Recent analysis of online dating profile pictures by a large dating site has yielded some interesting results. The study involved measuring the number of new contacts a woman received and the number of new meetings a man has after sending out unsolicited hellos based on certain aspects of their profile pictures. The study was performed using a sample of average looking people from large cities.
And now for the results…..
Is it better to smile in your profile picture? The study found that women tend to smile in their profile pictures twice as much as men. For women to get the most number of contact they need to look at the camera and give a flirty-type pose, not just a smile. The effects of not looking at the camera are profound – expect your number of contacts to decrease. Although women will receive the largest number of contacts by looking into the camera with a flirty face, they will receive their worst results by not looking into the camera with a flirty face. For men, the way to receive the most new contacts is to look away from the camera and not smile. Seems that women enjoy wondering what he is really looking at.
What kind of photos are most effective, a self-shot photo or a photo taken by someone else? The study found that self-shot photos yield better results for both men and women. The researchers felt that self-shot photos gave a more intimate and casual vibe that made someone already feel closer to the subject.
Should men take their photos with their shirts off? The study found that men should play to their strengths; if you have a good abs it is OK to take your shirt off. However, the body shots did decrease in effectiveness along with age with them being most effective with those in their early 20s. What if you don’t have that great body? Photos with an animal or of you doing something interesting are, in many cases, just as effective.
Are those cleavage shots effective? You guessed it, the men do like breasts and they do get women more messages. As we know, women tend to get fewer messages as they age, but the cleavage shot tends to reduce the effects of age. Also, the study found that as women age they tend to go from body shot photos to non-sexual context photos with the age of cross-over coming at the mid-twenties. The quality of messages must also be considered when considering cleavage shots. The researchers felt that message quality was probably lower as a result of sexual-oriented photos but there were no figures to backup these feelings. As far as the quality of messages goes, it was found that a shot of a woman doing something interesting led towards more meaningful conversations, men are interested in women being conversation-worthy in addition and sexy.
Should you even show your face in your profile shot? The study found that with all other things being equal, it didn’t matter whether you show your face or not. In some cases it was found that it was better to not show your face and, instead have a photo of something mysterious, unusual, or sexy enough to make people curious enough to want to make contact with you.
Now that you have some real test results, now is your chance to try them out and see if they can make your online dating experience more rewarding.