These are the most cliché things on your dating apps - and how to fix them

Let’s address the elephant in the room… your Hinge prompt answers are boring AF.

Some may argue that the most difficult part of dating apps is putting a profile together. It’s the first step towards getting back on the scene and you’re faced with the prospect of trying to be unique and witty. But guess what? You’re not the only person who loves a Sunday roast or F1, nor will you be the first singleton who wants to travel more this year.

These prompts and the answers singletons attach to them have become cliché — and the relationship experts behind the app are fully aware of it. Earlier this year, the app launched a feature to give its users feedback on prompts with the help of AI. Users get feedback and specific guidance with nudges to make the answers more unique.

But cliché responses to prompts can make it hard for potential matches to find shared interests and start a meaningful conversation. You want sparks to pop and fizzle, right?

The online dating world is going through a transformative time, as single people in search of a match are reportedly going outside and trying to pair up IRL. With that said, there’s still a notable population of folks on the apps looking for love — and perfecting your profile could give you a better chance of finding a match.

You should show off your personality more to improve your chances of getting a date Photo by Jonathan J. Castellon on Unsplash

We have gone a step further to help improve your dating app prowess by speaking to Logan Ury, Hinge’s director of relationship science, about how to avoid run-of-the-mill answers. Firstly, “you should avoid one-word answers, generic answers, or spelling or grammatical mistakes. Instead focus on expressing your authentic self, including who you are and what you want,” she says.

But why do people end up adding cliché to their profiles? Research suggests in 2024, likes on text prompts were 47 per cent more likely to lead to a date than likes on photos. Furthermore, More than half of daters struggle with knowing what to say on their profile.

“We’ve found some of the most common words that show up in Hinge prompts across English-speaking profiles globally include: food, music, gym, coffee, wine, beach, chocolate, travel.

“While these words show up frequently, and might feel cliché as one-word responses, they can still lead to a meaningful conversation. For example, instead of saying you love coffee, tell us you know the city’s best spot for a black sesame latte, and you’ll share it on the second date. Evolve your responses to include more specifics and try Prompt Feedback if you are looking for extra guidance.

“You’re excited about seeing your future matches, so you may want to rush the process. The best thing you can do is take a step back and reflect on what you want your profile to communicate.”

Try your best to avoid one-word responses. “For example, instead of saying you love coffee, tell us you know the city’s best spot for a black sesame latte, and you’ll share it on the second date.”

In other news, research has found Gen-Z to be the pickiest generation of daters, sparking a new trend known as 'conscious coupling'. Just in case you needed another reason to give your profile a spring clean, here it is.

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