MOB325: Dating industry overview

Brief overview of dating industry

1. Dating industry overview

2. Dating is a form of human courtship consisting of social activities
done by two persons with the aim of each assessing the other’s
suitability as a spouse.

3. Global Dating Apps Projected Revenue
3.08 $bn
5.71 $bn
+85%

4. Type of dating apps
General includes the apps that are the best suited for:
○casual dating (i.e., Tinder, Badoo)
○long-term commitment (i.e., eHarmony, Match, Parship)
○open-minded (i.e., EliteSingles, OkCupid, Plenty of Fish)
○busy people (i.e., Luxy, The League, The Inner Circle, Happn)
○romantics (i.e., Bumble, Hinge, Coffee Meets Bagel)
○mature, but young at heart (i.e., SilverSingles, Lumen, Ourtime)
Geo-location apps help to find a potential partner near you (i.e., Tinder, Badoo)
Matchmaking got the algorithm in the core. It suggests a potential partner to a dater (i.e., Zoosk, Hily, Pairs, Tantan, Shaadi,
YouBride)
Group accentuates on communication, not mere swiping profiles (i.e., Twoo, Azar, Double, Tapple, Wishdates)
Music helps to find people who share your music tastes (i.e., Tastebuds, LetsTuneup)
Gaming apps have game elements instead of mere scanning or swiping (i.e., XO, DatePlay, The Catch, Vouch, Elimi, Jigtalk,
Peekawoo, Find Your Lobster)
LGBT dating apps for a comfortable scan for a significant other (i.e., HER, Chappy, Scruff, Blued, PinkLobsterDrink, Grindr,
LGBTQutie)
Religious apps to find a match among people who share the same standpoint (i.e., Christian Connection, Swipe, Ishgr,
Yenta, Muzmatch, JDate

5. Dating services landscape
Product launches, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and geographical expansions are key strategies adopted
by players in the Online Dating Services Market. top 10 companies include, Coffee Meets Bagel, eHarmony Inc.,
EliteMate.com LLC, Happn SAS, Love Group Global Ltd., Match Group Inc., Spark Networks SE, Tastebuds Media Ltd.,
The Bumble Group, and The Meet Group Inc.

6. North America dominated the Online Dating Services Market with major share of 40%. This is owing to high
adoption of online dating services and increasing consciousness regarding appearance among population.
According to Online Dating Industry, in U.S., about 43 million users are active on different online dating apps, thus
increasing the growth of this market. However, Asia-Pacific is projected to outpace all the regions by clocking the
highest CAGR during the forecast period 2021-2026 owing to the rising adult population and increasing usage of
smartphones.

Online dating services by geography

By 2022, the number of
people living alone is forecast
to reach 92 million in China

7. COVID Impact
COVID-19 pandemic had greatly affected the Online Dating Services Market. During pandemic, there is isolation, lockdowns,
social distancing which creates dullness among people. So, the usage of smartphones increases which increases the
conversation in dating app and are positively impacting the growth of the market.
Roommate hookups on the rise
Singles weren’t going far to find someone to have sex with during the pandemic – 1 in 4 singles had sex with their
roommate, with nearly half of Gen Z (46%) and 1/3 of Millennials admitting to doing this during lockdown.
Video vibes
There’s an official new stage of dating – the video date, with 1 in 5 singles going on a video date during the pandemic. Of the
singles who video dated:
• 65% said video chatting first made them like their date more (while 54% said it make them like them less)
• 56% felt chemistry while video chatting and 50% even fell in love during a video date
• 69% said they’d video chat with a date again

Digital dates will remain part of the new normal
As in-person contact became risky, daters turned to virtual experiences for human connection. Instead of meeting up, Gen Z
looked to video chat or virtual dates. During the pandemic, half of Gen Z Tinder members video chatted with a match, and a
third were doing more virtual shared activities. Rather than go out, people were more likely to meet through Tinder, then go
on a date on Animal Crossing (AC mentions grew 30X) or eat DoorDashed meals together over Zoom (DoorDash up 3X;
Zoom grew 30X)

