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

How Marketing & Gamification Derailed the Dating Industry

THE CURRENCY - The dating industry is at a crossroads. User growth has plateaued. Apps paired addictive features with culturally resonant marketing. Tinder is synonymous with modern dating. Bumble is the feminist alternative. The pandemic was a renaissance for dating apps. "Never were people more aware of their singleness than during Covid. There was this horrible effect, this extended period where people were acutely aware they were alone," noted Mark Brooks, a veteran strategic advisor to the dating industry. "We're now seeing a return to pre-pandemic growth patterns, but without the same user enthusiasm," he added.

Swiping prioritizes quantity over quality, with endless matches but few meaningful connections. This gamified approach led to singles criticizing for failing to deliver genuine connection. Court cases have tarnished the industry, and allegations of fake profiles and data misuse deepened consumer mistrust, leading to disillusionment and "dating fatigue". Thursday hosts casual mixers and quirky speed-dating sessions and announced the closure of its core app, citing "rapidly declining consumer interest in dating apps" and is "doubling down" on in-real-life dating. Mark Brooks's take is: "Thursday is drawing people who are real-world-oriented, not so inclined towards online dating."

A lack of innovation has left the door wide open for social media platforms to enter the arena. Blazr, for the cannabis-friendly community, is a prime example, with 130k users. FarmersOnly caters to rural daters. The platforms that succeed will be those that prioritize meaningful connections, position themselves as lifestyle brands, and rebuild consumer trust.

by Andrea Linehan
See full article at The Currency

Mark Brooks: This will be the hot topic at the upcoming Global Dating Insights conference in NYC on Wed 19th March, and at the LTR (Love, Technology, Relationships) online mini-conference on Wed 2nd April.

See the top news on Thursday                  See the top news on Bumble
See all posts on FarmersOnly                    See the top news on Tinder

Thursday Dating Brings IRL Matchmaking to Calgary

CALGARY JOURNAL - Thursday Dating, a global matchmaking service, is launching in Calgary as an alternative to dating apps. Instead of swiping, singles meet in real-life events hosted in local venues. The service aims to combat dating fatigue caused by ghosting and repetitive online conversations.

by Chantel Belisle
See full article at Calgary Journal

See the top news on Thursday

Thursday Shuts Down Dating App to Focus on Events and New Ventures

CITY AM - Thursday, a London-based start-up founded by George Rawlings, launched its dating app in 2021 with a simple idea: it only works on Thursdays. The app was designed to tackle "dating fatigue" by limiting activity to one day a week, encouraging quicker decisions and real-life meetups. Now, the company is shifting its focus to Thursday Events, where users can buy tickets to weekly events around the world. They’re also planning to expand their trips division, launch in new countries, and introduce a clothing line.

by Jon Robinson
See full article at City AM

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Best Nights VC: Investing in Online Dating With Offline Focus

GLOBAL VENTURING - Best Nights VC, Mast-Jägermeister's venture arm, targets startups that bridge the gap between online interactions and real-world connections. Their portfolio includes Thursday, a dating app that operates exclusively on Thursdays to encourage real-life meetups and other social platforms like Lex and 222 that foster meaningful in-person interactions.

by Fernando Moncada Rivera
See full article at Global Venturing

See the top news on Thursday
See the top news on Lex

Dating App Thursday Expands to San Francisco

TECH CRUNCH - Thursday, the dating app, which is available only on Thursdays, has expanded to San Francisco. By limiting access to one day a week, it encourages users to schedule real-life meetups promptly, addressing "swiping fatigue". Thursday limits matches to 10 per day, encouraging serious dating efforts. Users can increase this cap with a subscription. The app also organizes in-person singles events through Thursday Event. Founded in 2021, Thursday is available in six countries, including the U.S., U.K., and Australia, and plans to reach 100 cities by the end of 2024.

by Lauren Forristal
See full article at Tech Crunch

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Ashley Coates Discusses "Thursday" Dating App Events

ABC7 - Ashley Coates, the Chicago host for the dating app "Thursday," stopped by ABC 7 Eyewitness News to discuss the app and its unique approach to dating. She shared insights about the app's weekly events, which are designed for those tired of traditional dating apps, held every Thursday.

by Tony Smith
See full article at ABC7

See the top news on Thursday

Dating Apps Aim to Ensure Users and Investors Don't Swipe Left

THE TIMES - Dating apps face challenges after years of growth, with declining user numbers and management changes. Match Group's value dropped from over $40B in 2021 to $7.8B. The number of paying customers is declining by 9% in its sixth consecutive quarter. At Bumble, Lidiane Jones replaced Whitney Wolfe Herd as CEO in January. She has already laid off 350 employees. Shares in Bumble have fallen by ~30% over the past 12 months and the company is now worth $2B, down from the $13B shortly after the 2021 IPO. Mark Brooks, the CEO of Courtland Brooks, a business that provides consultancy services to online dating companies, said that a proportion of users were willing to pay a premium for dating apps. "They're leaving a lot of money on the table," he said. "There's a small portion of people who are willing to pay considerably more. Some people don’t have time, they just want dates, so the more you can help them with that, they'll pay disproportionate amounts and spend $500 a month, perhaps, which is what Tinder is playing with right now." Acquisitions also have a role to play in helping Match to grow. Hinge, bought by the group in 2018, has been an important investment. It describes itself as the app that is "designed to be deleted". Brooks said: "Theoretically they wouldn't want users to delete the apps because they're not going to get paid any more, but they’re conveying that it's the app for a high-quality experience. Hinge is important to Match. It offsets some of the decline in user weakness for Tinder. But it is still small relative to the size of the group." Others in the industry are also hoping to shake up the market. One such is Thursday. Founded by Matt McNeill Love and George Rawlings, the dating app, as its name suggests, works only on Thursdays, when it hosts singles events in various locations in cities such as London and New York.

