We make it our business to know the hows and whys of online dating—that includes picking up a few awesome online dating profile tips from time to time. Check out these recent finds.

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Is your online dating profile failing to get hits? There are a few ways to spruce it up a bit based on the successes of the most popular profiles in the world of digital dating.

Data hounds from Wired, Match.com and OkCupid have crunched a sea of numbers to bring you some suggestions on how to make your profile more noticeable and efficient. What they have come up with is a list of the most frequently used words and the most attractive types of profile pictures among popular users.

Active people seem to be the most attractive. The four most efficient keywords were “surfing,” “yoga,” “skiing,” and “ocean,” so if you’ve been thinking about taking that first surfing lesson or walking into that yoga studio for the first time, there is no time like the present.

Your profile picture goes a long way in presenting yourself as well. For women, body-length selfies taken indoors have the most success. The lighting and mood of the home-selfie often suggest intimacy and men find this alluring. On the other hand, men should never use the selfie. It does not communicate the same way.

Men, whether gay or straight, should take an outdoor photo. The research shows that straight men have the most success with photos of them engaging in an outdoor activity. The fact that it is taken by a friend shows social prowess and the outdoor activity expresses ruggedness that women find attractive. For gay men, there was a similar finding. Nearly half of the most popular profiles of gay men displayed outdoor photos.

Overall trends suggest you should speak more about your interests than about what your are looking for in a partner, because you want to give people a look into your life; and always mind your spelling and grammar, because it shows that you are thoughtful.

For more tips on how to bolster your profile, click here.

 

 

[Image: via Miguel Navaza, on Flickr]