When it comes to curating a dating app profile, appearing ‘cool’ and ‘well-travelled’ is a must for most, and more often than not, that involves posing in a pair of sunnies on the beach or sporting some on the slopes. But it turns out those shades could be holding you back! Research shows that over two-thirds* (68%) of UK singles find it a turn-off when people upload too many images wearing sunglasses on their dating app profile.
So, to empower you to strip off those sunnies and put your best pics forward, Badoo has partnered with dating and relationship coach Persia Lawson who has shared her advice on selecting the best profile pictures.
1. Show your eyes
Eyes are often referred to as the windows to the soul. Making eye contact is a powerful way to connect with someone on a deeper level - even through a photograph. When potential matches can see your eyes in your dating app pictures, it helps establish a sense of connection and builds trust.
2. Use authentic photos
Choosing photos that accurately represent how you look today is crucial to your dating success. Using old photos might help you secure more dates in the short term, but it will inevitably backfire when you meet your dates in real life. This is because using old photos that don't accurately represent your current appearance could be seen as misleading and create a sense of mistrust, which can negatively impact the potential for a genuine connection.
Instead, why not ask a friend to come and take some photos of you smiling directly at the camera - in a few different outfits and situations that make you feel confident, relaxed and, most importantly, authentically you. After all, one of the best compliments you can be given on a date is that you look even better in real life than you do in your profile pictures.
3. Showcase your hobbies & interests in your pics
Displaying a variety of pictures on your profile that showcase different aspects of your life and personality, such as hobbies, travel or socialising is also a must. This will help attract people who share similar interests and increase the chances of finding compatible matches.
Just be sure that you share activities that you truly enjoy and that define you as a person – not what you think your ideal would want to see. Exaggerating or embellishing aspects of your life or personality will only create problems for you further down the line. To build trust from the get-go, you need to be true to who you really are across every touchpoint of online dating.
4. Quality is KEY
To give yourself the best chance of securing great dates, it’s important to choose photos that are clear, well-lit, and in focus. Blurry or low-quality pictures can give the impression that you're not serious about dating or that you're trying to hide something.
On that note, avoid excessive filters or heavy editing that significantly alters your appearance. You want your pictures to be an accurate representation of how you look in person.
When it comes to dating it’s always important to feel confident to be your authentic self and show off who you really are. So, ditch the sunnies once and for all, and let others get to know the real you.
*Research conducted by CensusWide of 1,000 participants in the UK aged between 18-40, from Wednesday 28th June to Friday 30th June 2023.
