests, you’re unlikely to get matches if you upload photos of things that aren’t your face, or an obstructed view of your face like wearing sunglasses or a cap.
What to do: It’s fine to accessorize and to have a few photos that showcase different angles of you, but always ensure you have at least one photo that shows your face clearly. Better yet, make it your main photo – you only have a split second to make an impression on the person swiping. Make it count!
4. You post only selfies
Okay yes, we get it, there doesn’t seem to be a right answer, does there? You get penalized if you post no photos, yet you can’t only post photos of your face or selfies. There’s a reason for this. A study showed that people who only post selfies are more likely to be seen as self-absorbed.
No one wants a self-absorbed partner who only cares about looking good for the camera.
What to do: Vary your photos and use some pics that are also taken by others for your profile. If you don’t have anyone to take your photo with, use a trusty tripod or a self-timer on your phone and make it look like someone took that photo.
5. You only post group photos
Let’s get this clear: It is fine to use group photos to showcase your personality and that you’re a fun-loving person but the downside is that no one knows which person is you and they barely have time to guess before they swipe onto the next profile.
It’s a competitive dating environment. You want to make it easier for someone to browse your profile and decide they want to get to know you as a potential match, not make them jump through hoops to get to know you.
What to do: Select a solo photo as your first and main photo, but use group photos if you’d like as your other photos.
6. You post low-quality photos
If it isn’t obvious by now, a lot of it is about the photos! You don’t necessarily have to be the photoshoot pro, but you need to show that you’re putting an effort into your profile and this dating process.
Posting photos from a decade ago that are extremely low-quality just shows that you haven’t taken a new photo in years, can’t be bothered to post better photos, or have something to hide by not uploading new photos.
What to do: Make sure the photos you post are of decent quality – they shouldn’t be too grainy, dark or look too busy. It should have good composition, meaning you shouldn’t have your face cut off or it doesn’t look like someone shot from too high or too low an angle.
7. You barely swipe right on anyone
This is a no-brainer. You have standards, that’s fine, but if your standards are too high, you eliminate a good number of matches on the app. The chances that someone from that reduced pool of matches will swipe back is also lower.
What to do: If you eliminate matches too quickly, take a step back and be open to profiles you may not have typically swiped right on. For example, if you tend to swipe left on people who are sporty because you hate working out, just bite the bullet and give a like to someone sporty. They’re not going to force you to do a workout. Besides who knows, you may pick up a new hobby after getting to know them! Alternatively, try being more flexible with your filters in the app: see what happens if you increase your hashtags, dating area and age ranges.
8. Your profile is too bland
At the end of the day, you are your profile on an online medium. If your aim is to attract someone humorous, interesting and fun, then make sure your profile reflects the same. Else whoever you’re trying to target is probably just going to swipe left.
#Dating allows you to pick hashtags that resonate with you and your interests so make sure you take a good look at those and pick the ones that reflect who you are best to land the most aligned matches! Whether you’re #adventurous or #introverted, into #hiking or #gaming, make sure you express that on your profile to find people who are excited about the same things as you.
9. You’re not active enough
How much time do you spend on the app a day? We’re not saying you should be glued to the app, but it’s likely that if you only log into the app once every few days, the app will be able to detect that you’re inactive or slow to reply. It may then prioritize those who are more frequently on the app and show them ahead of your profile.
What to do: Set aside some time once every day to check in on new matches or to swipe, if you’re serious about landing a match and meeting dates through apps. If you had a match you wouldn’t want to wait too long for a reply either, wouldn’t you? Apply that same mentality to others and respond to matches if available, and the app will recognize this activity.
10. You rely purely on your profile without making the most of the features
Look, everyone needs a little help sometimes and that’s what paid features are here to do – there’s no shame in that!
If you’ve taken our advice above and done all of the following – spruced up your profile, changed your photos, and also widened your swiping preferences – then perhaps what you may need is a final little nudge in the form of paid features.
What to do: Set aside some time once every day to check in on new matches or to swipe, if you’re serious about landing a match and meeting dates through apps. If you had a match you wouldn’t want to wait too long for a reply either, wouldn’t you? Apply that same mentality to others and respond to matches if available, and the app will recognize this activity.
Here’s how exclusive features help you on #Dating:
Premium: Removes the daily swipe limit, makes your messages stand out in your match’s chats, boosts your profile to the front of the queue so potential matches see you faster, and gives you the freedom to undo your previous like or dislike
Wow: Let’s you send message requests to people you haven’t yet matched with to increase your chances of them liking you back
