If you want to make more meaningful connections on dating apps, it's time to level up your effort and move past the boring, "Hey, how are you?
1. Read their profile carefully
Asking smart questions right off the bat can help you determine if someone you meet on a dating app is worth pursuing and could be an IRL match. To make sure your conversation actually goes somewhere, it's crucial that your first message has substance and makes an impact.
Research found that using phrases like "you mention" or "I noticed that", which showed you've looked at a person's profile, resulted in higher response rates on the dating app OkCupid. And since people tend to enjoy being noticed, chances are this'll also work for whatever dating app how on. Therefore, use the content that your potential date has shared — like a photo or a bio — as a springboard into a conversation, says Marisa T.
Cohen, PhDa relationship coach and marriage and family therapist in private practice. For example, if their profile says that they love to travel and you do too, you can ask what their favorite destination is and how often they travel.
Plus, this can make someone feel heard and like you're genuinely interested in them.
7 of the best ways to start a conversation on a dating app, according to relationship therapists
It shows that you took the time to actually take a look at their profile and you didn't just randomly message them something. Skip the small talk and jump into a game of "would you rather" to get a better idea of your match's personality, likes, and dislikes. Asking open-ended questions offers more opportunity for a conversation where you can get a better sense of who the person is. It can be something as broad as asking someone how their life is going right now, says Joanna Kaminskia licensed marriage and family therapist at Clarity Therapy NYC.
This can give you lots of information about their work, living situation, friendships, or relationship with their family, you Kaminski. Plus, this is a good way to gauge how they keep up with a conversation. Hopefully, they will ask you follow-up open-ended questions as well, which shows that they are truly interested in getting to know you.
But if they only talk about themselvesexercise caution, Kaminski says. If you're on a dating app and site have clear intentions of what you want, it may help to throw all your cards on the table and see if you're dating, Cohen says. For example, you might say you're looking for someone to help you explore the new city you've just moved to, or that you're looking for a long-term relationship with someone whom you can bring home to your family. Although it may feel scary at first to share this, someone who's looking for the same thing as you will certainly appreciate it.
Plus, if you're looking for something serious, you may be in luck. Asking someone what their hopes or intentions are with dating can dating you uncover someone's how, Kaminski says. You could say something like:. For example, you might find that they're looking for casual hookups and not anything serious, which can help you weed out people if you're hoping for a more serious commitment. When asking these kinds of questions, keeping a sense of humor can be helpful.
Kaminski says it can be something as simple as, "I don't mean to be Sherlock Holmes, but what do you hope for in the dating scene? If you feel like bypassing surface level conversations, Kaminski says you can try asking your match something super deep, such as start is the most meaningful thing that has happened to you in the course of your life? You'll get a good idea of someone's personality here since they might be flippant with their response, or they might be sincere.
If they share something truly meaningful with you, it can show that they aren't afraid to discuss emotional topics, which is a good sign if you're looking for a serious partner with a secure attachment style. On the other hand, if someone gives a shallow answer or start away the question, it could be more of a sign that they're emotionally unavailable.
Or, they could just be shy with strangers. You can only get to know somebody so much without talking in real time. So many more aspects of communication are unlocked when you move on from texting.
Cohen says after you spend some time with small-talk or deeper questions you can ask to try an audio or video call. This way, you can check the vibe in real time and get a better idea for your compatibility before potentially meeting up.
Plus, seeing how receptive conversation are to this idea can give you more here into their personality as well, showing if they're more outgoing or reserved. Dating takes effort, and if you want to form meaningful connections and have good conversations, you'll have to put in the work. After all, that's what you would likely expect from a potential partner, too. Practice makes perfect, and the more you converse with people on apps, the better you'll get at conversation starters and weeding through potential partners.
Soon enough, you'll be on track to finding the right person for you. Close icon "Site" crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss article source notification.
Tech Angle down icon An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down. Home Angle down icon An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down. Kitchen Angle down icon An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down. Style Angle down icon An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down.
Beauty Angle down icon Grindr hookup porn icon in the shape of an angle pointing down. Gifts Conversation down icon An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down. Health Angle down icon An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down. Travel Angle down icon An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down. Written by Ashley Laderer ; edited by Samantha Crozier. Share icon An curved arrow pointing right. Share Facebook Icon The letter F.
Facebook Email icon An envelope. It indicates the ability to send an email. Email Twitter icon A stylized bird with an open mouth, tweeting. It symobilizes a website link url. Copy Link lighning bolt icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Impact Link. Our stories are reviewed by medical professionals to ensure you get the most accurate and useful information about your health and wellness. For more information, visit our medical review board.
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in. To start a meaningful conversation on a dating app, ask more open-ended questions. You can also try starting a conversation about something specific on your match's profile.
Be direct and ask what the other person is looking for, so that you don't waste your time. Read preview. Thanks for signing up! Go to newsletter preferences. Access continue reading favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Email address. Sign up. You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the email.
Ashley Laderer. Ashley Laderer is a freelance writer from New York who specializes in health and wellness.
Follow her on Twitter ashladerer.