Conversation starters that make the best impression on him

by James · March 14, 2023

If you’re dating recently, you need to step up your conversation game. The use of technology has not reduced the need for quality convo. In fact, it’s probably more important than ever. Killing her on Tinder? You better brush up on your conversation skills and be date ready.

Conversation is so important that dating site Plenty of Fish conducts an annual study to find out how much weight it holds in the online dating world. The study was called Conversation Nation and looked at how single adults connect with each other through communication. They recognized that conversation is essential to the development of modern human relationships.

One study involved 2,000 single people, 47 percent men and 53 percent women. They ranged in age from 18 to 55, and 16 percent of the sample was Gen Z, 29 percent Millennial, 27 percent Gen X, and 27 percent Boomer. 83 percent of the sample identified themselves as heterosexual, 5 percent as bisexual, 10 percent as gay, and 2 percent otherwise.

Although we live in the age of emoticons, conversation is actually extremely important across generations. According to the survey, 74 percent of singles believe that good conversation is more important than sexual attraction when it comes to showing chemistry on a date. So the time you spend doing your makeup and hair might not mean much if you can’t keep up with the dinner conversation. In fact, if you want to fall in love, an authentic first conversation is your best chance. According to the survey, 60 percent of daters believe that they can start falling in love during the first conversation.

Singles say the bottom line is the number one way they can tell if someone will be right for them, especially if they’re talking through a dating app.

Are you all introverts and socially anxious people sweating right now? Don’t worry, we have some great conversation starters to help you connect.

Table of Contents

Here are 3 conversation starters that will make the best impression on him:

1. Try to mention a common interest or experience.

Review your date’s online profile to find common interests. Start a message (or a one-on-one conversation if that’s what you’re interested in) by talking about one of them.

Do you both like visiting museums? Exchange your favorites and why you like them. Are you both traveling? Ask your date which destination is their favorite and why. According to the study, 60 percent of people prefer to start a conversation this way.

2. Give her a compliment on photos or appearance.

It’s always nice to hear that your date likes the way you look. While it’s easy to get creepy here, try to focus on the little details, like a hairstyle, a shirt, or a date’s smile. According to the study, 18 percent of people prefer to start a conversation this way.

3. Tell a joke or a funny story.

Do you have a funny story that makes sense in the context of your date? Tell. This is a great way to start the conversation. It’s a good idea to leave out the jokes until you find an opportunity to fit them into the existing conversation. If possible, avoid crude or inappropriate jokes. According to the survey, 15 percent of people want this to start a conversation.

Some dating conversation starters can get things started the right way. Others may send you home quickly if you crash and burn alone. During the survey, singles were asked which topics of conversation should be banned. Participants were asked what was the number one topic to avoid. Unsurprisingly, the first topic was politics, followed by sex, past relationships, and then money.

When it came to conversational buzz, the participants had their say. Negativity was one of the worst crimes, with 41 percent of people saying it was a conversation killer. The dater who doesn’t let the other person talk came in second place, with 20 percent of people hating this behavior. Controversial themes, sassy one-liners, and using big words too often to sound clever were also guilty.