Hinge is the revolutionary dating app that hooks users up with friends of friends. Despite the help of new technology, most people still meet their spouse/partner through a mutual friend. In fact 38.6% of those between the ages of 18-34 have met their current romantic interest through a friend in common.

The app that launched in 2012 integrates this idea into the application by putting you in touch with the Facebook friends of your Facebook friends. In this way it cuts out the middleman and gives you access to romantic suitors that your Facebook friends already (more or less) approve of.

With over 3 million users in the US, online daters have taken note of Hinge’s singular online dating concept and are rushing to download the app that claims it’s “designed to be deleted.”

I advise my coaching clients to use 5 online dating applications at all times. Out of the various apps they are active on, nearly every client swears by Hinge.

They have received more likes, dates, and have found more meaningful relationships through Hinge than any other application. But their journey to success wasn’t always easy.

Receiving no likes on Hinge is a common road bump that people new to online dating will encounter. Let’s take a look at how you can remedy that problem and start landing more dates.

Tips When You’re Getting No Likes on Hinge

1. Engage Them with a Comment

A while back we created multiple Hinge accounts and did a little research of our own. We found that 70% of men didn’t comment on female users’ Hinge stories. Of the 30% that did comment, a mere 5-10% did so in a witty manner.

As you can imagine, taking the time to comment on someone’s story is more likely to receive a response than a like unaccompanied by a clever greeting. A comment demonstrates that you’ve taken the time out to invest in another person.

A recipient will view her personalized comment with affection and in turn will more likely than not, shoot you a message back.

Here are some pointers to keep in mind while constructing an initial comment:

• Edit for grammar. There’s nothing more unsexy than a 34-year-old man that still doesn’t know when to use “their” instead of “there.”
• Let their profile inform your comment. Try to make comments as personal as possible. This is done by reading their stories and in some way responding to their content.
• Revise. Even Henry Miller would tell you that for every 100 lines he wrote, maybe one or two are worthy of being printed. Take a breath before pressing send. Reread the message and figure out if the idea you’re getting across can be said better, or if perhaps you should comment on another aspect of her profile. Take your time.

2. Improve Your Hinge Answers

Hinge is one of the least superficial dating applications there are. This is because users are asked to fill out a number of prompts before a story (or profile) is completed. What you decide to write is called a Hinge Answer.

These answers are placed between photos so users are forced to read them as they scroll down. By forcing users to read the stories of others, Hinge users are provided a more well rounded idea of the person they’re chatting with.

Unlike applications such as Tinder where the written portion of a profile can easily be bypassed, Hinge forces users to read. This means that Hinge Answers are all the more important (for more on this, check out my post on Hinge vs Tinder).

Slotting in a brief perfunctory answer will lower your attractiveness. Writing a thought-out answer gives you the opportunity to showcase your wit and connect with others. If you don’t know what to write, I’ve got some inspiration for you.

3. Are Your Photos Standing Out?

Let’s be honest. Even though Hinge forces its users to read Hinge Answers, this doesn’t mean that the superficial element of the application has been completely stripped away.

Photos still hold great sway over whether another user will like your profile or respond to a comment. So how do you know your story is adorned with attractive photos?

This is the perfect occasion to ask for some outside assistance. The next time you’re out with your female friends, ask them to critique your profile. Ask them to tell you which photos aren’t working and then allow them to scroll through your photo library until they find a replacement picture.

After you’ve consulted friends for help, it’s time to pick your new Hinge photos. Always remember to include at least a few photos that don’t obstruct your face. If you can, choose photos that show off your hobbies and athleticism. Don’t be afraid to throw in a few photos of your last international trip either.

If you don’t have a host of photos to choose from, consider hiring a professional photographer. At the very least, plan a fun activity with some friends and ask your buddies to snap some candid shots. Doing so will ensure that the woe caused by receiving no likes on Hinge will quickly fade away.

If you need further help with photos, check out my recent article for some of the best Hinge picture examples for guys.

