Marketing

Shares of Match Group stock rose following the company’s second quarter forecasts, despite the decline in earnings for Q1.

Match Group reported EPS (earnings per share) of 42 cents, beating the consensus of 41 cents, per Reuters. It’s also a 5 percent increase from the same period last year. Revenue however was $787.12 million for the quarter, below the expected $793.87 million, and a 2 percent decline from the same time last year according to Yahoo! Finance.

Paying app users decreased by 1.1 percent to 15.87 million, according to Yahoo!, but revenue per payer actually increased to $16.26, up from $16 in the last quarter, a hopeful sign.

Four college students have developed a new AI tool that is aimed to help singles communicate better over dating apps. Rizz generates personalized responses to messages using a screenshot of the chat, so singles can choose one, customize it, and move conversations forward.

The developers are coders who told The Washington Post that they struggled to chat with people, and this inspired them to create the app. "The reason we created this app is that we're experiencing the pain of not fully knowing how to converse with people," co-founder Charis Zhang told The Washington Post.

Rizz’s founders are all sophomores in college, with Zhang, Oliver Johansson and Tobias Worledge at the University of California at Berkeley; and Daniel He goes to school at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

Tinder has announced the launch of its new Photo Verification feature, which includes an AI-powered update and video selfie requirement.

According to Tech Crunch, the new Photo Verification is to help users prove they aren’t a bot or catfisher on the dating app by taking video selfies that can be analyzed by AI against their photos. Previously, users were required to take a selfie as instructed by the app to compare against a profile photo, but Tinder is strengthening its process even further by requiring the video selfie, so there is no room for error.

The process for verification requires the user to complete a series of videos responding to questions or prompts, and then the AI tool scans the videos and compares them to the photos the user wants to include in their profile to see if they match. The AI tool uses 3D mapping of facial geometry for both the video and photos, according to Tech Crunch.

Dating app Bumble has partnered with Gymshark to create a UK-based ad campaign centered around fitness, a popular first date activity among younger daters.

According to The Drum, the campaign focuses on compatibility for singles, and how they can bond more easily over shared interests. “For Dates That Workout” includes new interest badges that users can add to their profiles, including weightlifting, HIIT and bodybuilding, which were chosen by Bumble based on what’s most popular with Gymshark members. Yahoo! Life noted that the most popular workout activities for Bumble dates were running, and HIIT, yoga and Pilates classes.

Bumble found that 22 percent of Gen Z and millennials have exercised or attended a fitness class on a first date, according to The Drum. This has been especially popular since the pandemic, where meeting for drinks has taken a backseat to more active dates. According to their research, 32 percent of singles have attended a fitness class with the intention to meet someone.

Tinder has confirmed it is testing a new ultra-premium service priced at $500 per month, tentatively called Tinder Vault.

According to Fast Company who broke the story, Tinder Vault is offering different perks for the price point, including a 24/7 Concierge Service for those willing to pay. The details about the service are still vague, and the company said they might not offer it if there isn’t the demand, but that remains to be seen.

Tinder’s chief product officer Mark Van Ryswyk said in an interview with Fast Company that the feature is still “in its early days,” and that Tinder could even end up drastically cutting the price. There was no word on when the company plans to release the service more broadly.

China has launched a new state-sponsored dating app to boost marriage rates in the country. Palm Guixi is now available in the Jiangxi province and will use personal data on its single residents there to build its matchmaking platform.

The app itself differs from traditional dating apps like Tinder and Bumble in that the state-run operation picks your matches out based on tracking data, and sets matches up via the app’s blind dates platform according to Gizmodo.

Local governments in the province are organizing in-person matchmaking events as well, encouraging single attendees to wear traditional clothes and play games as a way to break the ice and to celebrate Chinese culture  according to The Guardian.