Swiping right on Tinder might be the fastest way to get yourself a date in this day and age. But if you dare to swipe up for a Super Like, you could be fast-tracking yourself to eternal singledom.
You can "Super Like" people you are ~SUPER~ into to encourage them to swipe right on you. While the idea sounds flattering in theory, the reality of being Super Liked can be deeply off-putting for some users.
When the Super Like function first launched in September 2015, I thought it sounded kinda cool. Who knows, maybe I'd be Super Liked by someone that I also happened to like, and it'd be a lovely ego boost?
But, no. The more Super Likes I received on Tinder, the more convinced I became that Super Likers were just way, way too keen.
Now, when I swipe, that blue bar and star on a profile elicits a silent "eww" as I swipe hard left on the guy. Sorry, but that Super Like just killed any chance of us ever being together.
I've given my super dislike of the Super Like button some thought in effort to ascertain what it is about this feature that turns me off so much. It should be flattering to know that someone liked me enough to make a big show of it, but I always feel slightly uncomfortable about someone deciding they really like me based on a few photos of me and my bio (a unicorn emoji).
It seems that, even on Tinder, playing it cool and not showing your hand too soon was how I preferred it.
Pamela Evans seems to think so, too. She says that when she's been Super Liked she gets a feeling of "excited curiosity," but that feeling soon wears off.
"The Super Like seems too needy."
"The majority [of Super Likers] are by definition life's losers," says Evans. "They are desperate for attention which is why they use [the feature]. I've never had to use it, but the majority of people I swipe right on match with me!" She chooses not to use the Super Like function because she feels it has "an element of eeriness" and "desperation."
"The Super Like seems too needy," says Evans. PR executive Helen Parkinson says that receiving a Super Like gives her an ego boost at first, but she feels a little uneasy about the concept. "Often (and I hate generalising) the sort of guys who Super Like me are a little on the creepy side," says Parkinson.
"It’s a bit weird. I get a bit suspicious as to how you can decide to Super Like someone based on just a few images and a line of text," Parkinson said.
She's not alone in this. Social media creative Gemma Clapp says it "seems too desperate" and web comic author Neil Bryer says he's only ever Super Liked by accident.
Tinder's VP of Communications Rosette Pambakian says the Super Like is designed to give users "a way to express a deeper level of interest" as well as providing more "context" for matches when they're deciding their swipe direction. And, according to Pambakian, the Super Like function isn't creeping everyone out.
"We've consistently received positive feedback on Super Like. In fact, users are three times more likely to match with someone they Super Like and conversations initiated by a Super Like last 70 percent longer," says Pambakian.
Apparently there are some people who aren't creeped out by the Super Like function.
"When you Super Like a profile, it shows that you are not shy about wanting to match with the person you Super Liked," she continues. Pambakian says that since Tinder users only get to send one Super Like each day for free, receiving one "feels special."
PR manager Jerome Foucart is one of the Tinderers benefitting from the Super Like function. "I must say I really like it because if you see a girl that you fancy more than you do others, it's kind of a way to let her know and grab her attention," says Foucart.
He says that by Super Liking a profile, he knows that potential matches will see his profile; which might not necessarily happen if he only swipes right on them.
"As a guy who's not super confident, I also find it particularly pleasing when a girl Super Likes me," says Foucart. "I don't let it get to my head, but yeah it's a nice feeling that someone would spend their one Super Like they get each day on you."
For many, the Super Like is a bridge too far in expressing your appreciation for a potential match. But Tinder's data suggests that there may well be people out there who find the tool pretty useful.
Perhaps we could all benefit from taking our Super Likes as a compliment, even if we don't wish to pursue them. After all, it's always nice to know when someone's super into you.
Topics Tinder
