The Swipe Strategy
Your simple, step-by-step guide to standing out on apps. 📲✨
It’s Not Your Fault…
If you’re feeling frustrated with dating apps, let me start by saying this: it’s not your fault.
The ratio of men to women on most dating apps is heavily skewed, making it an insanely competitive space for men. For example, on Tinder, 75% of users are men, and on Bumble, it’s nearly 73%.
To put this into perspective... within just one month of joining Bumble, I had over 3,500 likes on my profile.
That’s 3,500 men competing for one connection. And guess what? Women on these apps are experiencing this kind of attention all the time, meaning they have the luxury to be selective. If your profile doesn’t stand out immediately, it’s easy for her to swipe left and move on to the next.
But here’s the good news: more and more people are meeting their significant others online these days. In a survey done taken over 5,000 American couples, 45% of them met online. Which means the apps DO work—if you have a top notch profile and know how to stand out.
While this space might feel overwhelming, the truth is that creating a profile women are excited to swipe right on isn’t that difficult. I'm here to show you exactly what women exactly what attracts women and how to make yourself stand out (in a good way😉). Let’s get started! 🚀
Part 1: Why Your Profile Isn’t Getting Matches (Yet)
If you’re not seeing results on dating apps, it’s not because you’re not a great catch—it’s likely because your profile isn’t doing you justice. Here’s why:
1. She Can't Relate to You 🤔
This is you if your profile looks like it was designed to impress your buddies rather than the women looking at your profile.
Think about it—photos of you at the bar double-fisting drinks, flipping off the camera, or posing with other beautiful women? Great for the group chat with your buddies, not so great for sparking a woman's interest... it'll quite literally do the opposite.
You also need to share enough about yourself to make her curious. If your bio reads like you let AI or ChatGPT wrote it 🤖 (or worse, you skipped the bio entirely 😬), she’s swiping left.
Women are looking for a glimpse of who you are and what makes you interesting. It doesn’t need to be over-the-top, but it does need to be you.
2. Your Photos Aren’t Up to Par 📸
Your photos are the most important piece of your profile—period. They’re the first thing she sees, and if they don’t catch her attention, she won’t even bother looking at the rest of your profile.
Here’s the good news: you only need six photos to give her a clear picture of who you are.
💡 These don’t need to be professionally taken, but they do need to be:
High-quality (no blurry or grainy pics).
Recent (no high school throwbacks 🏫).
Intentional (give her a glimpse into your life).
If your photos don’t check these boxes, don’t worry—we’ll cover exactly how to fix this in the next section.
3. You’re Not Leveraging Prompts and Bios 💬
If your photos pass the test, she’ll head straight to your prompts or bio to see if she can connect with you.
✨ Your prompts and bios need to be:
Engaging (spark her curiosity).
Relatable (something she can connect with).
Easy to respond to (make it effortless for her to start a conversation).
If they’re generic, overly serious, or lack personality, she’s swiping left. Think of them as conversation starters that showcase your unique personality and invite her to engage.
While prompts and bios aren't necessarily deal breakers like your photos, if you do them right it can 3x the amount of matches you're getting today.
Part 2: Fixing Your Photos📸
📸 Your photos are the first (and sometimes the only) thing she notices before deciding to match with you.
So saying, “I’m not photogenic” or "I just don't take many photos of myself" isn’t an excuse to skip this step. (Spoiler: Nobody is naturally photogenic—it’s called ✨effort✨, and it pays off).
🤔 Why Is Taking Photos So Hard for Men?
If getting the photos is the most difficult part for you when it comes to setting up your profile, you've likely had thoughts like:
“I don’t like how I look in pictures.”
“I don’t just take photos of myself for fun.”
“I don't want to be the guy that asks to get a group picture.”
Sound familiar?
These doubts are completely normal. Putting yourself out there is vulnerable—it takes courage to share a glimpse of your life for others to judge at face value. That’s why it can feel overwhelming to get this part just right.
The good news? You don’t need a professional photoshoot to get great pictures. In fact, unless the photographer specializes in dating profiles, you'll end up with 6 overly posed photos can come off as stiff and don't tell her anything about you.
🎯 The Goal: Real Over Perfect
Your photos don’t need to be flawless—they need to be you. Women aren’t looking for six polished headshots; they want six photos that show what it’d be like to spend time with you.
Think of it this way... your photos should:
✅ Highlight your personality and lifestyle.
✅ Show her what your life looks like
✅ Give her a glimpse of what it would be like to go out with you.
When you focus on authenticity over perfection, you’ll not only stand out—you’ll attract women who are genuinely excited to get to know you.
💡Here are a few types of photos women love to see:
🐶 You With Your Dog: Nothing screams, “I’m a catch” like showing you can care for something other than yourself.
Bonus: Dogs are the #1 icebreaker on dating apps.
☕At a Cafe: Apart from most women loving coffee, cafes are usually very aesthetic and great backdrops for photos.
✈️On Vacation: Whether it’s a beach, a mountain, or a bustling city, vacation shots show you’re adventurous and open to new experiences.
👶🏼With Kids: Playing with nieces, nephews, or even your own kid? Big green flag. It shows you’re kind, nurturing, and good with the little ones (**The one caveat with this one is to make it clear whether or not it's your kid somewhere in your profile).
💼You in Your Profession: A photo of you at work (bonus points if it’s in a cool setting, like your art studio or out on a construction site) says, “I’ve got my act together and take pride in what I do.”
