Types (Niche)

Remember when people wondered if Tinder would ever successfully monetize? Those days seem like a lifetime ago.

The company has released a string of money-making features since its 2012 launch, ranging from Super Like to the premium Tinder Plus membership. The latest to join the line-up is Tinder Gold - an optional, upgradeable tier that allows users to see who swiped right on their profile without swiping right back.

Tinder Gold was released in the United States in late August following testing in select markets around the world. The members-only service offers the app’s most popular exclusive features, including Passport, Rewind, Unlimited Likes, five Super Likes per day, one Boost per month, and more profile controls. It also includes the new Likes You feature, which reveals who’s into you before you swipe.

In a move that may prove we’ve reached peak Millennial, Vice is debuting a new Snapchat dating show sponsored by Match and hosted by Action Bronson. Take a moment to let all those buzzy words and brands set in.

The weekly, 8-episode show is called Hungry Hearts and features couples going on dates that are designed by Bronson himself. Over the course of the mini-series, the chef-turned-rapper will flex his matchmaker muscles as he curates dates, provides play-by-play commentary on each outing, and predicts whether the would-be lovebirds will get to a second date.

Hungry Hearts is not Bronson’s first show for Vice. His indulgent web series for Munchies - F*ck, That's Delicious - is a bonafide hit that moved to Viceland and will be printing a cookbook based on recipes from the show. It should come as no surprise to fans that his dates for Hungry Hearts will also feature plenty of delicious eats.

Dating apps catering to exclusive clientele are becoming an increasingly prominent part of the industry. The League may be the most famous example, but there’s also Inner Circle and the mysterious Raya. Even Tinder has gotten in on the game with Tinder Select, a secret, members-only version of the app for its top users.

Loveflutter is the latest company to jump on the elite bandwagon with a new premium version of its app, called BLUE. BLUE promises to admit users into an exclusive world full of “celebrities and other Twitter blue tick holders” - in other words, you can woo Twitter’s hottest verified singles, providing you too have that little blue check by your name.

In a world overrun by YouTube stars and Instagram influencers, BLUE may sound like a ploy to appeal to today’s social media-obsessed singles - and in some ways it probably is - but it also serves a genuine purpose: safety.

Online dating may have started as a young person’s game, but it’s rapidly become a platform for singles of all kinds to make connections. Services like OurTime.com, Senior People Meet, and Stitch cater to older users in search of love and companionship, and now they’re joined by a new offering from Snap Interactive: 50more.

SNAP, a leading provider of live video social networking and interactive dating applications, announced the US rollout of its newest platform on July 12, 2017. 50more was built to celebrate life and the enduring potential for romance and enrichment for singles over 50 years of age. The service aims to create higher quality connections by matching based on three key compatibility factors: vitality, openness, and culture (VOC).

VOC-driven matching is rooted in scientific principles to effectively bring people together with similar interests, passions, and goals. The service sends users a selection of personalized introductions each day, carefully selected based on each individual’s VOC percentage, eliminating the need to spend hours searching for matches.

Online dating corporation Match Group was reported to have made an offer to purchase dating app Bumble for $450 million this summer, according to a report by website Tech Crunch.

Match Group is the parent company to a number of dating apps, including popular Bumble competitors Match, Plenty of Fish, OkCupid and Tinder. It seems Bumble hasn’t accepted the offer, which is understandable since some analysts value the company at almost a billion dollars.

Bumble has a rocky history with Match Group as well, which could play a part in any decision about an acquisition. Bumble’s founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe sued Tinder and IAC in 2014, (when Match Group was a part of IAC). Wolfe was one of the co-founders of Tinder, and brought a sexual harassment lawsuit against her ex-boyfriend Justin Mateen, who also happened to be one of Tinder’s co-founders and the CMO. Wolfe accused him of sending her “sexist, racist, and otherwise inappropriate comments, emails, and text messages” following their very public breakup. The two parties settled out of court for an undisclosed amount, with neither side admitting any wrongdoing.

Plenty of Fish is keeping things fresh with an updated look for its iOS and Android apps, and a brand new feature designed to help singles get the conversation started.

PoF is all about the chat right now. After releasing Conversation Nation, the largest study of singles and conversation ever conducted, the dating service is putting communication front and center.

Data from the study found that 74 percent of single Americans believe small talk is worthwhile because it helps break the ice and provides basic information about a potential date. The majority of singles also believe a great conversation is the top indicator of a successful date. However, 61 percent of singles believe the rise in technology usage has impacted our ability to have meaningful, face-to-face conversations, and 65 percent say conversation is a lost art.