PR NEWSWIRE – Mar 9 – BLK, the largest dating app made for Black singles, has announced its live online content series, titled "Connection, Community & Conversation." The first installment, titled "How to Mobilize Your Black Girl Magic to Excel in Life, Love and Career", will include weekly discussions featuring Rox Brown, Sesali Bowen, Aisha Bowe and Kitty Ca$h. The weekly Live series will occur on Wednesdays at 8pm EST, starting today (Mar 10) on BLK's Instagram page (@meet_blk).
Category: BLK
Campaign: Match Group’s BLK Sets Out to Reclaim “Once You Go BLK”
PR NEWSWIRE – Feb 4 – BLK, the largest dating app made for Black singles, launched a new advertising campaign, Once You Go BLK, to reclaim and reappropriate the antiquated phrase "Once you go Black, you don't go back." This campaign includes original content and video testimonials with BLK users, tailored to acknowledge how real people date, across the Black cultural spectrum.
Q&A With Jonathan Kirkland of BLK on How to Command Attention on Dating Apps
MADAME NOIRE – Jan 6 – Jonathan Kirkland is the Head of Marketing & Brand at BLK, one of the largest dating apps for Black people.
Q: How has 2020 changed the dating scene?
Jonathan Kirkland: What we learned is that although people have been socially distancing, they do not want to be socially isolated. During the first two weeks of lockdown (March 2020) – we saw an 18% increase in the daily user activity with users swiping 39% more and exchanging messages 61% more than they were pre-pandemic. And we continue to see these positive trends month over month.
Q: How is dating during a pandemic different than any other time?
A: People are taking more time to get to know one another on a deeper level and making more authentic connections.
Q: What advice do you have for people when it comes to navigating dating apps?
A: Be open-minded. Be real. (1) clear SOLO pics of you, (2) take time to complete your bio, (3) state your intentions upfront.
Q: What are some of the challenges Black people face with dating apps and how does BLK solve some of them?
A: Racism and discrimination. At BLK, we have created a space where Blackness is celebrated and appreciated. We engage our community in conversations around topical cultural and social issues.
Q: Dating apps have a reputation for hookups and short-term relationships. What is the key to finding long-term happiness online?
A: First, we must not shame hookups and short-term relationships as a culture. The key to finding what you are looking for on a dating app is being transparent in your intentions upfront.
New Brands Hinge and BLK to Steal Swipes From Rival Bumble
TIMES SQUARE INVESTMENT JOURNAL – Dec 17 – Acquired by Match Group in 2018, Hinge reported ~88% increase in revenue YOY in the Q3, along with niche apps like BLK and Chispa that match people based on their cultural backgrounds. In comparison, Tinder grew its revenue by 15%. Hinge brands itself as the anti-Tinder by appealing to daters suffering from swiping fatigue. Hinge's user base has grown from ~35K subscriptions before Match acquired it to 400K subscribers this year. It is estimated it will have ~8M subscribers in 2030 and $2.8B in revenue compared to $60M in 2020. Amid Hinge's boom, Tinder's slowdown indicates it has grown as big as it can. Match needs a different strategy to remain competitive. "The only way now that it can grow is by taking a more niche-oriented route," said Mark Brooks, who consults with online-dating companies on marketing strategies through his agency, Courtland Brooks. Bumble's growing popularity is a threat. With ~100M users globally, Bumble is going public next year, seeking a valuation of $6B. "Bumble is brilliant because what they've done is soaked up the most in-demand women," said Brooks. "The in-demand woman on a Match platform is going to get inundated." Match planned to acquire Bumble for $450M in 2017, but Bumble rejected the offer. Match acquired Hinge instead. It also launched niche dating apps including BLK and Chispa for the Black and Latino communities. "Match has always had a hard time with niches," said Brooks. "They like large scalable dating platforms." Besides BLK and Chispa, Match recently launched other community-based apps in the U.S., including Upward for Christians and acquired marriage-minded service Hawaya for Muslims.