Your photos should do more than just look good—they should
tell a story about who you are. She’s not just deciding if you’re attractive; she’s trying to figure out if she could see herself spending time with you.
The easiest way to make your photos work for you is to diversify them. Women want to see more than just your face—they want a glimpse of your life.
With this in mind, be sure to include:
🧍🏼♂️Individual Photos: Include a few solo shots that give her a clear idea of what you look like. These should be flattering but natural—skip the mirror selfies or overly posed headshots.
🤝🏼Photos with Friends: A couple of group photos show that you’re social and fun to be around. Pro tip: Make sure you’re clearly identifiable in the picture—this isn’t “Where’s Waldo?”
🏂Action Shots: Share photos of you doing things you love. Whether it’s hiking, cooking, or playing guitar, these images give her insight into your interests and passions.
This mix creates a well-rounded picture of who you are and it shows that you’re not just another guy with six versions of the same selfie.❌
📸 Photo Dos and Don’ts:
And finally we have a few dos and don'ts when it comes to choosing photos for your profile...
✅ Dos
Use clear, recent photos (nothing over two years old!)
Use photos that reflect your life and personality.
Use photos that highlight parts of your life that are important to you.
❌ Don’ts
No selfies, blurry pictures, or group shots where it’s unclear who you are.
Avoid photos you’re not even in (yes, even if your dog is adorable).
Don’t use old photos from when you were ripped in high school (if you are in fact no longer ripped or in high school).
Remember: Your photos are your first impression, so make them count.
Part 3: Crafting Prompts/Bios That Seal the Deal
🤦🏼♀️ This is where so many guys lose a potential match... While your photos will catch her attention, what makes her actually swipe right is how you come across in your prompts and bio.
📊 Studies show women rank intelligence, education, and the emotional connection they form with a guy higher than physical attraction when it comes to what they need in a partner.
Your photos are the most important because they are what make her pause and consider your profile, but often times your prompts and bios are what take her from considering to hitting that heart button.❤️
Remember: Women are scrolling through 2-3x more profiles than men. After a while, they all start blending together. So if your prompts don’t give her a reason to stop and respond, you’re just another face in the endless swipe game.
🚨 Avoid These Prompt/Bio Mistakes:
❌ Being overly serious or generic. (“I’m looking for a partner who is athletic, intelligent, and can make me a better person”— skip "I'm looking for" statements all together, they are overused and can be polarizing.)
❌ 1 word responses. (“Typical Sunday... Relaxing”
—it's low effort and not engaging.)
❌ Using prompts to vent. (“Don’t swipe right if you’re just going to ghost me”—This is the biggest turn off for women, nobody wants to go out with a curmudgeon.)
At the end of the day, if your prompts and bios aren't easy or intriguing to respond to... you're leaving a lot of potential matches on the table.
🥅 What you SHOULD shoot for:
Your bio and prompts should be engaging, intriguing, and easy to respond to. Think of them as your elevator pitch—way of introducing yourself, getting across a key point or two, and making a connection with someone.
🤔Ask yourself:
“Would the woman I’m trying to attract find this interesting?”
“Does this showcase the kind of man I am?”
💡Quick Tip on Tone:
It's important to match your bio to your target audience.
For women under 35: Keep it light and short. Women in this age group often get hundreds of likes daily, so they’re not slowing down to read essays.
For women over 35: Add a little depth. This group tends to approach apps more methodically, looking for alignment in values and goals.
✍🏼Example bios:
These bios work because they’re specific, show personality, and spark curiosity:
“What if I told you I’m an accountant by day, amateur chef by night? What will be your first dinner request?”
“Trail lawyer by day, so I can keep us out of jail if we decide to go on a crime spree. No kids, but will love yours. Passport stamp collector by passion. If yours is blank, let’s fix that.”
📝Example Prompts:
Prompts are a lot like bios—keep them light, engaging, and tailored to the woman you want to attract. The most successful prompts fall into three categories: engaging, referencing a date idea, or making her laugh.
“What if I told you... I’m a (insert job title) by day, amateur chef by night—what’ll be your first dinner request?”
“Together, we could... get overly competitive in board games over a bottle of wine.”
“We’re the same type of weird if... you write down tasks you’ve already finished just to cross them off.”
👏🏼When you pair solid photos with prompts that make her laugh or feel something, you’re no longer just another guy swiping—you're the guy she can’t wait to talk to.
Want Personalized Help?
🙌🏼 In my experience coaching hundreds of men on their dating profiles, the ones who roll up their sleeves and implement these strategies are the ones who send me messages like my client Carter:
Here’s the thing—this guide is just the start. When you join my membership, you’ll get two game-changing perks to help you get matches with girls you're interested in on the dating apps:
1️⃣ A FREE profile audit with me.
I’ll personally review your dating profile and help you fix anything that’s holding you back from attracting beautiful women. From choosing the best photos and rewriting prompts to making sure your bio highlights the most attractive parts of your personality. I'll make sure your profile works for you, not against you.
2️⃣ Instant access to my Online Dating Strategy Course.
This course covers everything you need to know to be successful on dating apps, including:
The best photos of yourself that will attract women (from a woman's pov).
A curated list of the highest-performing prompts on apps like Hinge.
Proven messaging strategies to get the conversation started.
Step-by-step advice on how to actually land dates with your matches.