Everybody is always asking, what makes a great dating profile? How do you make sure to leave the best first impression on the people who are swiping on you? Honestly, it’s not rocket science. There isn’t a magic formula that will make everyone swipe up on you. But you can follow a few principles to help attract the right people. Because when it comes to matches, quality is so much more important than quantity.

Be Yourself

This should go without saying, but be genuine in your dating profile. Don’t pretend to be someone that you’re not. Use your own photos and be truthful in your bio. Is this the time to flaunt the best parts of yourself? Absolutely. (And that doesn’t mean just physically!) Talk yourself up! But don’t exaggerate or lie to impress people. If you form a real connection and want to form a real relationship, you don’t want them to find out that you’ve been lying to them the whole time. You want people to like you for YOU!

Choose Good Pictures

Before anyone reads anything about you in your bio, they’ll see your picture. Not only do you want your photos to be good quality so they can get a good look at you, but you want them to be a good representation of you! Choose photos that represent you, your personality, your hobbies, etc.

Your first picture on your profile is like the cover of a book. Of course, nobody should judge a book strictly by its cover, but it will make a first and lasting impression. Pick something that shows you at your Sunday best - whatever that looks like for you.

Please remember that we don’t allow bikini pics or shirtless gym selfies. We have nothing against bikinis, gyms, or being proud of your body. (Because honestly, you rock that bikini and look SO good in your gym selfie.) But we don't allow it in-app out of respect and safety for everyone. We also use state-of-the-art AI to determine what is suggestive in profile images objectively. So really, it’s not you. It’s just our way of keeping our community as safe as possible.

Check out our Photo Guidelines for tips on picking the best profile photos.

More Is More

Use the features available to you when building your profile! You don’t need to reveal everything about yourself (leave a little mystery for people to discover!) But the more you fill out on your profile, the easier it will be for people to determine if you are compatible with each other. Fill out your personal info, traits, interests, and About Me prompts. This will also make it easier for you to find shared traits with others when swiping!

Get Verified

Ark is the safest dating app for single Christians! One of the ways we make this happen is by requiring you to be verified. You won’t be able to use the app until you're verified, so go ahead and follow those prompts. Nobody wants to get conned or catfished. Getting verified adds an extra layer of security to your profile and shows that Ark believes that you are who you say you are.

Learn more about Verification here.

Variety Is Key

Remember that people want to get to know YOU. The real you. Showing that you’re a real person with varied interests and hobbies makes you more relatable. The more you share about yourself, the more likely you are to find someone who has something in common with you. Choose pictures that show you in various environments and situations and talk about all the different things that make you unique.

Keep Trying

Remember that you are not going to be for everybody. And that’s okay! Your goal in dating isn’t to appeal to everybody. Your goal in dating is to appeal to the right somebody. Be yourself, be vulnerable, be honest, and keep going. Your person is out there.

What Makes A Great Profile?