When looking for love online, first impressions can make or break a potential match. A new survey, which sheds light on what stops people from swiping right on dating app profiles, has only proven this further.
Forbes Health polled 1,000 adults from across the U.S. who have used a dating app within the last year to learn all about the biggest "icks" that turn people off on dating app profiles.
Defined as "a sudden feeling of disgust or dislike, often in response to the actions of another person," icks are crucial in guiding users' decisions to swipe left or right. The survey offers a revealing look at what makes a dating profile appealing—or not.
The Top 'Icks' to Avoid
When asked which qualities in a dating app profile would make users more likely to not match with someone, the top turnoffs were clear.
Negativity or bitterness in a bio ranked highest as 70 percent of respondents reported that they caught the dreaded ick from profiles that are all doom and gloom. This was followed by overly edited or filtered photos, which 63 percent of respondents said they disliked.
Profiles that emphasize material possessions too much also caught the disdain of 62 percent of respondents, while profiles that appear to be lacking in effort or that exhibit poor grammar and spelling were also significant deterrents, with 60 percent of respondents labeling all three big icks.
"Dating apps are a normal part of modern-day dating, and why we swipe left or right does have common themes," Railey Molinario, a relationship expert who provides couple's coaching, told Newsweek. "There are a lot of factors we are looking for consciously and unconsciously that contribute to our decisions.
"When looking for a partner, we're looking for someone we can trust and who aligns with our values, so a lot can be said about over-edited photos and negative bios."
"First impressions do matter due to the primacy effect," Mila Smith, a certified relationship and dating coach, told Newsweek. "When profile photos have been obviously filtered, cropped, or edited, anyone with an ounce of common sense will come to the same conclusion: the person behind the photos is trying to hide something.
"If you have been dating for a while, you're certainly familiar with the feeling of disappointment when you're expecting to meet someone for the first time, but the person who turns up looks nothing like their photos."
The coach added that she always advises her clients to own whatever their perceived imperfections are and look into the root cause of them instead of disguising them online.
When it comes to looking materialistic, Smith said that, whenever someone is showing off their material assets, it is usually done to assert their "superiority and status," which can turn off potential suitors looking for love.
"Both men and women are looking for a genuine connection and someone they can trust above all," she said. "On the other hand, when you encounter someone 'scanning' you for material possessions, most people would have their alarm bells going off. Who'd want to date a gold-digger?"
First Impressions Matter
The survey also looked into how long it takes for the average user to decide on which way to swipe. Forbes Health discovered that nearly two-and-a-half minutes made up the average amount of time that it takes for someone to decide if they want to form a match.
Almost a quarter of surveyed individuals stated that they spend just 31 to 60 seconds assessing another user's profile before deciding whether to make a move. While 21 percent reported that they felt one to two minutes was more their speed, and 20 percent said that it takes them more than five minutes to make a proper decision on whether to swipe left or right.
Generational Differences
The results also spotlight generational differences in how people interact with dating apps.
More than half of the survey's respondents admitted to sharing screenshots of their matches with friends. This practice turned out to be more common among women; 55 percent of whom reported doing so, compared to 44 percent of men.
From a generational standpoint, 62 percent of Generation Z participants admitted to this act, while only 32 percent of baby boomers have shared profiles that caught their eye with their friends or family.
What Makes a Profile Attractive?
Dating apps have become incredibly popular in recent years, with almost 60 million people in the U.S. signed up to them in 2023. The number is expected to grow as more individuals turn to digital platforms to find love and companionship. So, if you want to be more successful on them, what should you do?
Fortunately, among narrowing down the biggest icks, the survey also identified the top attributes in a dating app profile that make someone more likely to match with them.
Leading the list was having a good sense of humor, followed by showcasing hobbies, interests, or pastimes, all of which over 80 percent of respondents agreed to finding attractive. Portraying a good sense of style, showing an interest in travel, and featuring a pet in photos were also found to be highly appealing traits.
When asked what she thinks makes people swipe right when scrolling down a dating app, dating coach Smith said that she believes this largely depends on the individual's age, cultural background and personality.
"Having said that, there are several fundamentals," she added. "Recent realistic photos, including a portrait, a full-length shot and ideally, a photo 'in action' showing interests or revealing something about that person, a positive outlook and confidence reflected in both profile photos and description.
"Openness is important too as trust is the key expectation in a potential relationship, and the ability to see some of the person's key life values or at least some of their needs and wants."
Given that the new data collated by Forbes Health suggests people have about two minutes to impress someone online, the three most important things to leave out of a profile are negativity or bitterness, overly edited photos, and too much emphasis on material possessions.
It looks as if creating a successful dating app profile hinges on showing authenticity and positivity, and that avoiding these common turnoffs could boost your chances of making a great first impression online.
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