Dating Sunday has been compared to the Super Bowl of online dating—every year, on the first Sunday in January, dating apps have a huge surge in activity as singles try to make good on their New Year’s resolutions when it comes to finding someone special in an online match.
Think we are pulling your leg? The stats don’t lie—apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge see user activity skyrocket by up to 30%, and messaging goes up nearly 40%. It’s an absolute goldmine for meeting someone new, but when there are so many other people swiping and clicking, how can you get noticed?
Our guide can help you go from a dating app wallflower to standing out. How? By connecting in a real way so that you can make the most out of Dating Sunday! It doesn’t matter if you’ve been on dating apps for years or if you’re a first-timer—trust us, and you’ll notice a difference in getting noticed!
Why Dating Sunday Is the Perfect Opportunity to Shine
Dating Sunday exists for a reason, and that reason is that after all of the holiday chaos and festive obligations are done and dusted, singles finally have the time to focus on themselves. Add in the classic saying “New Year, New Me,” and you’ve got millions of people who are refreshing their profiles as they are determined to start off the new year with a little romance.
For some people, this renewed energy is about making up for a holiday season that was spent solo. For others, it’s a resolution they’ve made to find love, and it’s fueled by hope and optimism. But don’t be fooled—the competition is fierce. It’s like it’s 5 pm during rush hour for dating apps, and the only way to merge into the fast lane is by making your profile impossible to scroll past.
How to Prep Your Dating Profile for Dating Sunday
Your profile is your golden ticket to getting noticed in the big Dating Sunday crowd. You don’t have to be perfect; all you have to do is be a little mysterious while still being approachable. Below is how you can tweak your dating app profile to get the perfect balance!
Update Your Profile Photo
If there’s one thing you take away from this guide, it should be this: Skip the filtered beyond recognition selfies and way too polished shots. A good dating app profile picture should be clear, fun, and give people a glimpse of your personality. Got a killer smile or an amazing travel photo of you on a mountaintop? Use it! Show people the you that is doing something you love, whether that’s rock climbing, volunteering, or playing with your pup. People are drawn to realness, so be the person that they want to message and talk to, not just swipe right on.
Rewrite Your Bio
Forget the generic “I love going on adventures” and other done-to-death clichés. Show off your weirdness, interests, and sense of humor. Love trying to master a new skill every month, or do you have a knack for making awful dad jokes? Say that. A bio that makes someone smile or think, “Me too!” is so much more compelling than a basic laundry list of traits.
Add Conversation Starters
Peppering your dating app bio with prompts that invite responses is also a great way to connect. Some platforms have pre-written ones, but if you need some examples, try something like the following:
- “Ask me about the time I almost lost a finger chopping onions.”
- “What’s my perfect idea of a date? Wrong guesses only!”
- “Guess my cat’s name and the first drink is on me.”
Cute (and sometimes corny) lines make it so much easier for someone to break the ice, which is half the battle on Dating Sunday.
Best Practices for Engaging with Matches
Honestly, even the best dating profile won’t help if your messages flop in the DMs. If you want to seal the deal, you have to kill it in the convo game by being thoughtful, creative, and prompt—don’t wait three days to respond to a match.
Respond Promptly
Timing matters on dating apps, and Dating Sunday isn’t an exception. Because there are so many more matches in the mix, delays can mean missed chances! So keep the momentum up by responding quickly and showing real interest if it’s there.
Start Unique Conversations
Please, we are begging you to skip the “Hey, how’s it going?” It’s literally the equivalent of a digital yawn. Talk about something from their profile. Did they say that they loved pasta? Ask them about the best spaghetti puttanesca they’ve ever had. Personal touches will show that you’re not just copying and pasting your way through the dating app in the hopes of getting someone to bite.
Show Real Interest
If you’re messaging someone, mean it! React to what they’ve talked about, ask follow-up questions, and be present in the chat. Nothing will get you noticed more than someone who’s actually paying attention.
