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Hinge’s CEO Justin McLeod went hard on the swipe dating app model, bringing up many of the problems with dating apps that I have mentioned in the several previous columns I have written about dating apps. He said that swiping apps are designed to keep you single to benefit the company through maximizing user engagement to sell the ad revenue model. The focus is on matching, not necessarily messaging. In the words of Tinder’s CEO, “It doesn’t even matter if you match because swiping is so much fun.” This is all true. Swiping is a game, which is fine if you’re just looking for some coitus. But it’s hell for people who don’t want to die alone.
A few stats for you, according to McLeod:
– Although many who use dating apps are not looking for relationships, only 18 percent of app users have found ANY relationships.
– Users log in an average of 11 times a day for up to 90 minutes of use and, on average, accumulate 200 matches.
– Fewer than 10% of matches result in messaging back and forth.
– The majority of users can’t remember the name of the last person they right swiped during a swipe session, meaning there is no real interest in that human being at all.
– According to surveys Hinge has performed, 87 percent of users are open to a relationship, while 45% are looking exclusively for a long term relationship.
– 70 percent of Hinge users have said they prefer the company move closer to a model more relationship-focused, while avoiding the expensive, old-fashioned, baby boomer-esque Match.coms and eHarmonys that many of us are too prideful or embarrassed to even consider as an option.
As always, I like to go back to my point of going out in the wild to see what you can snag on the prowl, but I am curious to see what they’ve come up with. Hinge has tried several ways to make their app more pervasive to relationship-minded people. Originally, the only people who appeared to swipe either had a mutual Facebook friend or a mutual interest. Mutual friends made it more likely that the opening line would not be asking some poor girl for her views on analingus. They also limited the number of people you can swipe in a day. At least they’re trying.
So for the 87 percent of you app users who are open to a relationship, the new Hinge might be worth a look. At least it will be a different model than the hookup-centric swiping model. I guess we’ll see what they’ve come up with when it comes out October 11. Good luck, folks. .
[via Hinge]
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@5OClockShadow_
200 matches!? Oh that’s fucking hilarious. Remove a couple zeros and we’re talking about my cumulative 6 month run.
I believe it meant 200 cumulative matches.
I am a strong advocate for first picture swiping.
I haven’t used Hinge or any dating app in months. Unfortunately it felt like Hinge was going downhill anyways, so I’m certainly not going to waste money on an app for an “improved” version. I’m all about going into the wild as you say. Call me old-fashioned but I hope I’m not the only one doing that and not relying on stupid apps anymore.
That’s right, I rely on PGP like a gentleman.
Sup?
Ah yes the classic “go outside and try” approach.
They’ll also begin charging a monthly fee for the pleasure.