the best headlines to add to your CMB 2.0 dating profile
Coffee Meets Bagel just released a new feature in their CMB 2.0 release, Headlines.
Created as a “simple yet powerful way to express yourself”, Headlines are basically a short, prompt-less bio under your name and first picture, allowing you to fully harness your creativity to write one sentence about yourself.
There are many ways you can use this new feature, so here are some suggestions on how to maximise it - with the goal of using it to create genuine connection.
1: humour
If you’re a funny guy, use this line to make a short quip that makes her pause and laugh. Some examples:
“An English Lit postgrad so all I can offer is a bunch of dad jokes and a financially unstable future”
“Saw a couple opposite me having an awkward first date and thought hey, I want that for myself too”
“Can rap the entirety of Hamilton for the full 2.5h hours so call me if your Spotify subscription ever expires”
Note: it doesn’t have to be perfect. The fun lies in its unseriousness. The goal is to:
Highlight something unique and specific,
in a light-hearted manner that shows that you can laugh at yourself,
while opening a conversation topic.
2: talk about one of your life goals
If a life goal of yours is particularly important to you, this is the perfect place to bring it up. It doesn’t have to be a real “life goal” like “retire by 45” or “move to London”, but something a bit lighter that you might tell someone you’re meeting for the first time. Some examples:
“Looking for someone down to climb Everest Base Camp with me. First step: Bukit Timah Hill”
“Trying to learn how to make nasi lemak from scratch so I can stop paying $8.50 every week to the auntie downstairs for the rest of my life”
“Looking for someone to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations with”
This is similar to the “a life goal of mine” prompt, but the fact that it’s first on your bio allows you to have some fun with how it’s presented - which has the potential to change how it lands entirely.
(Note: This is not the right place to bring up kids or the ideal age by which you want to get married. That should be in a later conversation, ideally in real life or in a situation that allows for you both to bring up these issues with the nuance and care it needs.)
3: call to action
This one can be short and sweet.
“Tell me your go-to coffee / matcha spot in Singapore”
“Looking for someone to sing the Glinda parts in Defying Gravity with me”
“Tell me your best / worst life hack”
Note: This one has to be used with caution because it can go either a bit too dad-joke or a bit cringe. Pair this with photos that match, and ideally, if another prompt linked to your bio, it would reinforce your bio. (E.g. if you chose the Defying Gravity prompt, you can have a picture of yourself in a musical theatre class, dressed up as Elphaba, etc.)
4: a random “flex”
Ideally, not a real flex because that can come across arrogant if not handled well or with tact. (It’s like when people put ACS in their education field / write on their profile (on top of the height field) that they’re 6’2, or the number of countries they’ve visited. All not flexes.)
You’re looking for something that shows that you’re either uniquely talented in that area, or that you’ve spent a lot of time doing. I’ve personally found that this works best with a dash of ironic humour, such as:
“My Primary 1 teacher told me I was really good at colouring within the lines and I’ve been riding that high ever since”
“Sometimes I hit a small ball across a big field with fewer strokes than expected”
“Really good at singing Westlife at K”
remember: you’re not trying to be someone you’re not.
Headlines are meant to be just another avenue to express yourself, so that the person on the other side can see who you are. It is still a dating app, and people - including yourself - are looking for a life partner, so we want to put our best foot forward to get our foot in the door.
If you’ve made some changes to your profile but still aren’t getting the matches you want, I can help you. Book a profile audit and I’ll send over a fully personalised written assessment, with recommendations on what’s good, what needs to immediately be changed, and opportunities to get more matches.
about the author
I'm Wan Ting, founder of portmanteau, a dating coach for men in Singapore.
I help good men like you stop guessing and build practical dating skills for serious relationships.