by Emma Taggart
See full article at The Times

See the top news on Match Group              See the top news on Tinder
See the top news on Bumble                      See the top news on Hinge
See the top news on Thursday

Dating App Thursday's Graffitied Car Stunt in Sydney 'Backfires'

NEWS.COM.AU - A car graffitied with messages like 'cheater' and 'scum' in Sydney turned out to be a promotional stunt by the dating app Thursday. Initially causing online speculation about a revenge act, the company later revealed on Instagram that it was a creative attempt to grab attention due to their limited marketing budget. The stunt, involving a car owned by Thursday's city representative, aimed to promote Thursday Events in Sydney, a concept where singles meet in person. Despite some praise, the marketing tactic faced criticism for associating the dating app with negative themes like cheating and vandalism, leaving many confused and unimpressed. The controversy highlights the fine line between innovative marketing and potential brand damage.

by Elizabeth Pike
See full article at News.com.au

See the top news on Thursday

Thursday App CEO Apologizes for Insensitive Layoff Announcement on LinkedIn

CITYAM - The CEO of the dating app Thursday, George Rawlings, apologized following backlash over a LinkedIn post about layoffs at his company. In the deleted post, he stated that 70% of the staff pictured had been made redundant, yet claimed Thursday was stronger than ever. His post, perceived as insensitive, drew mixed reactions. The app, known for its once-a-week live feature and pop-up events in London and New York, had raised £2.5m in seed funding. Rawlings acknowledged the post did not convey his intended message and expressed a commitment to rectify this and do right by his team.

by Jess Jones
See full article at CityAM

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Dating App Thursday Transforms From Dating App to In-Person Singles Bar Experience

OPW - Thursday, initially renowned for its unique dating app that only activated on Thursdays, is taking a bold new direction. Thursday is moving beyond being just an app or an event organizer. Transitioning from digital matchmaking, Thursday is now set to launch a groundbreaking concept: The Singles Bar. The company's plan is to have a dedicated place in every major city in the world where singles from Hinge, Bumble, Tinder, pearº hang out on a Thursday night for IRL human connection.

See the top news on Thursday

How the Success of the Green Ring Experiment Boosted Thursday Dating App

LINKEDIN - Six months ago, the founder of dating app, Thursday, initiated an experiment called pearº. The idea was to eliminate the need for dating apps by introducing green rings that singles could wear to indicate their openness to real-world connections. Surprisingly, it worked better than expected, with numerous success stories pouring in. While some questioned if this move was counterintuitive, it turns out pearº has paved the way for Thursday's expansion into 115 cities across four continents by the end of the year. Sometimes, creating competition can lead to growth.

See full article at LinkedIn

See the top news on Thursday

Matthew McNeill Love, Co-founder & COO of Thursday, Shares Insight Into Company's Quiet Phase

LINKEDIN - Matthew McNeill Love, the COO and Co-founder of dating app Thursday, recently opened up about why the company has been less active on social media. Despite a challenging year marked by hesitant venture capital and economic downturn, Thursday decided to go inward, focusing on improving its product rather than scaling. Last February, the team concentrated on strengthening their brand, refining user experience, and setting a clearer path to scalability, all part of their next phase dubbed "Thursday 2.0." During this time, the app reached a significant milestone of 1M downloads. The company also developed another singles brand with global reach, expanding its presence in markets like the US, UK, EU, Australia, and Canada. Love concluded by hinting at exciting developments in the coming months.

See full article at LinkedIn

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Understanding User Behavior: the Intersection of Profit and Matchmaking in Dating Apps

INSIDEHOOK - Dating apps operate with different business models that could significantly impact user experiences. While apps like Hinge market themselves as platforms designed to find lasting connections, others like Tinder and Bumble have focused on optimizing user engagement. Apps like Thursday have sought to limit user interaction to reduce the gamification effect. Despite the surface altruism, these businesses are driven by a profit motive, focusing on user retention and regular engagement to maintain an active user base. This has sparked speculation about whether these apps, incentivized to keep users active, could unintentionally prolong the quest for meaningful connections. Each app caters to a unique demographic and promotes a distinct user experience, potentially affecting the user's dating life.

by Mark Hay
See full article at InsideHook

Dating App Thursday Organizes a Ski-Trip for 1K Singles

LINKEDIN - The dating app Thursday has announced a ski trip for 1000 singles to France on April 15 - 22nd, 2023. ~4K people said they want to come in 24 hours, according to the LinkedIn post of Thursday's co-founder & CEO George Rawlings. Singles can register here. Over 4000 people said they want to come in 24 hours. All registrations will also be entered into a prize draw to win two free places on the trip.

See full article at LinkedIn

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Which Dating Apps Collect and Share the Most Data From Their Users

TECH BUZZ IRELAND - MoneyTransfers.com has analyzed 15 different dating apps to identify which apps share sensitive information with third parties. 67% of dating apps collect users' personal data to share with third parties. Badoo and Her were discovered to be the dating apps that share most of their users' personal data with third parties (35%), including everything from location, contact information, identifiers (IP address and cookies), and usage data. In joint second place were eharmony and Grindr, and in third place came Tinder and PlentyOfFish. There were 5 apps that did not collect any of their users' personal data to share with third parties. These apps were Hinge, Thursday, Flava, Once and Raya.

by Jim O Brien
See full article at Tech Buzz Ireland