Here are some basic Hinge photo tips to get you started:

• First photo must clearly show your face. Don’t wear glasses or hats.
• Use recent photos
• Show off your personality/interests
• Wear a suit in one photo
• Show your sporty side in one photo
• Wear different clothes in each picture
• Don’t upload photos of just you and one other woman
• No selfies
• Only one dog pic is acceptable

4. Put In The Work

Hinge grants free users 10 likes a day. This means that if you want to get the most out of your free experience you should be maxing out your likes every 24 hours.

Bumble for example lets free users swipe infinitely and while Tinder has a cap, it’s certainly more than 10 likes every 24 hours. But not just any like will guarantee a connection.

Be sure to write a witty comment for every like that you dish out. Half-assing Hinge will leave you with half-ass results. It’s really quite simple.

If you’re not willing to put the work in and like 10 women every day you’ll have to reevaluate your dating goals and how important they are to you.

Scrolling through the myriad of stories on Hinge and fantasizing about your next love should be an enjoyable experience. Let the possibilities motivate you to start reading, liking, and commenting on profiles.

5. A/B Test Photos

How do you know which photos work best for you?

If you’re unsure about which photos receive the most likes, try out a bunch of photos and compare the results. Keep testing your profile and optimizing it until you’re content with the number of matches you receive.

Even then it’s never a bad idea to update your profile. Do so to keep your pictures up to date but also take full advantage of many of the features Hinge offers. Hinge is always innovating and adding new features. As soon as a new feature is added, use it to better appeal to compatible women.

6. Upgrade Your Hinge Account

Upgrading your membership on any online dating account will ensure that you receive more matches. Hinge however provides users with the best deal for a paid membership. We recently created a male account for Hinge.

After paying for a membership we found that our test user received 300% more matches than when the account was free. A Preferred Membership gives you access to unlimited swipes, more filters, and Hinge Expert.

Upgrading for a Hinge account in particular guarantees that you’ll receive more likes on Hinge. Below is Hinge’s most recent pricing (as of August 2020), but check out my other article on Is Hinge Preferred Worth It for more information on upgrading.

Price Breakdown

7. Don’t Rely Solely On Hinge

Not getting enough likes on Hinge? No worries. Each dating application appeals to a certain type of user. Expanding your dating channels by being active on 5 applications or dating sites will give you exposure to a wide range of personalities.

Investing all your energy into one application means that you’re allowing women to split through your fingers. Cast a wide net by using five applications.

Also keep in mind that just because one application is popular in NYC doesn’t mean it’s as used in San Francisco. Coffee Meets Bagel for example has many more users on the West Coast than on the East.

Know which applications are popular around you and are used by the type of women you’re interested in.

Kick-Ass With MegaDating

Do you feel like 5 applications is dating app overload? This isn’t the case if you’ve embraced MegaDating. MegaDating isn’t some PUA tactic; instead it’s just a way to quickly find a partner you truly want to be with. This is a dating strategy I came up with during my 100-date experiment. MD is simply the act of dating prolifically. By going on multiple dates a week I’m exposed to various people. In this way I can both quickly figure out who I’m attracted to and meet my significant other.

There are a plethora of benefits that accompany MegaDating. Here are just a few:

MegaDating Benefits

• Reduces dating and social anxiety
• Mitigates the likelihood of settling
• Helps deal with rejection
• Increases self-confidence
• Increases emotional intelligence

8. Don’t Rely Completely On Online Dating

Online dating is great, but it has its downsides. One is them is that is makes you complacent. Initiating a conversation with a woman via a dating application is easy, but also addicting.

Online dating is a comfort that can deter you from approaching women in the real world. Is there someone at work or in a wellness class of yours that you’re dying to strike up a conversation with?

Don’t deny yourself the confidence of flirting with a woman you don’t know because of the thought that you can always fall back and swipe for a romantic partner later.

Getting no likes on Hinge is not worth fretting about if you’re able to meet women IRL. Never lose your ability to chat it up with a stranger in the real world. If you’re having trouble difficulty flirting with a woman IRL change your mentality or talk to an expert.

One way to give you courage and alter your mentality is to frame what you’re doing in a different light. The truth is that you probably don’t pick up women at many bars or parties. So don’t.

