Okcupid Meaning
If you’ve dated online for any amount time, or even just have stable internet access, you’ve probably heard of OkCupid. At 14 years of age, the company is one of the older online dating services available and boasts a large membership. Unlike other apps and services on the market, OkCupid is all inclusive and isn’t targeted at a specific subset of the dating population, so the odds of your type of people being on the app are pretty good. And OkCupid claims that because of their matching algorithm, the odds of you finding that person in the millions of profiles on the service aren’t bad either.
This step-by-step guide will help you build an attractive OkCupid profile and teach you the ins and outs of the dating app, so you can find what you’re looking for. Let’s get started!
On OkCupid, you’re more than just a photo. You have stories to tell, and passions to share, and things to talk about that are more interesting than the weather. Get noticed for who you are, not what you look like. Because you deserve what dating deserves: better. So on Okcupid, next to each person’s profile picture is a little button for messaging them. There is a little circle on that button that will either be colored red, green, yellow or blue. Red = Responds very selectively. Yellow = Responds selectively. Green = Responds often. Blue = No one has contacted them in a week. Then OkCupid tried telling users who were poorly matched that in fact they were great matches, on the theory that perhaps couples wound up together simply because OkCupid said so. I work at OkCupid. I coud have saved you a lot of trouble. Your results confirm what all dating web sites have always known, and which we've made no secret about: Nearly all initial messages are sent by men. This does not mean that the site is 'better' for women than for men, relative to any other form of heterosexual courtship.
Step 1: Set up your account.
OkCupid is available on both mobile and desktop, so you have a little bit of flexibility on how you want to play. Go ahead and download the app on your mobile device or go to okcupid.com to get started. Like most other online dating services, you have the option to link your Facebook or sign up with an email address. Select either option to move forward.
After signing up, OkCupid will ask for some basic information including your gender (there are lots of options!), your gender of interest (lots of options here too!), your birthday, zip code, ideal relationship length, and a few other basic tidbits.
When you finish up with these, you’ll be able to customize your profile and start getting noticed.
Step 2: Pick your photos, write your bio.
Like most other apps, OkCupid has six photo slots and a short little bio section. There are enough tips to write an article for each, so I’ll spare the nitty gritty points and keep this portion more big picture.
For the photos, you’re going to want to make sure that you have six photos, and most, if not all, should prominently feature you smiling. The first photo should be a headshot in an interesting location like a forest, arcade or well-lit bar. Make sure to include at least one to two full-body shots. Keep the sunglasses and group photos to a minimum.
Photos are also a good opportunity to show off your hobbies and interests. If you’re into active sports of any kind (hiking, skateboarding, skydiving) this is a good way to share it. Active shots can give your profile an extra layer of personality that will help other daters find common ground and get a feel for you.
As for the bio, keep it short and sweet. Four or five sentences should do it. If you’re funny, this is a good place to crack a joke or two. If you’re not, that’s OK. Just write a bit about yourself, your passions, your hobbies, and anything else you think people might want to know. Use a bit of personal flare and keep it honest. The key here is to make readers feel like they’re meeting you for a casual chat.
Once you’re finished with the initial profile setup, you’ll have the option to answer additional prompts to spice up your profile. Look at these as fun bio supplements to touch on anything your bio might not have covered. It’s recommended to fill at least a few of these out.
Step 3: Answer the questions.
If you’ve made it this far, you’re in the final stretch! The last step to completing your profile are the basic questions. Each profile on OkCupid displays an estimated compatibility rate. These percentages are based on your answers to these questions, so be as thorough as possible. The basic questionnaire is 15 questions long and ranges from topics like politics to the tidiness of your room to the length of your last relationship. For each question, there’s an option to skip and there are options to select an answer preference for the person you’re interested in too.
If you’re doubting the accuracy of a compatibility rate calculated from 15 questions, that’s fair. Once the initial account setup is complete, you can answer more questions from your profile settings to increase the supposed accuracy of your match percentage. (And OkCupid will often ask you to answer more.) I’ve answered over 100 questions personally and new ones keep showing up in my profile section, so don’t worry about any shortage of these.
Step 4: Send out your likes.
I’ll say it again: you can answer more questions and fill out more profile prompts once you finish the initial account setup. OkCupid recommends completing as many of these as possible to maximize your matches. Once that’s done, you can go ahead and start liking other daters and see who you match with.