8. There Are Almost Too Many Options & It Can Take a Decent Amount of Time. The internet has an estimated 8,000 dating sites on it, and an
estimated 40 million people have used at least one of them.
It Costs Money. In many cases, communication or chatting features will be restricted to paid members only — that’s actually a good thing because it
means only serious and authentic singles can reach out to each other
People Can Easily Lie About Themselves. You’re alone with a laptop or smartphone, not face to face with someone. This makes it easier for some
people to add a few inches to their height, take a few years off their age, or lie about something worse. More than half of online dating users admit to
lying about something on their profiles.
You’re Facing More Rejection More Frequently. In the real world, people typically face rejection one person at a time, but in online dating, that
rejection can be multiplied with every swipe and message.
Dick Pics. You can’t talk about online dating without talking about dick pics.
Scams Abound. In 2016, the FBI received almost 15,000 romance scam complaints — ranging from identity theft to fake emergencies and business
investments.
Stalkers, Pedophiles, Murderers & Other Predators. In addition to financial dangers you could face on a dating site, there have been reports of
physical dangers as well, including stalking and murder. Also, according to Phactual.com, 10% of sex offenders use dating websites to meet people.
You Could Be Catfished. We’ve all heard of the show and the Manti Te’o story. Catfishing is when someone pretends to be someone they’re not (fake
name, fake picture, fake location, fake history, etc.)
It Works Better for Some Than Others. Research shows black women often have the hardest time online dating. They’re often objectified, receive
fewer replies to their messages, have to endure racist comments, and so on. Similar things have been said about Asian men. Studies and firsthand
accounts say white women seemingly have the easiest time.


Dating services market challenges

9. A common misconception is that most Gen Zers use dating apps.
But Student Beans’ survey reveals that
51% in the US have never used a dating app or website.

10. Direct messaging on social media apps are more popular among Gen Z
53% have used this method to organise a date or hook-up, while 20% have dated
someone they met via Instagram.
A lesson for brands: don’t invest all your social strategy efforts in dating apps.
Instead, integrate your love-leaning messages into Gen Z social media faves such as
TikTok, Instagram or Snapchat.

11. Dating services by users age
Gen Z that makes for Tinder &
Bumble’s largest user base has
become more self-aware and
comfortable with presenting
their authentic self socially.

12. Dating users overview

13. Gen Z Millennials
●Pragmatic
●Risk-takers
●Highly value authenticity
●Prefer person-to-person contact
●Involved with the community
●Internet dependent
●Upbeat and receptive
●Atheists or agnostics
●Mix business with pleasure
●Believe that money cannot really buy
happiness
Attention Span Shorter Short
Frugal Less frugal More frugal
Devices Use smartphones the most Use desktops the most
Exposure to ads Less exposed to ads More exposed to ads
Social media Use Vine & TikTok more Use FB & Pinterest more
Working attitude Team players Independent workers
Entrepreneurial adventures
More inclined Less inclined

14. Top trends
Virtual dates may become the norm. More people will prefer having their first dates virtually before they meet in real life, a report
by dating app Aisle has revealed.
Emotional availability a turn-on. People will be more conscious than ever before choosing a partner - not only they would be
cautious about people's smoking or drinking habits, but a special attention would be paid to the partner's emotional availability or
commitment.
There are keywords for bios too. Topics like practicing yoga, meditation, mental health, vulnerability and others will attract more
matches if mentioned in bios, especially among Gen Z.
Text - what's that? The report by Aisle revealed that people will become more accepting of new dating techniques and voice notes
will be more common than text messages.
Metaverse is seeping in here too. Engagement on dating apps is expected to increase with the introduction of virtual dates in the
metaverse, the report added.
Metaverse will encourage spontaneous interaction. Metaverse will enable more spontaneous interactions as users can choose
their preferred environment over messengers, send virtual gifts and buy accessories for their avatars.

