Quantcast
RELATED

It's 2024, and you're ready to get back into the dating scene. Well, you're not alone. According to Jonathan Kirkland, Head of Brand and Marketing of BLK, a popular dating and lifestyle app for the Black community, the day after Christmas through Valentine's Day is considered "peak season" for dating apps. So, whether romance is on your vision board or you just want to date for fun, it's necessary to make your dating profile stand out. If you've used dating apps, then you've probably seen it all. The shady profiles with creepy photos, the lack of info or too much info in the About Me section, and much more. While we know that's not you, you could be making some mistakes that are keeping you from making a connection with a potential love interest.


In an exclusive interview, Jonathan lists 10 dating profile mistakes to avoid in 2024. Read below to kick off your dating journey in a positive way.

Blurry Pictures

Jonathan says blurry pictures are the ultimate no-no. "Pictures are your first representation of yourself on the dating app. So make sure that you have a clear picture, make sure that the picture represents you. If it's a blurry picture, people can't see you. They will see your picture before they read your profile."

Inappropriate Pictures

Next are inappropriate pictures. "Typically, they'll get flagged on dating apps by our moderators, but I mean a torso pic. I mean, even if you have a six-pack, people still want to see your face."

dating profile mistakes to avoid

Morsa Images/ Getty Images

Incomplete Biographies

"Another profile mistake; I will say incomplete bios because after people see your pic, if they like it. They want to, you know, get to know a little bit about you," he says.

"If the app gives you as much information to fill out like if you want kids, education, are you a smoker or do you work out, you know, fill out as much as possible because that way that also helps, you know, get you to your match quicker and can alleviate some of that time back and forth. If you know, it's not going to be a match."

Misspellings and Grammar Mistakes

Jonathan recommends that dating app users use spellcheck when writing bios. Grammar mistakes and misspelled words may show that you don't "pay attention to detail, which people probably don't want."

Being Vague About Intentions

While you may be looking for a serious relationship, other people may just be looking for a good time so revealing what you're looking for in your profile will help weed out those who don't match your intentions. "So on BLK we now have, you can select your intention right on your profile. Are you looking for long-term relationship, friends with benefits, friends, you know, things like that?"

Pro-Stock Studios/ Getty Images

TMI

However, there is such a thing as too much information. "Because then that could be safety and privacy, like you don't want to put your phone number on there. I mean, you might not want to put your Snapchat or Instagram." He continues, "I will say like, keep your different social media separate and not give all your information out on your profile."

Negativity

If you're on dating apps, then you've probably seen a negative profile or two, but don't follow in those footsteps. "Even if you've had bad experiences in dating apps or relationships, you don't take it to the dating app because it's supposed to be a place of hope."

Not Updating Your Profile

Have you dyed your hair or lost weight since creating your dating profile? Then you might want to update it, sis. "I mean, you don't want to misrepresent yourself, like if you got a picture from when you were in high school, probably not the best thing because if you meet somebody in person, you're not going to look the same. People's weights, especially during COVID, have gone up, gone down. So you might want to keep that updated to be in accordance with what's real."

dating profile mistakes to avoid10 Dating Profile Mistakes To Avoid In 2024Igor Alecsander/ Getty Images

Overuse of Filters

While we love our filters, we want to make sure our pics on our dating profiles match how we look in real life. No catfishing here. "Overuse of filters is definitely a faux pas because, again, it's not representing who you truly are," he says. "We want to be all about authenticity. Like that's why BLK exists because it's like you can be your real self, so with BLK, you don't have to code switch. So, I would say, like the filters and edits, let's not lean into that so much.

Lack of Initiative

Lack of initiative applies to after matching with someone. "Bumble says make the first move. We're not gonna say that, but it's like, I mean, send a message if you already matched, so it's like okay, you both swiped right on each other. Don't wait for the other person to message you first. Just go for it. I mean, all you can lose is just somebody you don't know."

Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.

Feature image by Deagreez/ Getty Images

 

RELATED

 
ALSO ON XONECOLE
Sergio Hudson On Designing With Intention And Who Gets Left Out Of The Industry

Sergio Hudson dreamt big as a young South Carolina boy staring out of the window of his mom’s Volvo driving down the Ridgeway, South Carolina streets. Those dreams led him to design opulent tailoring that’s been worn by Beyoncé, Queen Latifah, former Vice President Kamala Harris and Forever First Lady Michelle Obama, just to name a few.

Those dreams have come full circle in a new way as he recently collaborated with Volvo for a mini capsule collection suitable for chic and stylish moments this fall. The 40-year-old designer follows a long legacy of fashion aficionados who’ve used their innovation to push the automotive industry forward, including Virgil Abloh, Eddie Bauer, Paul Smith and Jeremy Scott.

KEEP READINGShow less
I Tried It: Hollywood Beauty's Level Up Collection

Hollywood Beauty has been a staple brand in many Black households due to their variety of oils for hair and skin. You could always find them at your local drug store or hair store making them readily accessible and the price was always right. Growing up, I would get hot oil treatments regularly with Hollywood Beauty's Tea Tree Oil and Olive Oil.

Now, they have a new collection of oils that are a blend of ingredients that promote healthy skin and hair. Introducing Hollywood Beauty's Level Up Collection.

KEEP READINGShow less
Wondering If Your Relationship Is Stagnant? Have This Convo Before 2026.

It really is a trip that sometimes, right when I’m about to sit down and pen an article, I will feel like the timing isn’t quite right…just yet. Today’s piece is a great example of that because I was actually going to write this up a couple of weeks ago — yet I didn’t have complete peace about it at the time. As life would have it, recently, I received the confirmation that I needed for why that was the case.

The YouTube video in this intro? They feature a fairly young couple who go by Cey and Jai (fun fact: Jai is actually Jocelyn Savage’s younger sister — IYKYK). Although I don’t know how Cey ended up in my YouTube algorithm several years back, he did, and catching his content from time to time is how I ended up seeing the video where he met Jai for the first time while doing random interviews at a mall. And now, six years later, they are married. What’s really wild is they got engaged four months ago and then got married this month.

KEEP READINGShow less