BOSTON HERALD - Feb 22 - Dating apps have seen a significant uptick in activity over the last year - Hinge reported a 19% increase in dates globally between 2019 and 2020 - but several single people have taken it one step further, seeking out dating coaches and matchmakers. Alexis Germany, a Las Vegas-based dating coach who shares advice on her TikTok, said her business has tripled. Dating experts say their new customers are more dedicated to finding a committed relationship and more open-minded when it comes to where a match is located.
168 posts categorized "Hinge"
Matchmakers Busier Than Ever During the Pandemic
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The Complete Guide to the Online Dating Industry
QUARTZ - Feb 14 - Dating online has revolutionized how we fall in love. The industry has 270m monthly users globally and grew by 13% in 2020, but online dating (swiping) has become exhausting. Experts say the apps that define the next era of online dating will offer more fun, safety, and community.
Amarnath Thombre, head of Match North America said Match's strategy is to "have each app run its own experiment," and, as the experiments play out, the company can use the successful features in its other properties. Match is also expanding into Asia with the lucrative Pairs in Japan, and Hawaya a Muslim-focused service.
Bumble had 42m MAU in Q3 2020. Facebook Dating seems to have fizzled, although some industry experts say it still has big potential [(Mark Brooks)]
"Pretty much everything that we charge for on Hinge, we couldn't really give away for free because then it wouldn't work anymore," said Hinge's CEO/founder Justin McLeod. "Think about Roses, for example. Roses are really, really special. If we gave everyone unlimited Roses, then it would completely defeat the purpose of Roses." Hinge downloads grew 63% globally between 2019 and 2020.
Mark Brooks, a leading industry consultant, says that for dating apps to be able to keep monetizing, moving into a more community-oriented gear is the way to go. "We want people to stick around, have fun. Yes, hook up, meet up, and maybe stick around even beyond that point," he said. "I think we'll see a general shift away from dating into more community-esque apps."
Since the beginning of the pandemic, The Meet Group saw livestreamed minutes increase by 40%. The Meet Group provides livestreaming for Match Group's Plenty of Fish, and the feature is proving to be popular. In Feb Match acquired Hyperconnect, a Korean "social discovery" company that owns a livestreaming app, and a video and audio chatting app that translates conversations in real time, for $1.7B.
Cook points out that the growth of the dating industry has generally been slowing. "And so what do dating companies do when you're saturating the market? ...they find other ways to engage the user. ...they can provide some entertainment value."
Every female dater interviewed for this article mentioned how they often feel unsafe on the apps, or how they are put off by unwanted sexual attention. In 2019, Bumble launched a feature that detects and blurs inappropriate photos. Tinder directs users who report violations to support organizations. Content moderation is slowly getting better.
Dating could jump to new media. For a true dating revolution to happen, the industry needs another media shift, like the one from desktop to mobile, said Brooks. He predicts that the jump will be to Augmented Reality, and that through wearable technology like AR lenses, people will get more "intel-on-the-go" about potential matches. "When passing by someone who has double matched, or is viable and an exceptional date candidate, they will be indicated to them." (Hakuna Live, one of the apps Match acquired in its Hyperconnect deal, features augmented reality avatars).
What's more, Brooks thinks we need more "coaxing along" when we're dating. AR, as well as "informed, tailored advice" from the dating service will deliver helpful nudges in real time, such as: "it's been 20 days since your last date night, might be time for a date at ,'" he said. "I think the benefits of timely advice will outweigh the creepiness of having a computer act as an informed advisor."
by Hanna Kozlowska
See full article at Quartz
Mark Brooks: Please see Courtland Brooks for more information on our niche agency/consultancy. We help Internet dating and online social communities to grow, and get their strategy, business development and marketing (more) right. ;-)
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Hinge's CEO Wants Users to Swipe Less and Love More
FINANCIAL REVIEW - Feb 16 - According to App Annie, Hinge is the fastest-growing dating app in the US, Britain, Canada and Australia. In 2020, full-year revenue was up threefold and total downloads were up 63% in 2019. Hinge launched in 2012, but in 2016, CEO Justin McLeod decided to ditch the old app and start again. "The reboot was one of the hardest, most challenging, gut-wrenching, horrible, things that I did," he says. The overhauled app came back with a new sell to its users: "Hinge, designed to be deleted." The company also began surveying users about whether or not they actually met up with matches, and if the date went well or not.