Instead of setting firm intentions with yourself to flirt or secure 3 phone numbers in a given night out, simply set goals of having basic conversations with women of interest. Don’t think of it as flirting, but conversing.

Find an aspect of her that you’re interested in –perhaps you’re just curious as to what her cocktail is- and strike up a conversation that revolves around that point of interest.

9. Approach Women In Person

An overreliance on dating apps like Hinge turns you off to the possibilities around you.

The fastest way to create a meaningful connection is to have a face-to-face conversation. The issue is that far too few people are willing to go this route. I have literally seen men swipe on dating apps while in a bar full of single women.

Dating apps are a super valuable tool, but if you over-rely on them, they become a crutch.

But I understand how approaching women in person is difficult.

Here are some strategies to get you started:

• Use a situational opener – No one-liners, make your opener relative to your current situation
•  Be direct – Say something like, “Hey I couldn’t leave here without first knowing your name”
• Stop hitting on women, start having fun – Treat every interaction as a chance to get to know someone versus a chance to get to get their number
• Just say hi – Approaching a woman can be difficult. Give yourself credit for doing the bare minimum.
• Reframe the approach – It’s not a win or lose situation. Rather, simply saying hi and starting a conversation is a win. Don’t go into the encounter thinking, I need to flirt, rather think, I want to make a connection
• Ask a question – Ask a question or compliment her on something other than her appearance

10. How To Approach Women With Their Friends

Approaching a single woman is easy, but you don’t always have that opportunity. Especially if you’re in a more social setting, you’ll probably need to approach a group of women if you want to talk to that one woman.

But if approaching just one woman is daunting, how are you supposed to approach a whole group?

Here are some strategies to give you a bit of encouragement:

• Address the entire group – The only one to get to the woman you want to speak with is to befriend the entire group
• Use man’s best friend – Dogs are more welcomed into public spaces than babies are in today’s world. Bring your dog along and let them penetrate the group for you
• Challenge her to a game – After you’ve ingratiated yourself challenge her to a game to get her alone
• Mindest over content – Don’t worry about what you’re going to say, worry about your mindset. Go in with the goal of making a connection rather than scoring her number

11. Seek A Little Help

Dating Decoded

Interested in learning how we here at emlovz can help you?

We teach our students the shortcut to finding their ideal match by MegaDating. MegaDating is our dating philosophy and it shapes everything we teach here at emlovz. Simply put MegaDating is dating prolifically with the specific goal of going on 20 dates in 90 days. This will give you ample women to compare and contrast so you can refine your not only your dating skills but who your ideal partner is.

To teach you how to quickly find highly compatible women in just weeks and become the most eligible bachelor in town you’ll have a team of romantic experts, each skilled in their own unique area to support you.

Our Team

• Emyli (me), co-founder, curriculum developer, head coach, and I host two coaching sessions every week
• Thomas, co-founder, and coach. He’ll lead the biweekly Man Cave event where men come together to talk dating, bond with one another, and support other single men
• Cat, Brooke, and Audrey are mock date specialists. Go on a practice date with them (and receive feedback) before your next date
• Hailey is your new stylist. She’s worked with celebs from every industry and is now about to raid your closet
• Tilly is our holistic sex & intimacy coach. She’ll help you get the most out of your sex life so you and your partner are happier between the sheets
• Aundrea is an award-winning fitness coach. Are you ready to eat right and build muscle?
• Mia is our social media expert. Revamp your Facebook and Instagram profiles with her help and start meeting women online

Our Community

And look, we realize that the single life can be difficult. If accepted into our coaching program, Dating Decoded, you’d be joining a community of supportive men and coaches who are there to listen, support, and encourage you as you navigate the single life.

Our program offers every student a lifetime membership (as if you’ll need it) so the support won’t stop until you’ve found your ideal partner.

If you’re ready to find your forever partner, book a Zoom session with our team today. Together we’ll talk about your dating history, your goals and show you how our program, Dating Decoded, can help you find your ideal partner.

Learn how our students have already improved their dating lives.