“Why aren’t they responding to my messages?” “How can I turn a greeting into a proper conversation?”
Being left on read, starting off on the wrong foot, having conversations that amble nowhere – chatting on dating sites can be tough. That’s why we spoke to the team behind cute dating app Pikabu, to find the best ways to spark chemistry.
First of all, how do I break the ice?
Pikabu: There are a lot of users on dating apps. To get the attention of potential matches, you need to have a complete bio, and then a catchy opening line to start.
But what kind of opening line counts as catchy?
Pikabu: Some form of greeting followed by a topic of interest is our winning formula. A mere “hi” is easy to ignore, and it tosses the job of starting a conversation to your match. We suggest that you follow your greeting with a light, simple topic. Try to bring up something that you’re familiar with or identify a shared interest from their profile and take it from there.
If you really can’t find anything on their profile, topics like current affairs, food and holiday plans are all good places to start.
Are there any topics that should be avoided?
Pikabu: In general, don’t ask about anything that’s already covered in their profile. For example, if you ask what their favourite colours are when they’ve specified that they like red, they might think you’re not paying attention. Build off of information you’ve been given and go from there.
When you’re first getting to know someone, probing questions like “How long have you been single for?” or “Where do you live?” can be a major put-off. On the other end of the spectrum, chatting just for the sake of chatting can also stress out your match.
What if I’m left on read? How often should I message someone I’m getting to know?
Pikabu: Never flood them with messages asking for a response, which will put your match under too much pressure. Give it some time after you send a message – they might be busy, or perhaps they simply missed your message and you could try switching to a new subject to follow up. Keeping things light and friendly makes it easier for both parties to make a connection.
How’s my in-app Shiba Inu companion going to help?
Pikabu: If you’ve already mastered the art of holding good conversations, your Shiba companion can help diversify your topics. And whenever you run out of things to say, they can come up with situational questions to steer the chat in new, exciting directions.
For a little more help in the ice-breaking department, why not have your companion make the first move? They can ask a question or initiate a game; some users even like to roast their Shiba and their silly questions, which may warm up the conversation quickly in unexpectedly humorous ways.
If you’re tired of sputtering, short-lived conversations, the techniques above could help you up your game and make meaningful connections. Good luck!