“What really matters is what you do with what you have.” ― H.G. Wells
An algorithm at its core is a set of rules followed to get a certain outcome. Algorithms calculate the fastest route to get to work, what the weather's like tomorrow, and more importantly, which people to match together online.
Knowing how dating service algorithms work can make sure that you see the profiles that you're interested in and that they see yours.
Unfortunately, each dating service has its own algorithm with its own set of rules that determines which profiles get shown to whom, what order to show profiles, and more. So as you might have guessed, there's no one-size-fits-all solution. Thankfully, here are a few key findings that you can use to your advantage:
Don't like/match everyone
Most dating algorithms don't like that [1, 2]. If you think that you can cheat the system by liking every user you see, you're making a big mistake!
Most dating algorithms use previous data—like who you matched with—to determine which people to show you next. Like a profile with caution.
Update your profile often
Rewriting your bio, replacing your profile pictures, and changing any other feature of your profile is something that most dating algorithms look for [1, 2].
Users that update their profile are those that care about it. And users that care about their profile get rewarded by the algorithm with more views. Update often.
Start matching at 9PM
This might not work for everyone, but a large portion of the population uses their dating services around 9 PM [1, 2].
Hopping on with everyone else has a positive impact on the number of matches you get as the recently active profiles are usually shown to others first. Match at 9 PM.
Use complete sentences
Enough said [1, 2]. Well, maybe not. We'll cover how to keep your online conversations going on the next page.
Be active every day
Most dating algorithms really like when their users are very active [1, 2]. If you're more active, that means that you're more eager to find a "mate".
And users that are eager will often pay money to get paid features—something every dating service wants. Therefore, most dating services reward active users by showing their profile to more users with the hope that the constant influx of likes gets them to pay a subscription fee. Be active.
Expand your expectations
Based on expert advice from eHarmony [1], many of the long-term relationships began with two people that didn't immediately think "this is the one".
Consider each profile you don't like carefully. Their images may be deceiving, their bios poorly written, and yet, they didn't have this guide.
Don't start with "hi" or "hey"
We'll go over the best ways to start your conversations soon. Hang in there.
Ask for their number between the 20th and 30th message
Interesting, right? The range between the 20th and 30th message ensures that both of you have something to talk about and that both parties are interested [1].
How dating algorithms work is a closely guarded secret—for good reason. If everyone knew how your dating algorithm worked then they'd exploit to their own benefit. Not good.
If you happen to stumble upon any dating algorithm research in the future, let us know! We'll update this guide with the new and improved information.
The cheat sheet
This is a good spot to point out that you can get the cheat sheet for this guide and all the other guides by signing up for the newsletter below:
Since we despise sending emails, you'll only get notified every 3 to 4 months when the guides are updated and/or published. Specifically, the updates for this guide will include improved methods of online dating, better pick-up lines, and more.
If you've already signed up for the newsletter, cool. If not, we don't care. Well, maybe a little.
