We’re busy bees these days trying to balance work, friends, family, and for many people – dating. Meeting people the old-fashioned way can be difficult, especially when you have a lot on your plate or tend to be on the shyer side. That’s where dating apps come in handy.
Dating apps are simply a tool. One that you can use to connect with people, start conversations, and meet people you might not otherwise meet “in the wild”. While many of them have premium subscriptions or purchases, they’re typically free.
It’s awesome that these free tools are available for you to connect with people but they can also be daunting. How you present yourself on your profile affects who is going to “swipe right” on you.
While your pictures may be important, if you want an authentic connection, you need to also display your brilliant personality. That’s where prompts come in, especially when using apps like Hinge. Got a case of writer’s block? We’ve rounded up some creative prompt ideas when using Hinge and other dating apps.
Types of Successful Dating App Prompts
Hinge offers pre-written prompts where you can respond with a written or voice recording to showcase your personality. You can break these prompts into a few main categories: personal characteristics, relationship goals, and creative/fun prompts.
Here are some responses to help get your creative juices flowing:
Personal Characteristics Prompts
Prompt: “I’m weirdly attracted to”
It can be fun and playful to write about random things you’re attracted to physically or personality-wise like glasses, freckles, or mullets – they’re having a moment ok?
Prompt: “Something that’s non-negotiable for me”
People sometimes avoid this prompt because they’re nervous about scaring people away, but it’s helpful to be as clear as possible about what you’re looking for. This could be things like a strong work ethic, an adventurous spirit, or something funny like “second breakfast”.
Prompt: “Unusual skills”
This is a fun one where you can show off whatever neat skills you’ve picked up in your lifetime. But you can also use it for a silly response like a video of you acting like a dinosaur.
Relationship Goals Prompts
Prompt: “Together we could”
This prompt is a fun way to talk about your short-term dating goals. Your response can show what you’re looking for, and what that looks like in practice.
Responses like “Peruse the snacks section at the grocery store” make it seem like you’re looking for a relationship, while “Check out this bar I’ve been wanting to try” seems a bit more casual and open for interpretation.
Prompt: “A life goal of mine”
What drives you in life? Have you always wanted to write a book? Travel the world? Just be a good person? Share your hopes and dreams.
Creative and Fun Prompts
Prompt: “Change my mind about”
It’s probably best to stay on the lighter (aka not controversial) side of this prompt, but still leave room for a light-hearted debate about your least favorite condiment, or whatever else you have controversial opinions on.
Prompt: “The one thing I’d love to know about you is”
People love to talk about themselves! Give them a chance to do that by asking about their favorite way to unwind, their favorite foods, or what their biggest passions are.
Prompt:” Worst idea I’ve ever had”
As long as you have a funny story to share, this prompt can be an absolute winner. Something like “Wearing socks and sandals” or sharing a silly story that went south will be sure to get a chuckle out of people – and hopefully a swipe right.
Just please don’t write “Going on this app”, as that is certain to give people major ick. If you don’t like apps, don’t use them!
Prompt: “If loving this is wrong, I don’t want to be right”
Time to show off what a little weirdo you can be.
Do you have a unique food pairing you’re into like pickles and peanut butter? Have an obsession with a certain teen pop sensation? Is your home full of a collection of Pokemon cards or vintage knick-knacks? Share this unique quirk for a fun conversation starter.
Tips for Creating Successful Hinge Prompts
When you put more effort into your profile you not only showcase more of your personality, you also show people that you’re willing to put effort into dating and whatever connections form.
A successful prompt doesn’t necessarily mean that you got a relationship out of it, but that you feel like you were being yourself and putting your best face forward. Here are some other tips for keeping it real and keeping it you:
Keep It Clear and Avoid Generalizations
The more clarity you offer in your profile, the more people can see who the real you is. Ambiguity leaves people wondering what exactly they’re reading and makes them more likely to swipe left.
We’re sure you have plenty to bring to the table, so please showcase your personality by writing clear, well-thought-out responses – even if they’re only one sentence.
Tell the Truth, And Nothing But the Truth
You might feel tempted to stretch the truth about what you do for work or what you’re looking for, but that’s not doing you any favors in the end.
People want and crave honesty and authenticity, so be truthful when creating your portfolio. Look at it this way – if you connect with someone when you’re being less than truthful, that connection is based somewhat on a lie. Not a great start to any relationship!
Use Humor and Creativity
Funny is sexy. Humor is one of the biggest ways to stand out in a sea of cliched responses. Being able to make someone laugh is one of the best ways to form a connection and get into their hearts (and maybe pants).
Don’t be afraid of being too weird, people love the weirdos. If that’s you, you’re better off being your quirky self than suppressing that and not feeling like yourself in dating. Use your creative chops and show off that unique flair.
Avoid Clichés and Generic Responses
Here’s your chance to showcase what makes you, you. So please, avoid the cliches and generic responses. They’ve been done. Over and over. And using them certainly doesn’t help you stand out from the crowd.
One of the most overdone responses? The prompt says “I’ll fall for you if”, the cliche response we see left and right? “By tripping me”.
When you use cliches it seems like you either don’t know how to think for yourself or you’re not willing to put that much effort into your profile, and thus your relationships. If you can’t think of a good response to a certain prompt then by all means – pick a different one!
Avoid Using Prompts as a Checklist for Matching
When you’re on the other side of the screen looking at people’s profiles it can be tempting to look for certain boxes to check when swiping. While your “boxes” can be a helpful guideline, try not to be rigid about them.
When you use prompts as a checklist for whether or not you’re interested in someone, you’re likely ruling out cool people that you might be into if you had met IRL. People surprise you, so try to look at each profile individually and not just rush through it like you’re playing another phone game.
Time To Make Your Profile
Remember that your profile is your chance to showcase your winning personality, not just what thirst traps you have on hand. Be honest, be creative, and be authentically you, because that’s where the best connections come from.
We recommend updating your profile periodically to keep it fresh. If you’re actively dating it can be a good thing to do every month or so. Different prompts resonate with different people, so lean towards the ones that seem natural to you and give you the best chance to show off what makes you, you!