Like most other apps, OkCupid’s runs on a mutual-like system, meaning two singles have to like each other before they can talk. (Or you can pay to see who likes you before you match.) There are also two different ways to go through matches. Using OkCupid’s DoubleTake format, you can swipe left or right like Tinder or Bumble for a breezy, low-investment level matching experience.
Alternatively, you can browse matches by scrolling through multiple profiles. In this option, you can open profiles and like and comment on specific prompts to reach out directly with a message. Even though the other person will only see your message if they like you first, this may be a better way to get noticed and can make you stand out from other daters who just like every person in their queue.
Step 5: It’s a match!
Once you get your first match, go ahead and start chatting. If the conversation goes well, don’t hesitate to ask your match on a date and see where it goes.
If you’re having trouble making matches, try answering a few more questions and tweaking the different profile elements to find a formula that works for you. OkCupid also keeps a list of all of the profiles you’ve liked in the past, so you can always go back and send messages after the initial like if they’ve liked you back. Don’t be afraid to ask your friends what they think of your profile for feedback. Soon, you’ll be on your way.
Step 6: Should you buy?
As always, the paid subscription route is a totally viable way to increase your chances at success if you choose to take it. Just keep in mind there are no limits to messaging or liking in the free version like on other similar services.
So, if you choose to go for the subscription, what are you getting yourself into? First, there are two different types of subscriptions: A-List Basic and A-List Premium. The A-List Basic let’s you access a list of daters who like you, use advanced search filters, search based on profile attractiveness, access message read receipts, and remove ads. The pricing plans begin at $9.95 for one month, $7,95 per month for three months, or $4.95 per month for six months.
A-List Premium offers all the same perks as the basic subscription with the addition of a daily Autoboost, which boosts you to the top of the match queue, increased attractiveness, which allows you to see and be seen by more attractive matches, the ability to see other profiles’ answers, and increased message priority. A Premium A-List subscription runs at $24.90 for one month, $22.90 per month for three months, and $19.90 per month for six months.
Well, that’s it. You’re now officially a master of OkCupid, one of the the most popular online dating sites. All that’s left is for you to get in there and start firing off those likes. Let Cupid do the rest.
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At OkCupid, we welcome everyone and support all types of relationships, including non-monogamous ones.
If you are in a non-monogamous relationship and would like to use OkCupid, you'll want to follow these guidelines:
1. One profile per person: no couple/ joint profiles
We only allow one person per profile. We do not allow couples/joint profiles, and will delete (or possibly ban) these profiles if they are reported to us.
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The reason behind it is this: other people on OkCupid have set their preferences so that they can set the types of people they are interested in. Having one profile per person means that you're only seen by those who really want to see you. It's better for everyone.
2. Set your profile as non-monogamous
Visit your profile, then click on the first 'details' option at the top right of your profile. From there, you can set your relationship status and your relationship type.
3. Link your partner's profile
On the 'Details' settings page, you can link profiles with your partner. This means if someone is visiting your profile, they'll see a link to your partner's profile as well.
Note: we only allow you to link one profile at this time. If you have more than one partner, feel free to mention them or link their profiles in your Profile Essays instead. Here's an example:
5. Find people open to non-monogamy
If you've set your profile to be non-monogamous, you will see only other people who are non-monogamous or open to non-monogamy. Hooray!
6. Approach people honestly and with respect
This should go without saying, but it's important to be honest and respectful in your interactions with other people on OkCupid.
- Be open and honest about yourself and what you're looking for. Let people know that you're in a relationship. Tell them who your partner is and if you date with them or separately.
- It's important to respect people's relationship choices, so you'll want to make sure you are only looking for people open to non-monogamous relationships.
- As always, our community guidelines apply.
- If you are in a relationship and are dating outside of that relationship without your partner's consent and/or without disclosing your relationship status, that is a violation of our community guidelines and will get your profile banned.
- We do not allow sexually-oriented first messages on OkCupid. Even if someone is looking for hookups and is non-monogamous does not mean they want to hear about your sexual preferences right away.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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How do I link profiles with more than one partner?
We know that would be cool! But at the moment, account linking is limited to only one other account.
Why can't I change my relationship type to 'Monogamous' or 'Open to either'?
If you’re partnered or married, your relationship type can be set only to non-monogamous. You can adjust your relationship status to Single if you’d like to make adjustments.
What do I do if I see a profile that isn't following these guidelines?
Please report them to us!
If you still need help, you can email a friendly human.