Words by Nick Levine

When the weather warms up and people are in a vacation state of mind, something changes in the dating world. You never hear people talk about a "winter fling", do you? Summer is synonymous with sun, sea and shameless flirtation over delicious iced drinks, but this doesn't mean that everyone is here for a good time, not a long time. Plenty of daters are just as committed to finding a LTR in the summer months as they are during the "cuffing season" that arrives in the run-up to Christmas. So, with this in mind, here are six tips on how to spot someone who just wants a summer fling when you’re actually after something more serious. A little low-key detective work now can save you a lot of time in the long run.

1. Look carefully at their photos

The old saying that "a picture paints a thousand words" is definitely true on dating apps. If someone's profile photo shows them cradling their baby nephew, they may be feeling broody. Equally, if every picture is a gym selfie, you'll know they're serious about fitness. Some dating app photos show who a person really is, whereas others point to the person they hope to become. Either way, they're usually pretty revealing.

"The easiest and quickest way I've found to spot a guy's true intentions is to look at the quality of photos he's posting," says dating expert Michaela Bosquet Lambert. "If he's only posting bathroom selfies, then it's likely he only wants to show you the goods on offer – and is hoping you'll reciprocate! But if he's looking for something more serious, he'll make a little more effort and try to show a variety of photos from different areas of his life." And if he's only bothered to upload a solitary picture that looks as though it was taken in 2013, be very wary indeed.

2. Read between the lines of their opening message

Honestly, a little bit of effort speaks volumes. If someone asks a thoughtful question relating to something on your profile, they're clearly interested in you as a person. But on the flip side, if their opening message is short but sweet, this could be a red flag. "If that first message is just a 'hey', then it's likely that person is playing the numbers game and looking for something more casual," says Bosquet Lambert.

Keep an eye on the length and regularity of their follow-up messages, too. If they always seem to be on the app but only reply sporadically, they could be busy keeping countless other chats on the simmer. Again, it's all about spotting a match who is just playing the numbers game.

3. Pay attention to their choice of emoji

It's often hard to tell when a good friend is joking in a text message, but it's even trickier when you're chatting on a dating app with someone you don't really know. So, if a match's choice of words doesn't reveal much about their true intentions, look closely at their go-to emoji. In some cases, they could be acting as a kind of secret code.

"In my experience, women tend to use emojis and most commonly the winky face if they're looking for something a little more casual," says dating coach Alex Douglas. Douglas also points out that because safety is of particular importance to women on dating apps, they're more likely to be restrained with their personal details. "If a woman offers you her number very easily – in most cases, it's likely to be a fake profile." "Whether a woman is looking for a casual thing or something more serious, she'll almost always want to spend time getting to know a match first," Douglas adds.

4. Take a temperature check every so often

As a general rule, if a match is talking frisky, they're probably feeling frisky. "It's usually obvious when someone is looking for something casual as they'll likely move the conversation to sex either implicitly or explicitly," says Douglas. Douglas points out that when someone offers to send "an intimate picture at the earliest possible opportunity", it is pretty obvious they have one thing on their mind. And that isn't asking your parents over for a civilised night of cheese and wine.

5. Use Badoo's Intentions feature

This one is a no-brainer. All Badoo members are asked to choose one of three options – "here to date", "ready for a relationship", or "open to chat" – before they get on with making matches. It's a simple feature that gives you an idea of what someone is really after – if they pick "ready for a relationship", they clearly aren't just here for a summer fling. And because you can change your Intentions status at any point, there's nothing stopping you from pinging between casual and serious depending on your mood.

6. Be as transparent as possible

By letting a match know that you're looking for something serious, you'll encourage them to reveal their true intentions, too. Just try not to be too binary about it – the dating game is filled with grey areas, and these can be fun to navigate. "It's all about trust but also finding a time to bring it up that feels right depending on your chemistry with your match," says Douglas. "Intentions for some people really can change from week to week depending on their state of mind and where they're at with their lives, so try to be patient but transparent at all times."

If you really like someone, don't rule them out completely because their intentions don't perfectly match yours. With honesty and communication, a summer fling can bloom into something with much deeper roots. Happy dating!