They say that the world has never been so connected as it is today. However, globalization does not present everyone with an “anti-loneliness” pill. That’s why people never stop trying various ways to find their specials (or just no-strings relations), and one of them is signing up at a mobile dating app and starting “fishing party”.
Since there would always be plenty of people who feel the need in finding more close and intimate connections, ideas to create a dating app would never become off the table. Unflagging popularity of this business concept is explained by people’s nature itself. Basically, everyone wants to have relationships of this or that level of seriousness. Thus, forward-looking are those startuppers who come to us to know how to build an app like Tinder.
As a dating app development company, we have enough knowledge and expertise for creation of a native mobile-first system of online dating for both iOS and Android. We’d like to share our expert opinion with you regarding this issue.
Let’s take Tinder – a front runner in online dating industry. It was actually the app that recalibrated public opinion regarding dating apps, turning online relationships from trite silly game into strong efforts in finding real and serious partner. It triggered a splash in creation of Tinder clone apps. But what do bare facts say?
Some facts about online dating industry:
• According to Statista, during the period from 2009 to 2016, US mobile dating market revenue grew from 43 to 381 million dollars, and it is expected to grow to 415.3 million dollars until 2017.
• If 10 years ago Americans were wary of using dating apps like Tinder, doubting whether it was socially acceptable, today more than 15% of American adults are using mobile dating apps.
• 80% of those Americans who have already tried those, say that such services are a good way to meet people.
• Around 7 million UK habitants are using online dating services.
• 5% of overall Australia’s population are registered with Tinder.
• Industry of online dating costs more than $2.2 billion and is growing at a high pace.
There are four basic types of dating apps:
1. Dating apps with geolocation matching mechanism, which offers potential matches based on geographic vicinity. That’s the way Tinder and Bumble work.
2. Apps that rely on matching algorithm, which are built according to information, given in personal survey. The most famous representative here is eHarmony.
3. Traditional dating applications, which copy features of old-school dating web sites, being in fact their mobile versions. OKCupid is the bright example here, being fairly regarded as Tinder’s decent competitor.
4. Niche dating applications, which target narrow groups of selected people. Some of them position themselves as elite dating services, some of them allow only selected (for instance, ambitious young professionals for The League) people to sign in. There are also such “women-friendly” sites like The Grade and Antidate, which help women avoid harassment while using online dating services.
How to make money with dating apps?
• Providing users with paid subscriptions that have effect during a certain time period.
• Advertisements: giving third party companies space to promote their products at app’s pages.
• In-app purchases. Users buy app-specific icons, virtual presents, smileys etc.
• Premium plans. Charging users for access to additional features.
In many dating apps, restriction of access is used as an additional incentive to make users purchase premium plans. A sure-fire way is to choose app’s crucial feature and allow no one but premium users to get use of it. At Tinder it’s the “undo” feature, with the help of which you can get back to the profile of a person you swiped before.
There are many ways startups may use to monetize dating apps.
What difficulties may be faced while trying to make money with dating apps?
• It is crucial to constantly grow a customer base in order dating app development cost is paid off and you start getting profit from that. It’s not so easy as it may seem.
• Often online dating projects face disproportion issue between the number of male and female subscribers. In some services the ratio of female users counts only a third of an overall number of people registered.
• Most part of dating apps’ users are not brand loyal and they often use two or three apps of this kind at a time. So, in order to stay relevant you need to not only attract clients, but also to retain them.
A little later, we will discuss what should you do to make the process of launching the app easier.
We have thoroughly analyzed various dating apps both for iPhone and Android and compiled a list of features that should and should not be present in the best custom dating app.
Recommended features for dating apps:
• Facebook or Instagram integration. Ability to get connected with pal’s pal (like the one Hinge offers).
• Effective matching algorithms (survey-based and facial recognition-based ones).
• Providing possibility of entering extended bio and preferences.
• Private chat.
• Ability to break communication with importunate users by deleting from the list of contacts.
• Anonymity for users.
• Geolocation, search distance options, like in Happn.
• Viewing profiles.
• Push notifications.
• Advanced matching algorithms. OKCupid did a good job here, offering detailed quiz for better understanding of person’s nature.
• Well-organized search filters.
• Feed: interface with swipeable images.
• Policy that takes care of decent behavior (may vary depending on app’s purpose).
Features that are not recommended for dating apps:
• Absence of admin control: unverified accounts.
• Too long and time-consuming surveys, needed for fueling matching mechanisms.
• Aggressive advertisement.
• Compulsory social network integration and push notifications.
• Uncensored content.
How to involve more customers with dating app development?
How much does it cost to develop a dating app?
Price on this type of applications varies depending on various things. We tried to consider everything while estimating costs of dating app development. If you wish to hire dating app developers for creation of Tinder clone, please mind the following price calculations:
Read also: Cost for app development
7 recommendations from Erminesoft on how to make a dating app working:
1. Offering such features as profile ranking may help you engage more users with the app your company offers. Tinder’s feature called Moments implies that new photos appear only for 24 hours, and this encourages users to update content regularly.
2. Gamification of selection and search processes also adds entertainment and interest to your application. When you hire developers, as them to implement swiping mechanism (like in Tinder) and give away funny badges or rewards for fully completed profiles, good reputation etc.
3. As for retention of your users, send push notifications when the match takes place and make daily/weekly suggestions regarding people a user may like.
4. Proven experience of Bumble shows that creating more comfortable conditions for women is well rewarded in terms of customer retention as well. Let the ladies only decide whether to make the first move to stay protected from greasy and silly talks, and this will invest into overall sense of the app.
5. Don’t forget about beautiful design as well. Look up to HowAboutWe – it’s a pleasure to operate it. Pay special attention to usability of the most popular screens (you may use heat maps to collect this info).
6. Since competition is really high, focus on selected region and niche social groups – thus you will have more chances to stand out from the crowd
7. Pay enough attention to effective advertising and promotion via social networks.
Read also:
• How Much Does an App Like Pandora Radio Cost?
