Online Personals Watch: News on the Online Dating Industry and Business

Gen Z Is Changing How Dating Apps Are Used

MEDIAPOST - Gen Z is using dating apps not just for finding love but also for making friends and building communities. On BLK, over 30% of users in 2024 said they used the app to make friends, up from 18% in earlier years. Trends like "Crewsing" (finding a group or squad) and "Collabor-dating" (bonding over creative projects like making TikToks or playlists) show how Gen Z is looking for more than just romantic matches.

Two big trends to watch:

• Slow Dating: Taking time to build deeper, more meaningful connections.
• Collabor-dating: Connecting through shared hobbies or creative activities.

by Danielle Oster
See full article at MediaPost

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BLK Dating App Survey Finds 43% of Black Gen Z Singles Are Celibate

ESSENCE - A recent survey by BLK Dating App revealed that 43% of Black Gen Z daters are currently practicing celibacy. Among this group, 64% of Black women have chosen a celibate lifestyle, with 61% citing personal growth or self-discovery as the primary motivation. Additionally, many respondents expressed frustration with the toxic dating environment as another key reason for their decision.

by Elizabeth Ayoola
See full article at Essence

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Niche Dating Apps Gain Popularity, Offering Fresh Alternatives to Hinge and Bumble

FAST COMPANY - Smaller dating apps like HER, Feeld, and Happn are gaining traction by serving niche communities and offering alternatives to major apps like Bumble and Hinge. "They're not designed to be first-tier," says Eric Resnick, an online dating coach. "They're just designed to serve their niche really well." HER, targeting queer women and nonbinary individuals, boasts 15M users and is experiencing what founder Robyn Exton calls a "sapphic renaissance." Match Group operates community-based apps such as Archer, BLK, Chispa, and Upward. Happn, a French app, connects users who frequent the same locations, appealing to those tired of endless swiping. Feeld, popular among nonmonogamous users, allows users to list intimacy preferences and has seen significant growth among Gen Z.

by Henry Chandonnet
See full article at Fast Company

BLK Dating App Teams up With Michelle Obama's 'When We All Vote' to Empower Young Black Voters

ESSENCE - BLK, a dating app for the Black community, has partnered with Michelle Obama's "When We All Vote" to launch the #ElectionSZN campaign. The campaign aims to increase voter participation among young Black voters. It includes a voter registration portal, in-app voting prompts, and an "Election Mode" to match users based on voting preferences.

by Kimberly Wilson
See full article at Essence

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Podcast: Match Group's Latest Apps and Cultural Shifts in Dating

ADWEEK - In this episode of the podcast "Yeah, That's Probably an Ad," ADWEEK brand editor Rebecca Stewart talks with the heads of Match Group's newest dating apps: Jonathan Kirkland (BLK), Cindy Lim (Yuzu), and Julia Estacolchic (Chispa). They discuss how dating apps now focus on social connections, not just romance. BLK's "New Year, Real You" and Yuzu's partnership with Sundae School celebrate diversity and authenticity. Chispa's "Fluent in Amor" highlights Latinx cultural nuances. Gen Z prefers fluid social interactions, so Match Group adapts to meet these needs.

by Luz Corona & Rebecca Stewart
See full article at AdWeek

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Match Group's BLK Encourages Black Women to Be Themselves

CAMPAIGN US - BLK, a Match Group dating app, has launched the #RealNotPerfect campaign to empower Black women to embrace authenticity in every aspect of life. The campaign, featuring a series of videos, encourages members to be unapologetically Black and showcases individual stories of Black women overcoming challenges. Users are invited to pledge authenticity, receiving a badge on their profile. Over 8,000 people have joined the campaign so far.

by Sabrina Sanchez
See full article at Campaign US

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Match Group's "Are You Sure?" Feature to Expand to Millions of Users Across Match, Stir, OurTime & More

PR NEWSWIRE - Match Group is introducing its anti-harassment feature "Are You Sure?" (AYS?) to users across several platforms, including Match, Stir, OurTime, BLK, Chispa, and Upward, with Hinge planning to adopt it next year. Initially launched on Tinder in 2021 and later on Plenty of Fish and Meetic, AYS? has prevented ~500M potentially problematic or harassing messages by prompting users to reconsider their words before sending. The feature, which uses automated tools to flag potentially harmful language, has led to an 84% decrease in triggering on Plenty of Fish, showing its effectiveness in changing user behavior. The feature is available in 18 languages and is part of Match Group's efforts, including an upcoming "Respect Before Swiping" campaign, to promote respectful interactions and boundaries on its platforms.

See full article at PR Newswire

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BLK Launches Animated 'Halloween Horror Stories'

CASSIUS - BLK, a dating and lifestyle app attuned to the Black community, has launched a new content series called Halloween Horror Stories: Dating Edition. The series consists of three animated shorts that chronicle the dating terrors of Black singles. The tales were from BLK's community who shared their real-life dating horror struggles through an in-app questionnaire. "BLK is about sharing real stories. Both, the good and the bad. That's what makes us and our users authentic," said Jonathan Kirkland, head of brand and marketing for BLK.

