Dating Apps Need to Offer Something More Than Swiping

FORBES - Jan 23 - ~25M people use dating apps, and the online dating sector will be worth $12B by the end of 2020. Worldwide, however, dating app downloads for the 15 most-popular apps decreased to 247M in 2018, from 256M in 2017. The swiping format that once felt fresh and exciting has proved fruitless for many. esearch suggests that compulsive swiping makes people feel lonelier. "People are looking for deeper connections, a deeper way of getting to know someone beyond a photo level," says Adam Cohen-Aslatei, the founder and CEO of S'More. S'More bills itself as a "relationship app", and directs users to interact with each others' profiles before sending messages or even seeing pictures. Apps that target a certain age bracket, ethnicity or religious community, also have a chance to do well. Other companies are trying to bridge the gap between online and real life connections. Last year Feeld, an app aimed at non-monogamous singles and couples, launched the Feeld Social - events with interactive talks and performances.