“The worst thing about online dating is that you're pretty much guaranteed to come across the same profiles over and over again,” Pippa Murphy, relationship and sex expert at Condoms.uk told Bored Panda via email. “You know, the ones with bad grammar, selfies only or people who are too specific about what they want in their match,” she added.

Some of the biggest icks on a dating profile include things like bad grammar. “It's not hard to proofread your profile before posting it. If you're going to write something and put it out there for everyone to see, at least make sure it's grammatically correct! It makes me wonder if this person is really serious about finding someone or just looking for attention,” Pippa explained.

 Another big faux pas is when people only post selfies. “I've noticed that people who have an overabundance of selfies on their profiles usually take an overabundance of selfies in person too,” the relationship expert said. “When I see multiple selfies, I think they're only looking for validation from others rather than connecting with someone who might like them for themselves.”

Although Pippa notes that this isn't necessarily true 100% of the time, “there's definitely some correlation between how much someone posts self-portraits online and how much they post self-portraits in person.”

“It could also be an indication that they don’t have many friends (which is totally fine), however, they should spend more time on forming strong friendships than putting their all into a relationship as they may become too dependent on that person.”

Some people are way too specific about what they want, Pippa argues. “I've found that people who are too specific about what they want from a relationship usually aren't in touch with their emotions or needs. They're focused on what others can do for them rather than on what they can do for others in return. This makes it seem like they're only looking for someone to fill a void rather than becoming part of someone's life.”

 Another big no-no in dating is sending a one-word message when reaching out. “Starting a conversation on a dating app with a simple ‘hi’ is a big no-no. Not only does this imply that the person you matched with isn’t worthy of you making a real effort, but it also makes you appear boring. I usually find that people who only send a one-word message on a dating app are usually looking for the quickest way to eliminate their responsibilities.”

After all, Pippa told us, studies have shown that it takes just 30 seconds to make a great impression whilst online dating. “That’s why the opening line is so important to get right if you do plan on making a real connection with someone online.”

In a previous interview with Bored Panda, James Preece, a celebrity dating coach & relationship expert, explained that the coronavirus pandemic has really changed the way people are dating. In most parts, for the better.

“They've been forced to slow things down, which is actually a great thing. They've had a great chance to reflect on what they do and don't want,” he said.

Preece firmly believes that people are now much more serious about finding a long-term partner and they aren't willing to settle anymore. “So they are less likely to be messing around on dating apps and more likely to look to meeting people in the real world.”

But nevertheless, dating is still a difficult thing to tackle. In some cases, a romantic interest can even not get the hints.

“If you've tried being subtle and it didn't get noticed, then it's time to change tack. It's worth noting that they might already be aware of your interest, but they aren't sure how to react. If they aren't keen, then they will pretend they've not noticed to avoid embarrassment,” Preece explained.

Preece argues that in most cases, it’s best not to go for an over-the-top romantic gesture, but ask the person you’re into if they’d like to go out on a date one evening. “It doesn't need to be more complicated than that and they might be curious for just one meeting.”

Dating apps are still some of the most popular ways to meet people. In fact, 42% of adults think dating apps make it easier to find a long-term partner, according to this survey from Pew Research Center, while only 22% said apps make it harder.

A whopping 43% of men said they are using the apps to casually date while 42% said they are looking for a long-term partner. Alternatively, 48% of women said they are using dating apps to find long-term partners and only 37% are using apps to date casually.

However, although the majority of people agree that dating is easier through apps, a whopping 88% of adults are disappointed by what they’ve seen on the dating apps. More than half, 55%, of adults feel insecure from the lack of messages they receive. However, men tended to feel this way more than women.