Casual dating profile: how to write one that gets replies
By Lottie Williams, Head of Content
Updated
Your profile has about three seconds to do its job. It does not need to be clever or long. It needs to show a real person, say what you want, and give someone an easy reason to say hello. Here is how to do that.
What a casual profile has to do
A relationship profile is a sales pitch for the next ten years. A casual profile is much simpler. It answers three questions: are you real, what are you looking for, and would an evening with you be fun? Answer those and you will get replies. Skip them and even great photos will not save you.
Photos that work
You do not need a photographer. You need honesty and decent light.
- One clear, recent photo where your face is easy to see. Daylight by a window is all it takes.
- One or two showing you doing something you enjoy, or dressed for a night out.
- Recent means this year. Turning up looking different from your photos ends the night before it starts.
- Skip group shots where people have to guess which one you are, and anything you would not want a colleague to stumble on.
Photos and privacy
If discretion matters, you still have options. Use photos that are not on your social media, so they cannot be traced back to you. Keep more revealing photos private and share them person by person, when you choose. Every photo is checked against our content policy before it goes live.
The red tick helps a lot here. If you verify your ID, people know you are real even if your main photo is a little more reserved. Women who verify also get full membership free.
The bio: short, specific, warm
Two to four sentences is plenty. Say something real about you, what you are looking for, and what a good evening looks like. Specific details do the heavy lifting: "good at cocktails, bad at pool" tells people far more than "fun-loving and down to earth".
Keep it flirty rather than explicit. Graphic bios put off the people you most want to hear from, and they make you sound like every fake profile on the internet.
- Line one: something true and specific about you.
- Line two: what you are looking for, in plain words.
- Line three: when or how you like to meet, such as a drink first, or weekends only.
- Optional line four: a small hook someone could ask about, like a favourite bar or a terrible karaoke song.
Write for the person you want to meet
Picture the person you would love to hear from, then read your profile as them. Would they feel safe saying hello? Would they know what you want? Would anything make them wince? The profiles that do best on casual sites sound relaxed, confident and kind, because that is who people want to spend an evening with.
Small signals of care go a long way. Mentioning that you like to meet for a drink first, or that you are happy to go at their pace, tells careful people you are worth replying to. Your safer sex answer helps too: whether you always have safer sex, like to discuss it first or test regularly, it shows on your full profile and says you take it seriously.
If you are new to casual dating, say so. Plenty of people find it reassuring, and it sets a gentle pace from the start.
Good lines and bad lines
These are invented examples, but the patterns are real.
- Good: "Busy week, free weekends. Looking for someone fun to share a bottle of red with and see where the night goes."
- Good: "New to this and a bit nervous, so a drink first suits me. Kind, chatty, terrible at keeping a straight face."
- Good: "Regular thing would suit me better than one-offs. I travel a lot, so short notice works."
- Bad: "Just ask." Nobody will, because you have given them nothing to ask about.
- Bad: "NO time wasters, NO fakes, NO drama." Capital letters read as angry, and a list of what you hate tells people nothing about you.
- Bad: anything explicit. Save it for when you both clearly want that conversation.
A quick check before you go live
Read your profile once on your phone, the way everyone else will see it, and ask yourself these questions.
- Is there at least one recent photo where my face is clear?
- Could a stranger say what I am looking for after reading it once?
- Is there anything in it, or in the background of a photo, that gives away where I live or work?
- Have I said what I want, rather than only what I do not?
- Would I reply to this if someone else had written it?
Keep it current
A profile is not a tattoo. If you started out wanting one-offs and now fancy something regular, change your tags. If you are free tonight, switch on Free tonight so people nearby can see it. Profiles that are kept up to date get more replies, and the people who reply are closer to what you actually want.
Once your profile is done, the next step is the first message. Our guide to opening messages picks up from there.
Staying safe
Casual does not mean careless. A few habits make a big difference, and the site is built around them.
- Look for the red tick. Verified members have passed a photo and ID check.
- Meet somewhere public first, and use Safety check-in to tell a friend where and when.
- Keep the chat on the site until you are sure. Anyone who pushes you off it quickly, or asks for money, is someone to report.
- Close any chat that does not feel right. One tap, no explanations needed.
- Report anything odd. Reports are reviewed by a person, and every photo is checked before it goes live.
What it costs, in UK prices
Joining, building your profile and browsing are free. You pay only when you want to message, and you choose how long for.
Passes never renew. Plans that do renew send you a reminder first, and you can cancel in two taps. Payments show on your statement under a neutral company name.
The prices below are UK prices, in pounds. Wherever you are, our prices page shows them in your own currency.
- 24-hour pass: £1.99, perfect for a free night
- 1 week: £4.99
- 1 month: £9.99, the main plan
- 3 months: £19.99
- Women who verify get full membership free, for as long as they stay active
Quick answers
What should I write in a casual dating profile?
Two to four sentences: something real about you, what you are looking for and when you are free. Specific details work better than adjectives.
How many photos should I use on a dating profile?
Two to four recent photos is the sweet spot, with at least one where your face is clear. More photos rarely help if they are older or less like you.
Do I have to show my face on a hook-up profile?
A clear face photo gets far more replies. If discretion matters, use photos that are not on social media, keep others private, and verify your ID so people know you are real.
Should I say what I am into on my profile?
Yes, but through your tags and answers rather than graphic text. It helps the right people find you without putting anyone off.
What should I avoid in a dating bio?
Lists of what you do not want, capital letters, "just ask" and anything explicit. They make a profile look cross, lazy or fake.
Read next
No strings dating near you
Popular cities