How to write a dating profile that people actually want to reply to

Knowing how to write a dating profile is mostly about one idea: make it easy for someone to start a conversation with you. People scroll quickly. A profile that offers a clear hook, a real photo and a hint of personality gets replies. A profile that says "just ask" or lists twenty adjectives gets passed over.

This guide works for any app, whether you swipe, match or meet people on video. At the end, we cover how it applies to Titli, the live video chat app we make, where your profile is what people see before they call or message you.

Start with what you want

Before you write a word, be honest with yourself about what you are looking for. Good conversation? Someone to talk to in the evenings? A relationship that might grow? Your profile does not need to announce it in capital letters, but knowing it shapes everything else, from the photos you choose to the interests you list.

Being clear also saves time for both sides. People appreciate honesty more than mystery.

Photos: real, recent and you

Lead with a clear photo of your face

Your first photo should show your face clearly, in good light, without sunglasses or a heavy filter. Look at the camera, or close to it. Smile if it feels natural. This is the photo people decide on, so make it easy to see who you are.

Show your life, not just your face

If your app allows more than one picture, add a couple that show you doing something: cooking, on a trek, at a cricket ground, with a book in a café. These give people something to ask about, which is the whole point.

Keep them recent and honest

Use photos from the last year or so. If you have changed your hair, grown a beard or started wearing glasses, update your pictures. Old or heavily edited photos lead to awkward first video calls, where the other person notices straight away.

What to leave out

• Group photos as your main picture. Nobody knows which one is you.
• Photos with ex-partners cropped out. The stray shoulder always shows.
• Images that reveal your home address, workplace badge, vehicle number or children's faces.
• Anything revealing or suggestive. It attracts the wrong attention, and many apps, including Titli, do not allow explicit content.

Writing a bio that invites replies

Be specific

"I love travelling, music and food" describes almost everyone. Instead, pick one detail for each:

• Not "I love music", but "Currently learning the harmonium, badly".
• Not "I love food", but "On a mission to find the best vada pav outside Mumbai".
• Not "I love travel", but "Spiti last year, Meghalaya next".

Specific details give people an obvious first message: "Okay, which vada pav is winning so far?"

Keep it short

Three to five lines is plenty. A profile is a trailer, not the film. Leave things for the conversation.

Add a question or a prompt

End with something people can answer. "Tell me your most controversial food opinion" or "Recommend me a song I have never heard" turns your profile into an easy opener.

Write in your own voice

If you think in Hinglish, write in Hinglish. If you are funny, let it show; if you are quiet, say so warmly. "I'm better at listening than talking, but I ask good questions" is honest and appealing. Our post on dating in Hindi has phrases if you want to add a line in Hindi.

Avoid negativity

Lists of what you do not want ("No time-wasters, no fake people") make you sound tired before anyone has said hello. Focus on what you enjoy.

Interests: your shortcut to good matches

Many apps let you add interests or tags. Choose things you could happily talk about for ten minutes, not things you think sound impressive. Three to six good interests beat fifteen vague ones.

Shared interests make the first minute of a conversation much easier. If you both picked old Hindi films, you already have something to say.

Privacy: what not to put in your profile

A dating profile is public to everyone on the app. Keep these out of it:

• Your full name, if the app does not require it.
• Your phone number, home address or the name of your office.
• Social media handles, which can reveal far more than you intend.
• Your daily routine or the gym you go to at the same time every day.

You can share these later, slowly, with someone you have come to trust. Our guide to privacy settings on video chat apps goes into more detail.

A simple template you can adapt

If you are stuck, start here and make it yours:

1. One line about what you do or care about. "Teacher by day, terrible guitarist by night."
2. One specific detail people can ask about. "Still searching for the perfect masala chai recipe."
3. One line about what you enjoy in a conversation. "I like people who can laugh at themselves."
4. A question to end on. "What's the best thing you ate this week?"

Read it out loud. If it sounds like you talking, it is ready.

Your profile on Titli

Titli is a live video chat app made in India. It is listed in the Social category on Google Play, not Dating, and video dating, getting to know someone face to face on video, is one way adults use it. Titli is only for adults aged 18 and over (see our Terms).

On Titli, people find you in Explore, where profiles appear in Popular and New lists and can be filtered by country, or meet you through Match, which pairs you at random with a member of the opposite gender for a 1-on-1 video call. Your profile is what someone sees before they call or message you, so the same rules apply:

• A clear, recent photo. Someone deciding whether to call you wants to see who they will be talking to.
• Interests you really have. Match lets you pick interests to match on, so honest interests help Match lean towards people you will get on with.
• Your language. Titli works in nine languages, and incoming chat messages can be auto-translated into your language.
• Nothing private. Your phone number is never shown to other people, so there is no need to add contact details.

Then, when someone calls, you will want to look and sound your best. Our guide on how to look good on a video date covers lighting, angles and sound.

Frequently asked questions