SKY NEWS – Dec 20 – According to data from App Annie, in the Q3 '18, UK spending on the top 10 dating apps rose to £23M from £14M in the same period in 2017. That is a growth of 60% in a year. Tinder generated more consumer spend in the UK than any other non-gaming app in 2018, even more than Netflix and Spotify. And the UK's increase in spending on dating apps is now higher than the global average.
Month: December 2018
The CEO Behind Tinder, OkCupid on the Future of Online Dating
WALL STREET JOURNAL – Dec 20 – Match Group CEO Mandy Ginsberg talks about her first year on the job, the Facebook threat and tackling loneliness through technology.
Q: Are you losing a lot of sleep over the Facebook move?
A: There are a lot of other things that make me lose sleep. I worry: "Are we innovating enough? Do we have the right talent?" You can't underestimate Facebook, but I do feel confident that, with Tinder, people who are 21 years old are not going to be like, "Oh, I'm going to get rid of my Tinder app in order to use Facebook."
Q: Who isn't using your apps today, and where do you see the greatest potential?
A: The biggest opportunity is outside of the U.S. and Western Europe.
Q: How have your products changed in the #MeToo era?
A: When I started this year, I thought hard about what else should we do. I kicked off a safety advisory council. Tarana Burke, who founded the #MeToo movement, is on it.
Q: Match Group is ~80%-owned by Barry Diller's IAC. What advice has he given you?
A: He's a very instinctive decision-maker. He likes to get to the heart of a problem, and he pushes individuals and the team to get there. It's more about the dialogue and the discussion.
Q: What's the best career advice you ever received?
A: My mother, growing up, said, "If you want something, open up your mouth and ask."
Q: What will Match look like in 2025?
A: Despite so much technology, people are more disconnected than ever. It's really important that products like ours are all about human connections and connecting people one on one. Video is going to play a role.
Slindir Is a Tinder for Healthy and Active Singles
FAST COMPANY – Dec 19 – "Active is our DNA, feeling good is our purpose," reads the app tagline. Slindir founder Andrea Miller explained the philosophy behind her company, noting that a common lifestyle was the best marker of a relationship's success. The more niche a dating app, the better and faster it helps members find what they're looking for. "Being active affects your vacation, the restaurants you eat at, it's going to affect you," said Miller, later adding, "It really has nothing to do with how you look, it's how it makes you feel." There is no fat-bashing or blatant elitism. Slindir promotes a healthy lifestyle, not a weight requirement. There is a difference.
You Can Tell if Someone Is Attracted to You by Their Voice
Momo Experiencing Decelerating Growth
SMARTER ANALYST – Dec 19 – Chinese social media company Momo had seen its stock surge ~100% between January and the end of June, before plummeting over the past few months to a 52-week low. The growth has been decelerating; while revenue grew by 64% YOY in Q1 '18, growth decelerated to 58% in Q2 '18 and then 51% in Q3 '18. However, even with decelerating growth, Nomura analyst Jialong Shi is bullish on MOMO stock, maintaining his Buy rating and $41 price target. Momo's flagship service is Tantan, a dating app similar to Tinder.
Google Deleted Millions of Fake App Reviews
ENGADGET – Dec 19 – Google instituted a system this year that uses a mix of AI and human oversight to cull junk Play Store reviews and the apps that promote them. In a recent week, Google removed "millions" of dodgy ratings and reviews, and "thousands" of apps encouraging shady behavior.
Tinder Fires Comms Head and Other Employees Who Sued Match Group
TECH CRUNCH – Dec 19 – Tinder has fired its VP of marketing and communications Rosette Pambakian, as well as other employees who sued Tinder's parent company Match Group and IAC earlier this year. In an email sent to Match Group's current CEO Mandy Ginsberg, Pambakian said that after being placed on leave when the lawsuit was filed, she was subjected to "ongoing intimidation and retaliation clearly designed to pressure me into resigning." Pambakian also said that after she declined to sign a non-disparagement agreement, "Match snuck an arbitration clause into its employees' most recent compliance acknowledgements, causing me, Jonathan, James and Josh to have to withdraw from the lawsuit. As a woman CEO, I truly hope that you reconsider the safety of your remaining female workforce and allow Tinder and other Match owned companies to follow in the footsteps of Uber, Facebook and Google in eliminating forced arbitration for sexual misconduct claims. We deserve better." In response, Ginsberg denied that Pambakian was fired for complaining about sexual harassment: "You couldn't have been, as you never reported Greg for sexual harassment. You were terminated because it was not possible for you to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of your role as Tinder's spokesperson for a number of reasons, including your public position against the company over a valuation process," Ginsberg continued.
Eurostar Launch Dating Service for One Day Only on a Train
Plenty of Fish Is Increasingly Popular in Mexico
FORBES MÉXICO – Dec 18 – With ~1M exchanged on the POF app per week, Mexico is starting to be POF's one of the most important markets. Mexico is a very attractive market because its users are very active and sociable.
4 Experts Predict Online Dating in 2024
PHERAMOR BLOG – Dec 12 – According to a new study conducted by Imperial College London and eHarmony, DNA will continue to play a role in online dating. In the future, will we make deeper romantic connections via technological advancements? What trends in online dating will remain the same?
Mark Brooks, CEO of Courtland Brooks and the IDEA
Mark sees potential with the online dating world integrating with virtual reality (VR) which allows users to engage in experiences through the use of software and specialized devices. "A media shift keeps the door open for a new player," says Mark. In the future, whether we fully embrace VR dating or not, online daters ultimately expect utility and a viable product. "A dating app should help people not fall in love with the wrong person."
Lorraine Adams, Head of Matchmaking at The Dating Lab
She and the Dating Lab team predict online daters will increasingly expect valuable customer service as part of mobile apps and website. This should include some profile guidance and dating advice. "Online users are far more likely to spend money on upgrades if they are adequately helped".
Steve Dean, Online Dating Consultant, Dateworking
The biggest problem among online dating consumers is that they are fatigued and overwhelmed. As a result, users do not know where to start engaging if it all looks the same. Steve is hopeful of companies offering a fresh approach to design or products. Steve is cautious about the market’s appetite for VR dating. He believes that users will ultimately desire a human connection.
Marc Lesnick, Founder of the iDate Conference
He sees a big integration in the near-future of online dating: artificial intelligence (AI). The process may be slow in coming, and, the capital needs to be secured for AI to become a reality.
by Alley Lyles
The full article was originally published at Pheramor Blog, but is no longer available.