See full article at Cassius

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Match Group Reports Q1 2023 Results

MATCH GROUP - The Q1 '23 results showed a 1% YOY decrease in total revenue at $787M due to a 3% decline in payers, partially offset by a 2% increase in revenue per payer (RPP). On a foreign exchange neutral (FXN) basis, the total revenue was up 3% YOY at $822M. Tinder's direct revenue was flat YOY at $441M, while Hinge's direct revenue grew 27% YOY. Match Group Asia's direct revenue declined 13% YOY. Evergreen & Emerging (Match.com, Meetic, OurTime & Pairs, BLK, and Chispa) direct revenue was down 8% YOY. Q1 operating income was $198M, down 5% YOY, while Q1 adjusted operating income was $263M, down 4% YOY. Tinder's new weekly subscription packages and pricing optimizations are expected to increase revenue as 2023 progresses. Tinder is also focusing on improving women's user experience by providing relevancy, realness, and respect. They are testing Just for You, curated profiles, and adding interactive profile elements to provide a richer and more engaging user experience. Hinge is seeing exceptional momentum in Europe, with plans to launch more targeted marketing efforts in Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands in Q2.

See full article at Match Group website

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Chispa and Voto Latino Reunite to Encourage People to Vote

PR NEWSWIRE - Chispa, the #1 dating app made for U.S. Latinx singles, has reunited with the political organization Voto Latino to educate, empower, and mobilize the next generation of Latinx voters for the 2022 midterm election. The two organizations partnered in 2020, during the Presidential election, to help motivate Latinx voters in what turned out to be a breakout year. ~61% of all Latinos over 18 registered to vote, up 12% points from 2016. Chispa is a Match Affinity dating app created in 2017 by Match Group.

See full article at PR Newswire

BLK, a dating app for black singles, also partners with "When We All Vote", Michelle Obama's initiative with a goal to increase participation in each and every election by helping to close the race and age gap.

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Dating App BLK Turned 'Vax That Thang up' Into the Song of the Summer

ADWEEK - Despite the havoc that multiple Covid-19 variants have wreaked over the past two years, vaccination remains a very controversial topic - especially within the Black community. BLK, the largest dating app made for black singles, has partnered with rap legends Juvenile, Mannie Fresh, and Mia X, turning the iconic rap classic "Back That Thang Up" into the new vaccine anthem, "Vax That Thang Up."

by Shannon Miller & Malinda diPasquale
See full article at AdWeek

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HBO Max Planned Date Nights for 180 Couples Over Four Days

BIZBASH - To celebrate season two of Love Life starring William Jackson Harper, the brand teamed up with dating app BLK and Black Restaurant Week to host a series of date nights around the country. For the season one premiere of its original series Love Life, HBO Max created an at-home date kit which included a three-course meal, a make-your-own Manhattan cocktail kit, branded wine glasses, candles and a themed game. But for season two HBO Max brought the date nights back to restaurants, hosting a four-day series of romantic evenings at eight Black-owned eateries throughout the country. Taking place from Oct. 26-29, the events popped up at restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, Detroit and Atlanta. Fans could either sign up via a dedicated Black Restaurant Week website or from the BLK dating app. Overall, ~180 reservations were made over the course of the campaign.

by Claire Hoffman
See full article at Bizbash

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Tinder and Match Asking Users to Urge Senators to Pass Violence Against Women Act

THE HILL - Match, Tinder, OkCupid, BLK, Chispa and Plenty of Fish, all of which are part of Match Group, have prompted their users to send an email to their senators "with one click," urging them to support the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. The Violence Against Women Act, originally enacted in 1994, lapsed in 2019 and has not been reauthorized since. The bill would provide grants to state and local governments for programs addressing domestic abuse, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking, in addition to further narrowing the so-called boyfriend loophole to prohibit dating partners convicted of domestic violence or abuse from buying or owning guns. Current law only restricts gun purchases for spouses or formerly married partners who were convicted of abuse or are under a restraining order.

by Mychael Schnell
See full article at The Hill

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Juvenile & Mannie Fresh Recreate Classic Song Into 'Vax That Thang up' for BLK Dating App

HIPHOP-N-MORE - July 8 - BLK, the largest dating app for Black singles has found a unique way to encourage people to get vaccinated. The app has partnered with rap legends Juvenile and Mannie Fresh, turning the iconic classic 'Back That Thang Up' into the new vaccine anthem 'Vax That Thang Up'.

See full article at HipHop-N-More

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How Match's Black and Hispanic Dating Apps Are Helping Close the Vaccine Gap

FAST COMPANY - May 26 - The Biden administration is turning to dating apps to help push more young people to get vaccinated. Chispa and BLK's campaigns are especially important. Only 9% of total vaccinations have gone to Black people, who represent 12% of the population, and 13% to Hispanics, who represent 17% of the population. Across 41 states, white people have been vaccinated at a rate 1.5 times higher than Black people, and 1.4 times higher than Hispanics. Working to fix the disparities, the Biden White House has recruited dating apps. Last week, the White House announced an "outside initiative" with Match Group. Across its roster of apps, Match is set to roll out incentives for its users to get vaccinated. The aim is not solely to reward the vaccinated, but to educate people.

by Talib Visram
See full article at Fast Company

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