Here’s a state-by-state look at the weird words used in online-dating profiles
Online-dating profiles tend to look very similar after enough time. But, a collaboration between Mashable and Match.com is highlighting some distinctive words we might be overlooking.
An analysis of Match.com users’ profiles revealed the defining words they put in their profiles most often, sorted by state. So, these words are ones that are used most frequently in each state relative to the other states.
As you can see from the infographic, there’s a lot of variation there, with a few fun little surprises thrown in. Oregon’s love of “kayaking,” Colorado’s obsession with “snowboarding,” and Texas’ interest in “oil” could maybe be predicted. But, we were a little surprised to see “lookin” dominating in Mississippi, “gospel” in Maryland, and “bonfires” up north. Really? Bonfires? Whatever works, we guess. Other notable favorites include Connecticut’s “casino,” New York’s “museum,” and Florida’s “Disney.”
Other dating sites have started to employ strategies in an effort to move past these general, state-by-state similarities and look at individual ones. For instance, My Show Mate uses your favorite TV shows to find a match, and Willow capitalizes on user-generated questions to help you find someone to share those things that make you two unique.
What to do with this information is unclear. You could use your state’s buzzword in your profile in hopes that it’ll attract more people. On the other hand, it could make it harder for you to stick. Good luck choosing your approach.
While we’re on the subject of online profiles, what are the do’s and don’ts of creating an online profile?
