The problem is that they are optimizing for the wrong values. They are looking at retention, but the ideal dating app should have bad retention! You get a couple of matches, you chat, date, exchange real numbers and you’re inactive on the app!
Yeah, that’s what it should do if matching was central to the product. From the app owner’s perspective, optimizing for retention makes sense if they’re trying to pad their users numbers, e.g. if they’re raising funding. I’ve also seen filters hidden behind a paywall, which made navigating some a time sink.
There’s a lot of insight here but I wonder if anyone will corroborate it. The author admits that the app they worked on wasn’t nearly as big as the likes of Tinder and Hinge so I wonder if the overall patterns are the same.
Some insightful comments from the last time it was posted:
lol somebody wrote a whole analysis why
The author is very likely female and Chinese.
a simple click on the author’s profile shows he’s a French man
Interesting observations. The behavior on dating apps is prime stuff for sociological research. I wonder what even more data from really big apps could reveal.
The author doesn’t seem to question the current role of dating in society and takes it as a given, but that’s fine observing phenomena from within the system is not invalid.People were not speaking for very long conversations in general, they were happy to start a chat, but never really cared to continue it. Which always makes me say, that people registered on these apps are not really here for dating, but more for entertainment purposes.
Strikes me as completely backwards. Read many, many women’s profiles that said they’re not there to chat. For myself, I only want a quick chat and then a date if all seems well. Also, the more you chat, the lower the chances of an actual date. Too easy to be misunderstood or make assumptions when 80% of communication (physical) is out the window.
Very interesting. Essentialy dating app technology has been perfected. Now it’s just which marketing you prefer.
Wow, that was a really extensive but insightful article.