15. Have an dating app idea?
Check this list of dating apps
Victoria The App
An online equivalent of a member's club, Victoria the App is the place to be if you want to make meaningful connections with fellow
creatives. Think of Victoria as the digital version of Soho House.

Jungle Dating
Jungle Dating celebrates double, triple and even quadruple dating and allows users to create a group of up to four friends, match with
other groups, and organise a group date

Thursday
The app pretty much everyone has been waiting for in 2021 finally launched in May and signalled the beginning of the summer of love.
The founders of Thursday believe that the world is spending far much time on dating apps and created an alternative that invites users
to match, flirt and date all on one day - you guessed it, Thursday. Messages and matches disappear at midnight on Thursday night so if
you want a date then spontaneity is key here. The app's Instagram account is private and for members eyes only

Bumble
Originally founded by women for women, Bumble challenges the antiquated (and often sexist) rules of dating – there's need to wait for
the fella to make the first move.

Hinge
Hinge is the Instagram of dating apps. Seriously, it’s a millennial’s dream. Some people say it hides in Tinder’s shadow, but if you want a
bit more accountability then this app is perfect as in their latest survey, Hinge found they are setting up a date every two seconds.
“designed to be deleted” is clearly clever marketing, but users say it works

16. HER
It's the top dating app for LGBTQ+ women for a reason. HER provides a community for queer, lesbian and bisexual women, created by
and for women, and is one of the most popular apps out here.

Happn
Using your location, the app will match you with people who are also on the app in close proximity on a daily basis. It also calculates
how many times you and your love interest cross paths, so you know it's 100 per cent (ish) destiny if you end up together

Inner Circle
If you're a tad tired of swiping to no avail, then Inner Circle's super selective process - that allows you to screen fuller profiles that
showcase hobbies, favourite venues and past holidays - might just be thing to get you out of the dating app funk.

Raya
Raya is a membership-based app for those who know, and if you don’t, you can’t ask. You can’t even screenshot a picture inside the app
without getting told off by its creators. Basically, Raya laughs in the face of exclusivity and only eight per cent of applicants are
accepted. Getting on there, however, is harder than finding a great date. You’ll have to be very beautiful, very successful and have
5,000-plus Instagram followers to get in

Pickable
Again, the women are in control on this one. Women can keep their identities hidden, while having their pick of the litter. You don’t even
need to create a profile or add any information to get swiping. All you have to do is download the app. Look, we can’t do all the work for
your. Who run the world?

Have an dating app idea?
Check this list of dating apps

17. Badoo
Badoo does find you a match based on which celebrity you have a crush on. Yes, really. Using facial recognition technology, the app
scans the single market for lookalikes.

Bristlr
This is a dating app for those wanting some facial fuzz and a good stroke of a soft, grizzly beard (cats are a bonus) in their life.

Muddy Matches
We did say there was something for everyone and we have a feeling that this one might have been designed for those who live in the
countryside or, more specifically, on a farm. Looking for your fellow country partner?

Muz Match
If you a single, practicing Muslim looking to find your perfect partner - MuzMatch is a fun way to do it. With complete photo privacy and
an anonymous nickname, you have full control who can see you. The app's filters allow you to search for single Muslims who meet your
ethnicity, sect and religious criteria.

Tastebuds.
It matches two people based on their favourite music.

MeetMindful
If you’re searching for the avocado to your toast or the celery to your juice, MeetMindful will help you find your zen (and partner). You
can connect with one soul or a community of likeminded mindful individuals.

SALT
SALT, enables users to identify other Christians registered in their area.



Have an dating app idea?
Check this list of dating apps

18. Coffee Meets Bagel
CMB shows specifically women one quality match per day. After all, you can't put boundaries on love. The idea is that your swiping is a
tad more considered.

HILY
First of all, the name is an acronym for 'Hey I Like You'. It’s also powered by artificial intelligence. HILY uses algorithms to help increase
the probability of matching with one of the 12 million happy users. If you upload stories, post comments and likes, then the information
can be used to find you a better match.

