This article originally appeared on Vulcan Post.
We’ve all been there: your thumb is starting to cramp up from swiping, your eyes are glazed over from staring at a thousand faces, and you really need to pee. But still no matches. What could you be doing wrong? Why doesn’t anybody love you?
Apps like Paktor have taken Asian dating by storm. It’s fun, it’s easy, it doesn’t even make sense not to download it. But love is not guaranteed, and we could all do with a little help to get more matches. Here are some tips to get you warmed up.
1. Reach as Far as You Can
Let’s start with the basics. Paktor gives you the option to select the distance/country in which to cast your search, so it doesn’t make sense to settle for the girl/guy next door, particularly if you’re an avid traveller. Who knows, the next time you take a trip, it could be the start of a Dream Date.
You don’t have to date a 25-year-old simply because you are one. Dates with people from other age groups can open your mind to different perspectives and experiences in life, or just be plain fun!
3. Know What You’re Looking For
Paktor is just a tool and how you use it depends on what you want to achieve. Are you looking for new friends? A couple of dates? A committed relationship? Friends with benefits? Knowing what you want will determine what you look for. If it’s merely a hook-up you want, by all means choose the hottest babe/hunk you see. But if it’s Love you want, maybe that Plain Jane/Joe has the mega-watt personality you’ve been looking for. Give them a chance.
4. A Picture Paints a Thousand Words
We would all like to believe that we’re deep and mature individuals, capable of seeing beyond the superficial. But yet, who hasn’t indulged in a little head-spin when a Really Cute Guy/Girl walks past? I think we should forgive ourselves. Dating apps like Paktor are essentially that “Walk Past” and you want to be sure to make a few heads spin, even if you’re no Greek Diva. So picking a good photo or even taking a new one will be worth the effort if you want to tailor the right look to attract the right person.
Face
Whether it’s because you are too busy to comb your fringe, or you think you have a sexy back, no one is likely to swipe right to a photo without a face. So look at the camera and Smile, Smile, Smile. These are not school children you have to glare down at for cheating on an exam. Beauty apps such as Perfect365 (iPhone & Android) and Beauty Camera (Android) also allow you to easily edit and erase those blemishes for a perfect photo.
Clothes
Firstly, wear some. Half naked photos of guys are always slightly sleazy, even if you have a really hot bod. Bikini-clad photos will tend to invite a certain kind of attention. (*Disclaimer: If you’re only looking for friends with benefits, they might need to check out your abs/boobs so go ahead.) While you don’t have to dress up to the nines, you should wear something nice and normal. What is not normal, you ask? Good question. If there are holes that were not there when you first purchased the outfit, it’s not normal.
Solo Close-Up
Avoid photos with 20 other people so you don’t end up as a tiny person in a big group photo. This is especially important if you are, in fact, a tiny person. Avoid photos with your 2 best friends if they look like Mila Kunis and Cecilia Cheung. Duh.
Lighting
No one wants to play “Where’s Wally” in the dark. Even if you’re taking a photo at a club, pick a spot with a good light source.
Location
This is often neglected, but where you take that photo says something about you. Selfies at home say you don’t get out much. Club photos speak for themselves. So pick a place that tells your story. Do not take photos in a cemetery.
Stand Out
With people swiping 158 photos a day, you need one that stands out (but in a good way). People respond to photos that Express Who You Are, which show personality and not just what you look like. Candid Shots (not selfies) of you looking comfortable will be much more appealing than a painfully-awkward, posed photo or shots featuring only a range of studio headshots and modelling photos.
Diversity
There is no point in posting 5 photos of you wearing that same suit and sitting at your office desk. Yes, even though you go to work 5 days a week. Instead, create a Diverse Portfolio that features you in various aspects of your life. Look Interesting. Or pretend to be.
So what are you waiting for? Go on and Paktor http://taps.io/uYqA.