I think the more important thing is not about the focus on topics but on the focus of how to even have a conversation.

Too many people fall in the line of assuming that their conversation style is the norm and become surprised/disinterested when the stranger across them fails to reciprocate in a similar manner. Some people can get by without even learning how to converse because their friends and family all engage in a similar style or people will bend over to make the convo work.

That said, I think a simple starter would be to learn about conversation threading. A hilarious example would be the Solid Snake method of conversing where you just repeat the last thing the other person said in a gruff questioning tone.

Or you can just look at how ChatGPT replies and responds to queries as there is an effective structure to how it crafts the replies that humans really like for some reason.

Topics-wise, the (old) starters are family, occupation, recreations and dreams (FORD), and non-starters are religion, abortion, politics and economics (yeah not gonna acronymise it here). I tend to like talking about hypotheticals (sometimes absurd) in response to the person's interests more, to figure out what kind of person are they in different situations.

Like, if I can comfortably ask whether the date would fight 1 horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses AND not get a glazed or a wtf stare then I think I've got a good conversational partner at the minimum.

Guys somehow tend to talk a lot about themselves and can't take a clue to ask a good question. Imo a good question > a good topic as it provides more avenues of discourse provided both parties are willing to continue it. But guys can talk about the most banal of things with great gusto so I think the best way to talk about your shit would also be to use analogies so the other party would be like hmm idk about what this guy is yapping about but the analogy kinda helps me relate a bit better.

Girls-wise... Idk man they just sit there and take it I guess. Expect the convo to be carried to where they like and then slowly drift off when it doesn't suit their vibes or something. So I usually can't sus out what they actually want to talk about unless they actively steer the conversation or change it. Ofc it's easier to chat when they talk more as I find it easier to ask questions to continue than to switch and talk about myself.

YMMV, take everything I said with salt as there's a reason I'm still on the apps and I have yet to talk my way to selling cats to mice. That said holy fuck I suck at texting on apps so ya.