The A-Plus Dating Profile
Win the one-second swipe with a photo sequence and prompts that make her want to know more
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 88%
Anderson treats the dating profile as a marketing asset judged in about one second. The photo sequence is engineered: the first photo must be a clear, current, near-face shot looking into the camera to create familiarity; then a full-body shot; then lifestyle 'filler' photos that showcase how you spend your time (skiing, travelling, with your dog). Photos must look like you today, with no confusing variation, sunglasses or five-year-old shots. She bans selfies, mirror photos and most gym photos, and cuts any woman who could read as an ex. Prompts and bio are the next priority: light-hearted, designed to make her smile, never a resume or a list of what you want. Specificity is the differentiator: 'every year I take a trip to Spain to buy dessert wines' beats 'I like to travel.' Because the bar is so low, small optimisation and two professional photos deliver outsized returns.
Origin
Extracted from Blaine Anderson's dating-profile coaching, drawn from reviewing thousands of profiles and Bumble conversations for male clients.
Core principles
- 01You have about one second to make an impression on a swipe
- 02Photos should show what you look like today, not a highlight reel of the past
- 03Prompts and bios are light-hearted marketing, not a resume or a help-wanted ad
- 04Specificity is what makes you stand out from a thousand profiles
How to run it
- 1
Nail the first photo
Lead with a clear, current, near-face shot (not a LinkedIn headshot) looking into the camera, so she instantly knows what you look like and feels she is being looked at.
Pro tip Looking into the lens creates familiarity and makes it feel like eye contact.
Watch out Too much variation, distance or sunglasses across photos is an automatic no.
- 2
Add a full-body and lifestyle photos
Include one full-body shot, then 'filler' lifestyle photos that show how you spend your time and what matters to you.
Pro tip Six headshots tell her nothing; a ski, travel or dog photo shows a life.
Watch out No photos with women who could look like an ex, even a sister or aunt, unless obviously your mum or grandma.
- 3
Ban the bad photo types
Cut selfies, mirror photos and staged gym mirror shots. Replace gym vanity with a race, marathon or hike photo that shows fitness naturally.
Pro tip Men are bad at judging good vs bad selfies, so the safe blanket rule is none.
Watch out Mirror photos are arguably worse than selfies.
- 4
Write specific, light-hearted prompts
Treat prompts and bio as playful marketing that makes her smile, not a resume or a help-wanted ad. Be specific enough to intrigue.
Pro tip Spend at least an hour per prompt; write ten and pick the best three, and run them past female friends.
Watch out Listing what you want ('kind, likes to travel') talks to every woman on the app and stands out to none.
- 5
Invest in two professional photos
Use a dating-app photographer for two shots with bright, standout backgrounds, mixed with candid organic photos.
Pro tip It is high ROI and even signals value and effort; keep some candid shots so it isn't all polished.
In the wild
Anderson contrasts two roughly equally cute, fit men. One writes 'I really like to travel' and 'I like burritos.' The other writes 'every year I take a trip to Spain to buy dessert wines' and 'I cook a homemade dinner with my roommates every Sunday and pick a new country to focus on.' The specific man gives her something to be curious about and swipe on.
→ Specific, textured details make a woman want to know more, which is the entire job of the profile.
Common mistakes
Six accidental photos
Most men use whatever six photos they happen to appear in rather than intentionally chosen shots that show their face, body and lifestyle.
Treating the bio as a resume or wishlist
Prompts should be light and specific, not a list of accomplishments or a help-wanted ad for the woman you want.
Is it for you?
Best for
Men on Hinge, Bumble or Tinder whose profiles are unintentional rather than designed.
Not ideal for
Men whose core issue is in-person approach or attraction rather than online presentation.
From the transcript
“you have about one second to make a good impression so that first photo needs to be clear”
“be as specific as possible details are what is going to help you stand out”
From the episode
A Woman’s Guide To Attracting Women - Blaine Anderson - #815
Blaine Anderson