5 Tasteful Tips to Spicing up Your Texting Conversations

January 17, 2017

Texting someone new can be exciting, entertaining, and at times, unnerving. We have come a long way since bbm (blackberry messenger) emoticons and back and forth AIM messaging. In an era of technological advancement, text is the new talk and it certainly takes two to tango. Most of us have encountered a terrible texter or two in our time that may leave you feeling disconnected, devoid of love, and desperate for something— much less, anything— to save your relationship from fizzling out. While both texting parties may want to have an engaging conversation, it is not always the thought that counts. There are times when you are struggling to be sweet and sincere, seductive and sly, sadly succumbing to a simple cycle of “what’s up?” “not much, how’s it going?” And with each generic answer is a missed opportunity to show off your sweet and savvy way with words.

Imagine tangoing with a partner who does the same repetitive step, over and over again. While the movement is manifested in the steps, the excitement of the dance is gone and the dancing becomes a formulaic act, completed in what seems like autopilot. Texting, like the tango, should be viewed as a tasteful exchange filled with a sense of spontaneity and skill. Take your texting game to the next level with these five transformative tips to create interesting conversations.

Gif Keyboard

Gifs have changed the face of messaging as we know it. Millions of moving images are adding an emotive little spice of life to an otherwise tasteless exchange of few words. Next time you’re about to send a brief message back or find yourself at a loss of words, scroll through the Gif keyboard for more of an attention grabber. Nothing says I’m down with it than a moving image of Snoop Dogg shrugging as he dances from side to side, toasting two glasses of bubbly.

Respond within a reasonable amount of time.

What better way to kill a great flowing conversation than by going MIA for a quarter of the day and coming back like, “Hey! Sorry, i just saw your text.” This can give off the impression that you’re not interested or serious and do not prioritize the conversation at hand. The person you’re talking to should feel engaged and anticipatory of your incoming text. You wouldn’t walk away in the midst of an in-person heated back and forth with the person you like, now would you?

iPhone users, update your phone to iOS 10

The recent iPhone update is a game changer. From foolproof stickers to invisible ink, the changes on iMessage are a surefire way to subtly add some spunk to your texting style. The new effects allow you to inflate messages, release balloon showers, and hand write messages straight into the text box. The emoji button on the keyboard also converts certain keywords in your typed out message to their emoji equivalents. Try replacing the bolded words with emojis for an emotive little interchange.

Playful Messages

While you don’t have to go all “Cosmo’s Ten Flirty Messages to Send Your Man,” a little sass is a great way to keep your text conversation both interesting and enticing. Playfully tease the person you are texting by poking fun at them or making fun of yourself. Try to show your interest and keep the conversation flowing by following with questions relevant to context, without sounding like you are conducting an interview or probing.

Send Photos

While you may be tempted to resort to Snapchat, texting actual photos is a great way to make the exchange more exciting and authentic. A photo is said to speak a thousand words, not to mention it is an excellent window into what you are doing at the current moment. It not only invites discussion, but moves the conversation away from a counterproductive, dull cycle of “nm, you’s?” Rather than respond with an automated “not much, chillen,” send a picture of yourself lounging and literally in the act of not doing much. This is far more intriguing.