REFINERY29 – Feb 27 – Tinder's former Sociologist Jessica Carbino, or Dr. Jess, has now joining Bumble as the app's new sociologist. In her time at Tinder, Carbino offered data-based tips on everything from scoring a date to perfecting profile photo. Carbino says her primary responsibilities at Bumble will involve understanding users' experiences on the app and using that understanding to make effective product changes.
by Madeline Buxton
See full article at Refinery29
PRWEEK – Feb 27 – When Peter Sloterdyk joined Grindr as VP of global marketing, the app had just under 3M daily active users and is now creeping its way toward 4M. Sloterdyk explains the main issue was that Grindr was considered to be mainly a gay hookup app. While this assumption is not completely incorrect, the brand wants people to know it is that, but also "so much more." "Over the past year, Grindr has launched a gay emoji keyboard to help users communicate in a way they are already using in their lives. It also unveiled Into, an online magazine, to provide people with information, editorial content, and stories with global perspectives. The brand is also continuing its Slumbr event series, a 36-hour party that helps people "experientially connect with Grindr and see us in a different way," Sloterdyk says. Sloterdyk is also changing up Grindr's marketing strategy for India and its surrounding countries to ensure the brand has an on-the-ground presence there.
PIX11 – Feb 26 – Yubo is marketed as an app for kids ages 13 – 17 to make new friends, but with the swipe feature, the app has become known as the Tinder for teens. Originally created early last year as Yellow, the app boasts ~15M users worldwide. According to the child safety website PureSight, one in five teenagers say they have received an unwanted sexual solicitation via the web, and 75% of teens are willing to share personal information online. In almost all underage sexual predator cases, the teens have gone willingly to meet with them. What's also new to the app is a live-streaming option where teens chat about anything and everything to complete strangers. Since rebranding in December, the company has increased its security features to include technology to detect fake profile pictures; a child online safety consultant; a required mobile number to register, which is recorded and verified; and a reporting abuse feature to inform the company of inappropriate activity.
by Lisa Mateo
See full article at Pix11
by Hu Yuwei
See full article at Global Times
OPW – Feb 26 – Ladies & Gentlemen is a Hungarian Dating platform which is looking for a merger or a sell-off. It apparently has 8000+ registered members. 57% male. This online dating platform is listed for auction at a starting price of $50k USD. More info here.
See all domains & sites for sale
Post by Mark Brooks , CEO IDEA
FINANCIAL TIMES – Feb 23 – Momo paid for the top Chinese dating app $600.9M in cash and 5.3M shares. That brings the total value of the deal to ~$760M. Tantan, dubbed Chinese Tinder, had raised $120M, including a $70m last year. It has enabled 5B matches since its launch. (Tinder claims 8B matches.) Tantan's management will stay and the companies will continue to operate independently.
by Yuan Yang
See full article at Financial Times
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This post also appears on InternetDatingInvestments.
PEOPLETALK.RU – Feb 23 – Andrey Andreev, the founder of the biggest dating app, is confident that Badoo has no competitors in the world market. Badoo started 11 years ago and claims 372M unique users. Andreev is confident Badoo has been and remains the most innovative dating app in the online dating market. This summer Badoo launched two new functions – Lookalike and Videochat. With Lookalike, users can search for people similar to famous actors, politicians, or just a person that matches the type they like.
by Anna Baloyan
See full article at PeopleTalk.ru
STUFF.CO.NZ – Feb 23 – Date With Eight is an events focused dating service where singles, aged between 22 and 60, register for events and meet up in groups of up to eight people in Auckland. The dates include food and drinks and vary in price from $25 for a coffee date, to $60 for a cooking class. Participants do not get to meet or see the other singles until they arrive at the date. Jess Page launched the company a year ago after identifying a gap in the market for "real human interaction" on the Auckland dating scene, she said.
by Jackson Thomas
See full article at Stuff.co.nz