Dating Profiles: Women Reveal The Subtle Mistakes Men Make

From forgetting to leave your bio "open to interpretation" to trying too hard to be funny, here are the 'sophisticated sins' of online dating.

Dating Profiles: Women Reveal The Subtle Mistakes Men Make

Mistakes are part of life but unless you’ve got eyes like DiCaprio and charm like Clooney then you can’t afford to make them in your dating app bio. While the more obvious errors (sexist and vulgar language, only one photo, etc) are easy to avoid (or shouldn’t be made in the first place) there’s a slew of more subtle mistakes that could be keeping you from reaching the brim of your dating potential.

Fortunately for any improvement-aspiring hombre, women are currently sharing the most common faux pas on a dating profile that make them swipe left (reject) on a potential suiter — even a ‘smart’ one with all the basics covered — “very quickly.”

Posted this morning in Reddit’s Dating Advice forum, the thread began with an admission; “I’m a man (21), on several dating apps, and hardly get any likes. It’s tough to go on any dates when I don’t get any matches, so I’m looking to improve my profiles,” and a question, “Ladies, what things on a dating profile make you swipe left pretty quickly?”.

“To clarify, I’m looking for things beyond the (fundamental) stuff…. I think I’ve got decent photos(all including my face), some of just me, and a couple with friends. My bio is filled out with info about me/my interests, and nothing sexist/bigoted.”

If this sounds like you and you too feel like your online avatar is in good shape then we have both good (and bad) news. First: your profile may not be as seductive as you thought. Second: there’s room for improvement!

The women of Reddit have come to society’s collective rescue, providing us with the most common low-key errors men make in their dating app profiles; here they are.

Not Leaving Your Bio Tactfully Open To Interpretation

As one woman suggested, writing a bio that makes anyone who reads it able to take it personally, while difficult, will increase your chances.

“I guess it depends on the wording and on what app you use, but maybe you’re stating too many specific facts and not allowing personality to shine through in the description,” she said to the man who started the thread.

“Consider, ‘I like passionate conversations, walks on the beach and kisses in the rain’ vs. ‘I like to discuss politics and physics. I go to the Jersey shore on the weekend, and I want to find a girl to kiss in the rain.'”

“The first allows the reader to interpret it in a way most desirable to them. The second does not.”

Shady Demeanour

We get it: you can afford Ray-Bans. But time is money, and women don’t have time to be squinting to see if you are really as handsome as you appear in the first photo because all the rest of them were taken on a hike.

In other words: “Swipe right for a great big healthy smile. Swipe left for hat and sunglasses. Swipe right for outdoor shots especially in nature. Swipe left for bathroom mirror reflection. Double time left swipe for the reclining on the bed shoot, in the bedroom or naked torso shot.”

Pictures With A Bunch Of Other Girls

You might look like Romeo but this is actually a red flag because — according to our female Reddit user database — part of the process of deciding whether or not they like you involves imagining you to themselves, which photos of your ex (or a giant group of potential exes) really doesn’t help with.

Mirror Selfies

You know what women appreciate more than a ripped bod? A ripped bod and modesty.

Listing Your Height (Irrelevant Of What It Is)

You may be 6’3″ but much like mirror selfies — you can let it speak for yourself.

Pictures Of Your Shady Sedan

Unless you are trying to attract a fellow car enthusiast (and only a fellow far enthusiast) then it is not a good idea to take a picture of your car “without you in said picture.”

Lots Of Bar Pictures

Unless you are trying to attract a fellow liver-punisher, this one limits your range of potential matches.

An Overly Serious Bio

Don’t be Mr Party but also don’t go the other way: “I want to read a joke or something quick in the bio. Not something that the guy thinks will ‘woo’ me. I don’t really care for a list of interests either, unless there is a joke attached to the end.”

“I don’t want to date someone who is trying too hard in their online dating profile, because let’s be real none of us really want to be on there in the first place.”

Whining

One of the biggest turn-offs for female Reddit users was cringe-y notes some men attach to their profile like, “I’m tired of meeting women who are into material things” or “tired of fat, superficial, older and lying women.” If we have to explain why you shouldn’t be doing this then you really need to do some self-reflection…

Lack Of Self Awareness

On a related note, women also despise men’s bios which request them to be “drama-free,” ask them “please don’t be crazy,” or any other variant of “I’m emotionally immature and will blame you for everything that goes wrong without taking ownership of my side of it.”

Bad Grammar

“Bad grammar, spelling errors, lots of ellipses ……. extra spaces ………. or no spaces Make an effort and run profile through grammar and spell check. I could go on.”

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