If you're getting ready to swipe in the New Year but want a few tips on how to make it really go somewhere, you're in luck. Tinder, the OG of dating apps, released a new video called "The Dos and Don'ts Of Tinder", and shared exclusively with Bustle. In the video, you'll see all of their best tips for getting more matches, leading up to the busiest online dating of the year. The first Sunday in January tends to be the most popular day for online dating — and, this year, it's January 7, 2018. The first Sunday in January is so busy that Tinder dubs it "Dating Sunday". In fact, this one day will account for 10 percent of the swipes in the whole month. And last year, more than 44 million matches were made on Dating Sunday. So why this Sunday?
"After the party is over, people are focused on accomplishing the goals they have set for themselves for the new year — that’s exactly when Dating Sunday rolls around," Rosette Pambakian, Vice President of Brand Marketing & Communications, tells Bustle. "People have resolved to be more adventurous and try something new, so we’ve noticed that more and more people sign on to Tinder during the first Sunday of the month."
It's certainly a good day to get swiping — and Tinder has proof of it. "Sunday is traditionally the busiest day of the week for Tinder use, and the 'try something new' mindset really amplifies this," Pambakian says. "Last year, more than 44 million matches were made on Dating Sunday. In fact, nearly 10 percent of total swipes in January are typically accounted for on Dating Sunday because people are committed to succeeding with the goals they put forth for the new year."
If you want some tips and tricks to get the most out of Dating Sunday, Tinder's video will show you how to maximize your right swipes and your matches.
By making a few little tweaks to how you use the app could mean you'll have a whole lot more connection with potential partners — you just need to play your cards right. Here's how the video broke it down.
1No Blank Bios
Firstly, don't leave your bio blank or someone looking at your profile will be as lost as this forlorn woman surrounded by igloos? Paper tents? Pillows? The used tissues of a giant? OK, the symbolism isn't clear to me, but you get the idea.
"I also always tell Tinder users to spend time making their bio the best it can be," Pambakian says. "Never leave that section blank, because you’re passing up the opportunity to tell potential matches more about yourself. Include questions like “what’s your favorite margarita in the city” or “what’s your favorite brunch spot” are great conversations starters."
2Smile In Your Photos
Smiling is important. In fact, smiling photos are 14 percent more effective than non-smiling photos, so make sure to show off those teeth.
3Ditch Your Sunglasses
Yeah, sorry bruh — you do not look too cool for school in those shades. In fact, pictures with sunglasses get 12 percent fewer right swipes than those without. Which makes sense, because everyone wants to see ~the real you~ before you go on a date. That's a must.
4Wear Something Bright
Seventy two percent of users wear neutral colors in their profile photos, according to Tinder's data, so wearing bright colors can set you apart and really make your profile pop. Don't be afraid to put the black and grays away, even if it's just for a photo.
5Use Smart Photos
What is Smart Photos? Is it a creepy droid in a futuristic checkerboard judging your photos on from one to 10, like something straight out of Black Mirror? No, luckily not. It's actually a genius Tinder feature that determines which one of your photos gets the most right swipes and makes it your primary photo. Easy, breezy.
6Connect To Your Instagram
You may be too lazy to update your Tinder profile all the time, but if you link it to your Instagram account then all of your sweet new 'grams will show automatically. It's a lazy girl's dream for showing people what you're up to.
7Do Some Sunday Swiping
Sunday afternoons are the most popular swiping time of the week, so if you want to increase your chances of some action, then that's the best time to get online.
8Use GIFs
If you're tongue-tied, don't worry — your favorite Liz Lemon GIF has you covered. Messages with GIFs are 30 percent more likely to get a reply than just plain messages. Because if a picture is worth a 1,000 words, then a GIF must be worth, you know, like a 1,005.
9Be Yourself
That's what's most important. Maybe "yourself" looks like the little girl from Little Miss Sunshine all grown up and trying to do a backbend, maybe it doesn't. Either way, kust be upfront about who you are and be nice to people you meet.
With all this information you should be ready to enter Dating Sunday with all the tools you need. "There are no hard and fast rules for dating, but I would say that having an open mind is one of the most important things you can do," Pambakian says. "You never know who you might meet — if your checklist for a significant other is too lengthy, you may miss out on an awesome connection with an unexpected person."
So get swiping, because the new Game of Thrones season isn't out for like another five years, so we all better come up with something else to do on Sundays until then. And believe me, matches are coming.