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Tinder, Bumble and Hinge Show Surge in Americans Looking for Love Online
WALL STREET JOURNAL - Feb 15 - Dating apps such as Tinder, Bumble and Hinge recorded a surge in users and time spent online last year. Overall, eight of the largest dating apps in the U.S. saw a 12.6% YOY increase in monthly active users in the final quarter of 2020, the biggest such jump in nearly two years, according to data tracker Apptopia. Match Group registered big gains in its Hinge app. In all, downloads of the eight apps increased 7.4% YOY in the Q4; in comparison, downloads in the Q4 of 2019 decreased 8.5% YOY. Meanwhile, time spent on the apps rose 13.4% in the Q4, up from 4.1% in the prior year.
by Yan Wu
See full article at Wall Street Journal
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Dating Is Different These Days
VANCOUVER SUN - Feb 9 - "I think most of the stigma of meeting online really is gone," says Justin McLeod, the founder and CEO of Hinge, during a virtual conference. "Meeting through an app is the number-one way that people are meeting their partners." The pandemic is certainly helping to accelerate that percentage, and now users are finding a new way to get acquainted with potential partners: video dates. 81% of users who try video dates reported the experience was "not at all awkward", and a third of people say that they are open to dating someone exclusively who they've only met on video dating. Another benefit to the video dating boom, experts say, is that ghosting is down by ~20%.
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Match Owns Dating's Past, Present and Future
WALL STREET JOURNAL - Feb 4 - Match showed impressive resilience early on in the pandemic. Q4 results slightly topped Wall Street's estimates. Match's shares took a dive in mid-January following Bumble's IPO filing, but had since recovered. Then its shares tumbled again 5% after hours following Tuesday's Q4 report. Investors shouldn't be overly discouraged. Its Q4 numbers show it met its initial revenue guidance for 2020, given way back in Nov of 2019, before the first case of Covid-19 had even been identified. For the past few years, the Match story has revolved around Tinder's rapid growth but Match's relationship-focused apps should increasingly come into focus in 2021. Match said downloads of Hinge grew 82% in 2020 through the end of Sep and that the direct revenue soared ~200% in the Q3, suggesting users are eager to pay for it. Beyond Hinge, Pairs, acquired by Match in 2015, is now Japan's biggest dating app.
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How Tinder Became the App That Defines Online Dating
FINANCIAL TIMES - Jan 8 - In the Q2 of 2020, Tinder reported a record 3B swipes in a single day. Shares in parent company Match, whose subsidiaries also include Hinge and OkCupid, traded at a record high in mid-December as it joined the Nasdaq 100. Rival Bumble has taken the opportunity to reportedly file for an IPO. When Match listed in 2015 it priced its shares at $12 each. They now change hands for $153. Success is down to Tinder's relatively simple set-up. Tinder, which accounts for more than half of Match's 11M subscribers, has a subscription level that allows users to see who likes them. This lure has helped Tinder convert free users to subscribers without spending large sums on marketing. Five years ago, Zoosk revealed that it was spending 84% of revenues on marketing before it pulled plans for an IPO. Tinder spent the equivalent of 20% of revenue on marketing in the most recent quarter.
by Elaine Moore
See full article at Financial Times
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New Brands Hinge and BLK to Steal Swipes From Rival Bumble
TIMES SQUARE INVESTMENT JOURNAL - Dec 17 - Acquired by Match Group in 2018, Hinge reported ~88% increase in revenue YOY in the Q3, along with niche apps like BLK and Chispa that match people based on their cultural backgrounds. In comparison, Tinder grew its revenue by 15%. Hinge brands itself as the anti-Tinder by appealing to daters suffering from swiping fatigue. Hinge's user base has grown from ~35K subscriptions before Match acquired it to 400K subscribers this year. It is estimated it will have ~8M subscribers in 2030 and $2.8B in revenue compared to $60M in 2020. Amid Hinge's boom, Tinder's slowdown indicates it has grown as big as it can. Match needs a different strategy to remain competitive. "The only way now that it can grow is by taking a more niche-oriented route," said Mark Brooks, who consults with online-dating companies on marketing strategies through his agency, Courtland Brooks. Bumble's growing popularity is a threat. With ~100M users globally, Bumble is going public next year, seeking a valuation of $6B. "Bumble is brilliant because what they've done is soaked up the most in-demand women," said Brooks. "The in-demand woman on a Match platform is going to get inundated." Match planned to acquire Bumble for $450M in 2017, but Bumble rejected the offer. Match acquired Hinge instead. It also launched niche dating apps including BLK and Chispa for the Black and Latino communities. "Match has always had a hard time with niches," said Brooks. "They like large scalable dating platforms." Besides BLK and Chispa, Match recently launched other community-based apps in the U.S., including Upward for Christians and acquired marriage-minded service Hawaya for Muslims.
by Harini Chakrapani
See full article at Times Square Investment Journal
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Hinge Rolls out New Features Including Roses
MASHABLE - Dec 7 - Dating app Hinge is rolling out some new features globally. One of them is Roses which works like Tinder Super Likes. In addition to Roses, Hinge is introducing Standouts, and a new feed featuring Prompts and Photo Prompts from possible matches. Standouts will refresh everyday to show users new Prompts curated based on their previous likes and comments sent to possible matches.
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Match Group and RAINN Enter Into Partnership on Dating Safety
PR NEWSWIRE - Dec 7 - Match Group partners with RAINN, the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization, to conduct a comprehensive review of sexual misconduct reporting, moderation, and response across Match Group's dating platforms and to work together to improve current safety systems and tools. The initial phase of the review will focus on Tinder, Hinge, and Plenty of Fish. RAINN is a founding member of the Match Group Advisory Council, a group that includes leading experts and advocates involved in the study and prevention of sexual assault, sex trafficking, abuse, harassment, and similar issues. The council is the first of its kind in the industry, and regularly makes recommendations on how to improve safety on Match Group platforms.
