How Does Tinder Matching Work?

How does Tinder matching work? Well, as you know:

There is an art to using Tinder.

But guess what? There’s way more to it than the stuff you already know.

You know you need to have more than just one or two photos. You know you need to have a bio. And ideally, your photos are well-lit and your bio is unique, and then you’re off to the races… right?

Turns out: not quite. There’s a whole algorithm at work.

I’m going to tell you about the ways Tinder itself says you need to act on the app in order to use the algorithm to your advantage… and I’m also going to tell you ways you can use the app to your advantage that Tinder doesn’t come right out and tell you.

Ready to learn? Let’s dive in.

How Does Tinder Matching Work? Here’s What Tinder Says.

It might not always feel like it – but Tinder wants you to have a great experience with the app. How else are they going to keep you using their app rather than a competitor’s?

And to Tinder, having a good experience means matching with like-minded, nearby people who share your interests and vibe, and then actually going out on dates, so you can report back to all of your friends: “Tinder really works!” (And then your friends download Tinder.)

Here are the 4 key things the Tinder team tells you about what’s going on behind the scenes in their algorithm, and how you can make it work to your advantage.

1. Be Active.

What’s the quickest way for you to have a good experience on Tinder?

Instant gratification.

Tinder wants you to be getting matches right away, while you’re actively using the app. So Tinder prioritizes showing you profiles of people who are also active users of the app, and are either online swiping right now, or who engage with the app regularly and consistently.

So the best way to get Tinder to prioritize showing your profile to other people is to be an active user yourself. Set aside time every single day to swipe on profiles and message with matches. You’ll literally increase your odds of matching with people, plus the people you match with will be active Tinder users themselves, who have shown themselves to be engaged and responsive daters.

Consistency is key!

2. Start Conversations (Right Away!)

If you match with someone and then never speak to them, you’ve created a somewhat negative experience for that user – you liked them enough to swipe on them, but not to actually speak to them. If you match with someone and message them right away, you’ve created a great experience for that user – you liked their profile enough that you couldn’t wait to start talking to them!

Guess which behavior Tinder will reward?

The folks at Tinder explicitly say that if you’re a person who matches and then quickly strikes up a conversation, they prioritize your profile.

Starting a conversation in new and creative ways isn’t always easy, though. That’s where I come in 🙂 I’ve sorted through the top-performing opening lines and questions from my own dating experience and my clients’, and created a list of the 30 most irresistible icebreakers. Don’t let the algorithm deprioritize you – grab the conversation starters now with Profile In An Hour and get talking with your matches STAT.

3. Fill Out Your Information

Tinder knows you’re going to be happiest with your matches (and therefore happiest with the app) if you match with people who don’t just behave on the app like you do, but who actually share your interests in real life!

So their next piece of advice is: fill out as much information about yourself as you’re able. All that’s required is age, distance, and gender preference, but the more information you include about yourself, the more the algorithm will work to match you with people of similar interests.

And get this – their algorithm is so good, it’ll scan your bio for keywords. For example, if you love hiking and hope to meet someone who will go on romantic camping getaways with you, mention hiking in your bio. You might just start seeing more hikers in your queue.

4. Choose Photos That Represent You

Now of course, you should choose photos for your profile that represent you – on Tinder especially, most people swipe based on perceived compatibility from your images alone.

But the Tinder algorithm goes even deeper.

Tinder’s AI will actually scan your photos for their contexts, assuming that the locations you’re at and activities you’re doing in your photos are good indicators of the ways you most like to spend your time.

Love the beach? Include a beach pic, and Tinder’s AI will be able to tell you’re a beachgoer – and it’ll feed you more people who also have photos at the beach.

Really takes “choose photos that represent you” to a whole new level, huh?

They’ll also track the types of people you’re swiping right on, and feed you more people who have similar types of photos. So you can actually teach Tinder to show you people whose lifestyles you’re most interested in, based on who you’re swiping on! Pretty amazing.

For me, the hardest part of starting online dating after my divorce was finding the right photos. When you’re married and have 2 kids, there aren’t a lot of solo shots of you enjoying your favorite mug of coffee or riding your bike on a beautiful spring day.

I’ve got you covered here as well, with something I super wish had existed when I was starting out on the apps.

With Profile In A Day, we take care of the photos (and the bio, the layout, and even which apps you should be on) for you. A professional stylist (me!) will choose the outfits that will most flatter you; a professional hair and makeup artist will get you camera-ready; and a professional photographer will capture bright, crisp, natural, and fun photos that show off YOU and your personality. Have top-quality photos so that Tinder’s AI scans them and shows you, other users, with top-quality photos!

(It’s also a majorly fun day!)

So there you have it: you have learned the 4 main ways Tinder itself says you can game the system and make its algorithm work for you.

But I did some additional research, and there’s even more at work in Tinder’s algorithm than they tell you.

Want to learn all the ways to use the algorithm to your advantage that Tinder doesn’t want you to know?

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Designed for getting your profile Swipe-Right ready in as little time as possible. With Profile in an Hour, you’ll learn to avoid the most common pitfalls that make for an undesirable profile while building a winning profile that attracts individuals who match your lifestyle and standards.

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