Profoundly
helps you open a conversation with interesting questions and entertaining icebreakers. Only when you’ve chatted enough will it unlock
your match’s photos

Luxy: to find your model partner
Many of its members are models, athletes, influencers, celebrities and high-flying execs. only 20-30% of applicants achieving
membership due to its strict criteria

Playdate: to meet other single parents
If you’re one of the 2.9 million single parents currently living in the UK, Playdate wants to be your matchmaker





Have an dating app idea?
Check this list of dating apps

19. Tourbar
The digital matchmaking app lets you make friends (or find dates) ahead of time by connecting you with other travelers or locals before
your trip.
Airtripp
allow you to find someone who's also a solo traveler in the same city or a local.

Skout
Skout can join you with millions of people around the world. You can connect with anyone anywhere using this app. This is especially
handy when you're on the other side of the world and you want to explore the neighborhood but can't speak the language.

Grindr
touts itself as a space that includes all queer, trans and non-binary people and is open to women, but their presence is virtually nil

Feeld
which appeals to anybody with an open mind, partnered and single alike. From swinging and polyamory to kink and radically
transparent one night stands, it’s a sex-positive platform where anything goes

String: to hear what your match sounds like
String launched this year as a way to make dating during self-isolation more personal. Rather than sending strings of robotic
one-liners, the app lets you put a voice to your matches’ pictures by sending each other voice-notes. No texting is allowed: you can
either react with an emoji or send one back. For extra audio points, Spotify is now integrated into the app

Have an dating app idea?
Check this list of dating apps

20. Lox Club: for Jews with high standards
This membership-only app started as a joke, according to its 29-year-old LA product designer founder Austin Kevitch, but it officially
launched worldwide at the end of last year after receiving thousands of applications.

Taimi: to meet queer people.
isn’t just a dating app, it’s the world’s largest LGBTQ+ social platform, with almost nine million users and social features from
chat-based networking to video streaming.

Elate: for people who hate ghosting
The anti-ghosting app for people who prefer dating one person at a time. Elate’s solution? It only lets you chat with three matches at
once and will let you know if one moves on to chat to someone new (so you're not left wondering and waiting)

The Intro: to swerve small-talk
Launched in London a year ago, The Intro is all about meeting IRL instead of weeks of pre-date chit-chat. When two users match, they
can't chat, instead they schedule a date. Just tell the app when you’re next free and it’ll work out a mutual slot and suggest meeting
spots (currently in parks) between the two of you Video dates are now available if you can’t meet in person and there’s a ‘speed date’
option for two-minute virtual dates with other online members.

Slow (for China)
Slow only lets each user view 48 profiles a day. And instead of having users swipe right for “yes” or left for “no”, Slow asks them to “like”
a particular feature on each profile, whether it is a photo or a description of a recent trip that the profile owner wrote about. They can
also choose to pass on a profile by tapping on a cross button.

Have an dating app idea?
Check this list of dating apps

21. HIMMR, which stands for “How I Met Mr Right”, is another online dating start-up hoping to appeal to China’s young singles. carefully
verifies the profiles of its users. To become featured on HIMMR’s WeChat account, a user needs to submit their college graduation
certificate, several high-quality photos, a self-description and lengthy reviews from family and friends.

Fanka Grindr like for China

Pure
Pure is the best sex positive app to find new people and new experiences you always dreamed about.

NuiT
Best For People Who Care About Astrology. Your Perfect Match is written in the Stars!

Heybaby
Best For Single Or Future Parents& Serious dating for people who have or want kids without weighty questions killing the vibe.
Have an dating app idea?
Check this list of dating apps

22. THANK YOU
Data source:
studentbeans.com/uk
statista.com
stylus.com
mashable COVID survey
https://fortune.com/
eMarketer.com
PEW Research Center
TrafLink
AppAnnie.com
OGURY dating apps study
SensorTower
SurveyMonkey