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Hinge Breaks out of Tinder's Shadow
COVERING COMPANIES - Nov 16 - In Q3, Match Group posted 88% revenue growth for its non-Tinder dating apps, including Hinge, Pairs, BLK, Chispa, and Hawaya. Hinge also reported an 82% YOY surge in app downloads. Launched in 2012, the same year as Tinder, Hinge branded itself as the anti-Tinder app. Match acquired the startup in 2019. "Match's acquisition was driven by the need to retain users who were looking to move past Tinder's hookup culture, said Mark Brooks, a marketing consultant to online dating companies through his marketing agency Courtland Brooks. "Tinder is a game. What they intend to do with Tinder is soak up as many people as possible," said Brooks. "And then what they intend to do with Hinge is graduate people from Tinder to Hinge." In Q3, Hinge launched paid features: virtual roses, akin to Tinder's Super Like, and writing prompts called Standout to spur conversations between daters. Lauren Cassel, Morgan Stanley's analyst, estimated that Hinge would have 8M subscribers in 2030, contributing $2.8B in revenue compared to the current $60M.
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Chipotle Teams up With Hinge
CNN BUSINESS - Nov 16 - Chipotle, Uber Eats and Hinge are teaming up to create a new menu that encourages dining during distant dates. Hinge users will get $20 off their next three orders of Chipotle delivered with Uber Eats. 10 Uber Eats customers who order from the new menu will have the chance to win dating advice from actress Rebel Wilson.
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Dating App Usage Is Changing for the Better
MASHABLE - Nov 11 - Between September and October, according to Apptopia, major dating apps grew considerably. Match grew 21%, OkCupid +21%, and Bumble +16%. Tinder and Hinge grew more modestly. "As people become more isolated, the desire and need to establish some sort of intimacy may also be increasing as a coping mechanism," said Dr. Ash Nadkarni, MD, Associate Psychiatrist and Instructor at Harvard Medical School. New positive dating habits are emerging. Match's CEO, Hosseini foresees singles taking their dating app usage more seriously and Match was already seeing a slower shift from hookup culture to more intentional dating. Match's Singles in America survey, released last month, (5k+ people), found 58% of single app daters shifted toward more intentional dating due to the pandemic. 63% said they're spending more time getting to know potential partners. 70% said they're being more honest in their interactions. 45% of Hinge users reported developing new healthy dating habits during the pandemic, such as being up front about what they want. Hinge dates went up 17% this summer, ghosting went down 27%.
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Could Hinge Be Match Group's Next Tinder?
THE MOTLEY FOOL - Nov 10 - Tinder dominates Match's revenue. It has grown from around zero revenue in 2014 to ~$1.4B this year. Match.com and other legacy websites like PlentyofFish make up around a third of sales. The smallest part of Match's current portfolio is the "emerging opportunities." It includes brands like Ablo, Pairs, and Hawaya, but is led by Hinge. Hinge is "designed to be deleted," meaning it targets people in the slightly older millennial cohort looking for long-term relationships. Match doesn't disclose Hinge's nominal revenue numbers. However, the app downloads year-to-date were up 82%. In fact, the company disclosed in its Q2 report that Hinge users have grown more than tenfold since 2017. With ~10M downloads globally, Hinge may be on the verge of what Tinder achieved a few years ago: hitting escape velocity in its target market.
by Brett Schafer
See full article at The Motley Fool
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Match Group Q3 Earning Call Highlights
OPW - Nov 6 - Yesterday, the Match Group announced Q3 financial results. Revenue was up 18% YOY ($640M). Operating income was $200M, up 14% YOY.
- Average Match Group subscribers reached 10.8M, up 12% YOY. North American average subscribers grew 9% YOY, and international subscribers grew 16%.
- Tinder's average subscribers increased a little over 900K YOY, 16% growth.
- Tinder's developed markets are performing well, but in India and parts of Latin America and Southeast Asia, the virus is still impacting Tinder users.
- 23% YOY direct revenue growth at the non-Tinder brands in Q3. These brands added ~275K average subscribers YOY.
- Solid live streaming revenue growth at Plenty of Fish.
- Newer brands like Chispa and BLK are contributing significant revenue growth. Hinge has been the standout this year, with 82% year-to-date growth in downloads and outstanding progress on monetization. Collectively, these new and emerging brands, including Pairs, grew 88% in the Q3.
- For Q4, Match Group expects total revenue of $640M to $650M, which would represent 17% to 19% YOY growth.
- Hinge monetization efforts made this year have worked (launch of Standouts and Roses - similar to Super Like on Tinder)
- Tinder Platinum is being tested in 10 markets, plans to roll it globally by the end of the year.
- Match Group launched a new brand Upward which is targeted to the Christian community in the U.S.
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