by Harini Chakrapani
See full article at Times Square Investment Journal
Dating App BLK: Black Women Deserve Better
PAPER MAGAZINE – Dec 4 – Launched in the summer of 2017, BLK was created by the Match Group with young Black singles specifically in mind. Since then, BLK's been downloaded ~4M times and has become the fastest growing app in the Match Group family, which the app's Head of Marketing and Brand Jonathan Kirkland said "speaks to the fact that BLK was something that the community needed and wanted." Amidst this summer's Black Lives Matter protests, BLK's main focus has shifted from "just dating" to building a community hub where Black singles can connect and feel supported. Kirkland added that one of their biggest goals now is ensuring that BLK continues to be an app where Black women in particular feel safe, respected and desired, before citing a 2014 OkCupid study which found that Black women were liked at far lower rates than women of other races.
BLK App Is Creating Community for Change
THE GRIO – Nov 11 – BLK App, a dating app founded by Match.com, has been around for three years, and is currently led by Jonathan Kirkland, the Head of Marketing and Brand. In the first two weeks of COVID-19, BLK App saw an 18% increase in the daily activity. Kirkland shares, "We are 7 months into the pandemic and have seen a 38% increase in activity month over month." Since launching in 2017, BLK App has had ~4M people download the app. The app is 55% male and 45% female; however, they market directly toward Black women. Kirkland came to BLK App and 28 days later, the murder of George Floyd occurred. He immediately sprung into action. He said, "We look at things through three lenses – community, dating/relationships, and entertainment." Community has been the pulse for the app's activations. Kirkland and his team are working to add features to the app to make it feel more like a lifestyle destination vs. just a place to find a date.
by Danielle James
See full article at The Grio
Match Group Q3 Earning Call Highlights
OPW – Nov 6 – Yesterday, the Match Group announced Q3 financial results. Revenue was up 18% YOY ($640M). Operating income was $200M, up 14% YOY.
- Average Match Group subscribers reached 10.8M, up 12% YOY. North American average subscribers grew 9% YOY, and international subscribers grew 16%.
- Tinder's average subscribers increased a little over 900K YOY, 16% growth.
- Tinder's developed markets are performing well, but in India and parts of Latin America and Southeast Asia, the virus is still impacting Tinder users.
- 23% YOY direct revenue growth at the non-Tinder brands in Q3. These brands added ~275K average subscribers YOY.
- Solid live streaming revenue growth at Plenty of Fish.
- Newer brands like Chispa and BLK are contributing significant revenue growth. Hinge has been the standout this year, with 82% year-to-date growth in downloads and outstanding progress on monetization. Collectively, these new and emerging brands, including Pairs, grew 88% in the Q3.
- For Q4, Match Group expects total revenue of $640M to $650M, which would represent 17% to 19% YOY growth.
- Hinge monetization efforts made this year have worked (launch of Standouts and Roses – similar to Super Like on Tinder)
- Tinder Platinum is being tested in 10 markets, plans to roll it globally by the end of the year.
- Match Group launched a new brand Upward which is targeted to the Christian community in the U.S.
BLK App Connects Black Singles
CHICAGO DEFENDER – Sep 5 – In its third year, BLK's online dating app has quickly become the largest online dating app for Black singles. With ~3.5M downloads to date, BLK app provides a space exclusively for Black singles to connect. In March, when COVID hit, the app saw an 18% increase in daily user activity, a 39% increase in overall swiping, and a 61% increase in messages that were being exchanged, all within the first two weeks.
Match Group’s BLK Dating App Launches BLKVoices
DALLAS INNOVATES – Aug 4 – Dallas-based dating app BLK, a subsidiary of Match Group, has created a new in-app feature called #BLKVoices to create a space for users to share their opinions on social and cultural topics. Since launching in August 2017, the BLK app has had ~3M downloads, making it the largest dating app for Black singles. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, the engagement encourages conversations around racism and discrimination.
by Sophia Gonzales
See full article at Dallas Innovates