If you are a Tinder user, you already know the power of a good profile picture. After all, this could make or break the potential of being matched. But what exactly does the perfect profile photo look like?
You might think that the most obvious choice is to post that close-up selfie with the amazing lighting, or the one where you are dressed to the nines and feel like a hundred bucks. But this is actually not the case.
According to Tinder's CEO Sean Rad, the best kind of profile photo you can post has more to do with what's going on around you in the image.
Rad revealed that the type of Tinder profile picture that will most likely get the most matches is one that showcases something more about you besides your looks.
"When your photo expresses something about your interests - like a skier skiing - or something about your personality, you do better," Rad said in an interview at Advertising Week Europe on Wednesday. "You do better as in you get more matches. I always tell people to be yourself."
And if you think he's just trying to make it seem that Tinder isn't all about the looks, there really is concrete data that back this up. In fact, there is three years' worth of data that include more than 10 billion matches.
And it makes sense. If you have a profile photo of yourself outside of museum in a foreign country, that suggests you like to travel and are into arts and culture. Your best match may also share these interests. The same thing goes if you are at a sporting event, or doing an activity that you really enjoy that highlights the fact that you are adventurous.
It all comes down to the fact that your perfect Tinder photo should be one that best shows who the real you is.
This means you should avoid using the kinds of photos that make you look like you are trying to model. These photos often make it obvious that you are posing and just come off looking fake.
You also don't want to post a group photo where a potential match can't figure out which one is really you. Not everyone wants to swipe through multiple photos. The person is on the app to maybe date you, not your entire squad. Focus on sticking to the types of photos that help describe who you are and your passions.
After all, your looks might help the first impression, but it's your personality that's going to determine if you are best suited for your match. Don't be afraid to let it show.