How to Get Noticed with Premium Features
Premium features exist so that they can give you a little extra edge, but they only work well if you use them wisely!
Boosts and Super Likes
On a day like Dating Sunday, boosting your profile is the best way to get as many eyes on you as possible. It puts it at the top of the queue, and that means more people will see it! And Super Likes, when they are used sparingly, will let someone know you’re really interested—just don’t go crazy and super like everyone.
When to Use Them
Timing is always everything, so use any boosts during the peak hours (early evening tends to be prime time), and save your Super Likes for matches that you actually want to pursue!
Best Apps for Premium Features
Apps like Bumble and Tinder are known for their effective boosts, and Hinge’s “Roses” feature is a way to add that extra touch of intention. You can test out the waters with a premium trial of it’s available to see which platform works the best for you.
Common Mistakes to Avoid on Dating Sunday
Sometimes getting noticed is less about what you do and more about what you skip, like the following boo-boos:
- Overly Edited Photos: Sure, filters and touch-ups look good, but authenticity will always win out, so keep it real.
- Generic Messages: No one wants to feel like part of a mass email marketing message spree. Personalize your openers to make a good impression—it’s much more impactful.
- Being Too Passive (or Aggressive): Hitting the right balance is super important! Don’t ghost after a message or spam someone with messages or rapid-fire texts.
Dating Sunday Survival Tips for New Online Daters
If you’re a newbie to online dating, Dating Sunday might feel like you’re in a packed mall of shoppers who are all buying last-minute Christmas gifts. The following are some survival tips for how to negotiate the crowds and stay grounded!
- Stay Confident: Matches certainly aren’t the only metric of success, so concentrate on quality interactions over any kind of numbers game.
- Manage the Overwhelm: It’s super easy to feel swamped by a flood of messages, so pace yourself. Only respond to the people that genuinely interest you and don’t stress over the rest—you don’t have to talk to anyone who doesn’t interest you.
- Focus on Quality: You don’t need tons of matches—you only need ones that matter. Prioritize the good connections over your swipe volume.
Success Stories: Inspiration for Getting Noticed
Want a little inspiration from singles who managed to nail Dating Sunday? Keep reading!
- Sarah and Tom: These two met on a dating app on a busy Dating Sunday in 2021. Despite being hesitant after some meh matches, Sarah swiped on Tom because of his fun bio that mentioned his “encyclopedic knowledge of bad reality TV.” Their conversation was fun and effortless, and it all started with a joke about their guilty pleasure shows (hers is Love Island—his is The Real Housewives franchise). They ended up dating for two years and are now engaged and never miss a chance to binge bad reality TV shows.
- Jen and Michael: Both were going through personal changes—Jen had recently relocated for work, and Michael was recently divorced. They connected on eharmony during a Dating Sunday blitz. What stood out? Michael’s bio talked about his love of traveling and cooking, and Jen mentioned her dream was to go to Italy. Their first date was dinner at an Italian restaurant, their next was cooking class to learn how to make homemade pasta, and now they’re planning their next trip—together.
The above stories show that being yourself, talking about real life details, and putting in some thoughtful effort can turn into real romantic results!
Conclusion
Dating Sunday is your golden ticket to connect with all kinds of new people, but success actually starts before the swiping does with some preparation and being your genuine self.
Below is a quick cheat sheet to keep in mind when you log in and how to stand out on dating apps on Dating Sunday:
- Refresh your dating app profile with photos that show who you are and use ones of yourself in your natural element.
- Use a bio that’s fun, specific, and makes you seem that you’re open for having a convo.
- Personalize your messages to show that you are interested—it’ll keep you from blending in with all of the other messages in their inbox.
- Take advantage of any premium features at peak times to boost your visibility.
- Most importantly, focus on quality connections—not the quantity of matches.
Dating apps can and do feel like a super crowded space, especially on Dating Sunday, but if you remain true to yourself and stay open and engaged, you’re so much more likely to meet someone that you actually click with. So, get your profile ready, swipe with intention, and get ready for the busiest day of the online dating world!
