The dos and don'ts of Hinge audio notes (2024)

With voice features finding a spotlight on dating apps, scrolling through profile pictures isn’t the only way to find the perfect match online.

If you’ve dipped your toe into the online dating pool, chances are you’ll be familiar with Hinge, a dating app claiming it’s "designed to be deleted". Back in Nov. 2021, Hinge introduced audio prompts, allowing users to liven up their profiles by adding voice recordings. In 2022, researchers at Hinge found that matching over a voice prompt was 80 percent more likely to lead to a date than matching over other prompts.

A study from 2017 states that the importance of voice as an indicator of attractiveness has been underplayed, as opposed to visual indicators. Certain users have chosen to showcase their singing abilities, while others have opted to share memorable or embarrassing stories. Some of these audio notes are guaranteed to make you laugh, while others are downright cringeworthy.

From rants about serving soup in bread bowls to ideas about a table made completely of coasters, Hinge users are getting creative with these audio prompts. Instead of judging someone solely on photos and a few facts, hearing their voice can change the game. It can take someone from "Wow this guy seems booooorriinnnggg" to "Okay, this guy has a sexy voice and he has a killer Spongebob impression."

With TikTok users dissecting some of the more, err, notable audio notes out there, we have to wonder: what are the dos and don’ts when it comes to Hinge audio prompts? Mashable asked the dating experts, including Logan Ury, director of relationship science at Hinge, to get some advice on how audio can make or break a profile.

Showcase your authentic self

If you're not sure where to start, we've got you covered. Logan Ury is the director of relationship science at Hinge and author of the book How to Not Die Alone, a guide for modern dating using behavioral science.

Ury says that researchers at Hinge were trying to make viewing profiles as close as possible to meeting someone in real life, which is how the Hinge audio feature was born. Hinge research found that 75 percent of users said assessing chemistry was the hardest part of dating. Hinge research also found that 65 percent of Hinge daters wanted to hear the voice of someone they were potentially matching with.

Hinge research reveals that the following are its five top voice notes:

1. "How to pronounce my name…": Bonus points if your name is "Josh" or "Sam".

2. "A quick rant about…": About anything! The more obscure, the better, in my opinion.

3. "All I ask is that you…": Share what you want from a partner, or characteristics you’re looking for.

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4. "Dating me is like…": What are your personal green flags? What types of dates do you like to go on?

5. "Guess the song…": Even more impressive if you can actually hold a tune.

Here are some dos and don'ts from Ury:

DON’T: Keep rerecording looking for a perfect take. You will start to sound less like yourself.

DO: Walk around while recording yourself. It’s a great way to sound more natural.

DON’T: Be creepy. Just don’t.

DO: Be funny. Tell jokes. Show your silly and playful side.

DON’T: Leave the heavy breathing for your cardio, please.

DO: Get creative! Sing or play music.

Don’t sexualize others or make offensive jokes

The Hinge audio feature helps to humanize the people behind the profiles, according to Alison Marie, a dating and relationship coach. She believes that the audio feature is a great way to almost feel the energy of the other person, something that was much more difficult to do before you could hear their voice. It’s also a great way to see if you are actually attracted to someone’s voice. We’ve all been on Tinder dates and thought That is not what I thought they would sound like… Plus, an extra sexy audio clip might make you second guess before you press that "X".

Marie's tips for using Hinge audio:

DO: Create an intentional answer to match what you’re looking for.

DON’T: Some jokes or sexualizing others can be a big turn off.

DO: Put your passions in your profile to show others what you love and who you are.

DON’T: Use something that would cause others to not take you seriously, especially if you are looking for something serious.

DO: Include what you want from a partner, what "must-haves" you need in a relationship, or what some of your top values are.

Marie recommends putting energy into the people who are putting energy back into you, and we totally agree with her. Start trying for some genuine conversation to see if the effort being given is mutual. If you’re getting ghosted, call it quits! There are other fish in the sea (or in the Hinge-o-sphere).

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Be corny and keep it real

It’s hard to gauge how much effort to put into an online match, which is why some experts believe the online phase of a relationship should be brief. Stefanie Marianne, a dating coach from Indianapolis, recommends taking connections "off the apps" as soon as possible so that you can form a genuine relationship IRL. Marianne pushes her clients to keep it real, and believes that building real relationships takes work.

Marianne's dos and don'ts for using the Hinge audio feature:

DO: Get real, be corny.

DON’T: Avoid trying to appeal to the masses.

DO: Say whatever the heck you want.

DON’T: Be someone other than yourself.

DO: Use prompts that show off who you are. "What is love to you?" "What makes you feel the most alive?" "What’s the most romantic thing you’re willing to do for someone else?"

Marianne pushes her clients to be vulnerable. It’s great advice for people who are truly looking to get deep with another person, something that can be difficult to master in an age where everyone is trying to find love from behind a phone.

There you have it! Hopefully, when it comes to Hinge, you can use these ideas to express yourself and find some genuine connection. Best of luck, Hinge users. We’ll be rooting for you!