Good question, one I've put real thought into. Here's the full picture.
Outside major metros the user base drops fast. Smaller cities and rural areas narrow your options significantly.
Things that have actually helped me:
- Short bios outperform long ones on swipe-based apps
- Responding quickly in the first 24 hours makes a measurable difference
- Niche platforms often outperform general ones for specific demographics
- Profile photos should feel natural, not heavily filtered
Currently using Turndate as my main go-to and it's been solid. No major issues, decent activity, enough settings to feel in control.
Happy to expand on any of this. Feel free to follow up.