5 Attractive Traits in a Man's Dating Profile

I’ve been a CatholicMatch user for a number of years now, which means I’ve scrolled through thousands of profiles. At this point, I know exactly the type of profile that catches my eye and the qualities that ultimately compel me to hit “like.” I wouldn’t be surprised if these same profiles were getting the majority of attention from other female users on the app. 

Are you wondering, “What do their profiles have that mine doesn’t?” Fear not my friend, I am going to break down the top seven traits that take a guy’s profile from “pass” to “let’s go to Mass.” 

“Yes” To All Faith Questions

I’m always flummoxed to see profiles that don’t answer “yes” to all faith questions on Catholic Match. When literally every other modern dating app is available – just, why. Nothing hurts quite like a cute guy who answered, “no” to “sanctity of life.” 

If you answer “yes” to all faith questions, your profile is already being taken more seriously by devout Catholic women. 

No Selfies, All Smiles

This might seem like a no-brainer – but a shocking amount of you guys are frowning in your photos! The worst offenders are the frowny selfies from the front seat of the car (and buckled in, so help me Lord.) Honorable mention for the frowny mirror selfies. Bonus tip: eliminate all mirror pics, gym photos, and just selfies in general, and you’ll have more women in your DMs. 

When I looked through my “sent likes” tab, I noticed that every single guy has a big ol’ smile on his face and the photos were taken by someone else. They all look open, friendly, authentic, and social. A frowning photo taken via front-facing camera communicates the opposite! You want to look like you are out and about, spending time with friends, and being photographed amidst all of that. 

Don’t be afraid to ask your friend or family member to take a photo of you (try to do it outside for natural light). Now, switch that camera to portrait mode and cheese it up! This flows perfectly into my next point which is….

High-Quality Photos

I am 100x more likely to click on a profile of a guy who has bright, clear, high quality images. I’ve heard that guys are afraid of coming across as “creepy” to the women they approach. Dark, grainy photos have a tendency of perpetuating the “creepy” vibe, so make it a priority to get some high resolution photos of yourself. 

I know what you’re thinking – it’s hard to organize situations where it feels natural to have photos of yourself taken. So let’s strategically think of ways to take advantage of photo opportunities. Enter: wedding reception photos. I think most of the profiles I like have at least one wedding reception photo – which is smart. Who doesn’t love a man dancing in a suit? So put yourself on that dance floor and make yourself seen by the photographer’s lens! Also, grab some friends and ask for group photos. Snag those photos from the wedding album Facebook dump and upload to CM!

Next up: hiking photos. At first I was like, “do these men really hike that much?!” but then I realized it’s probably one of the only moments men feel comfortable asking their friends to take a photo of them. So fellas, seize the moment! If you find yourself in a scenic location and you want to remember the experience, ask your friends to snap a few photos for you. 

PS-- if you tell a female friend the photos are for CatholicMatch – she’ll make sure they’re from your best angle.

Faith is the Priority

Most of the guys I’ve dated from CatholicMatch have been either converts or reverts. Their profiles usually catch my eye because they tend to convey honesty and a newfound conviction for life in light of the faith. Their bio descriptions don’t shy away from the fact that they’re looking for a strong Catholic woman.

When writing your profile, allow yourself to express your passion and commitment to the faith. I skip over lazy profiles that say, “looking for someone to laugh and work out with.” I want to know why you’re on CatholicMatch. What role does faith play in your daily life? Where does it line up against your other interests? Does your profile focus more on finding someone who loves God or loves the gym?

Strong example from a real profile:

“I consider myself to be a passionate, hardworking and athletic man who has very strong Catholic beliefs and a traditional outlook on life. I joined CM to meet with others who may share my excitement for life and desire to someday build the bedrock of a family with.” 

You Have Cats

People who know me are probably rolling their eyes, but men loving cats is such a green flag. Why do you ask? Well, I have a whole theory. See, cats are an elusive creature. You have to earn their trust and love. You can’t demand affection – you have to be patient and let them come to you. And when they do come to you, you can’t be pushy or rough. As a cat owner, you learn to respect boundaries and autonomy. See where I’m going with this? Plus, a guy with a soft side who gets all gooey over a little furry creature? Major yes. 

Conclusion

Perfecting your dating app profile takes time. I’ve had my fair share of car selfies, mirror photos, and pouty model poses (face palm). All that did was portray an inauthentic version of what I thought men would find attractive.

At the end of the day, the best profiles are the ones that portray your identity in a truly genuine way. This means photos that people can almost hear your laugh coming out of. Photos that aren’t of “perfect” angles of your face, but show how human and multifaceted you are! Descriptions that clearly communicate how serious you are about finding your spouse and living a life of faith together. 

Not everyone is going to “like” you, but that’s a good thing – you’re really only looking for one person who’s going to see how one-of-a-kind you are and think, “Ah, finally, I found him.”