Tinder: the story of explosive growth in dating apps Part 1

The development of information technologies affects all spheres of life. Mobile app Tinder (eng. “the fuse”, “wick”) was created with the aim to simplify the process of acquaintance between people as possible.

Tinder was born on September 1, 2012, at Hatch Labs, the incubator of the American Corporation InterActiveCorp. Immediately after starting the app is now in great demand. In January 2014, the number of Tinder users exceeded 10 000 000 people. By the end of the same year, was achieved at the rate of 40 000 000 people and 1 000 000 000 swipes (this gesture is used in the management application questionnaires) per day.

At the time, voiced different opinions about the potential value of the company. Someone has estimated the project approximately in $550 000 000, someone talked about $1 000 000 000, at some point, even sounded a sum of $5 000 000 000. But what has allowed Tinder to break into the sector, which is already being mastered like Plenty of Fish and eHarmony, and in the short term to gain a foothold in it? Try to understand.

To achieve a successful start from Tinder turned out due to the gamification. The process of Dating has been transformed into a fascinating game. Subsequently, the growth of popularity contributed to the press, and word of mouth.

Introduction

Tinder is a mobile app that allows people to meet and arrange dates. As a potential pair, the user is offered the people around him, friends in social networks and other Tinder users nearby (the service supports geolocation).

After viewing the questionnaire, you can remove it (swipe left), or initiate a conversation (swipe to the right). If the selected prospective partner also makes a swipe to the right, a pair is created, and the service opens a dialog where you can discuss Dating and the like. It is worth noting that the app is integrated with Facebook.

Strictly speaking, Tinder is not a classical startup, which it considers the most people. The service was created with the support of the Corporation InterActiveCorp, which owns Match.com — one of the largest Dating sites. However, the guide Tinder in no hurry to dispel a popular myth. CEO Match.com Sam Yagan (Sam Yagan) explains:

“We decided not to take Tinder a reputation as a traditional startup. “A successful project started from scratch” sounds much sexier than “regular guys InterActiveCorp”. We wanted to personally tear the veils”.

Sam Yagan also notes that the Corporation InterActiveCorp believes Tinder extremely valuable asset and not even considering selling it.

The initial stage of growth

In the case of applications for Dating, the main task at the initial stage of development is to attract women. If they start to actively register, a tributary of the male audience will not keep you waiting. Here works the same principle as in night clubs, which often make the entry free for women.

Tinder have relied on women as early adopters, and it worked. Soon the service became actively loaded by the males (especially the Millennials).

Another real breakthrough with Tinder is associated with the psychology of the users. People registered to Match.com or eHarmony are often shy of this fact and did not hasten to recommend these resources to your friends. With Tinder, it was different: people were willing to share their experience of using the application that contributed to the audience growth of the service.

Network effect

The number of users in each specific region was a critical factor for Tinder. In the city where the application is installed only 100 people, potential partners would be over in a couple of sessions, and the service would have been forgotten. Nobody is going to use the Dating service of even the most advanced terms of UX — if this service does not allow you to meet new people.

Through numerous presentations, Tinder was able to grow in strength until critical mass, which started a chain reaction.

One of the main secrets of the popularity of Tinder lies in the approach that UX designers of the project chose to search the right person. Information about potential partners is presented in the form of cards, which is intuitive and requires minimum effort.

In very large component of the game. The service does not allow you to see who is the next potential partner. Thus, the heated curiosity: what if there is your perfect couple? You make another attempt, then another. This can continue almost indefinitely, because much like playing the game.

Expert in psychometrics and psychological profiling Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic (Tomasz Chamorro-Per Muzik) and did believe for many users a possible date — no more than a pretext, while the real goal is the process of using the application.

People do appreciate each other on the website Hot or Not when he is not yet allowed to arrange a meeting. Now they use Tinder as a game.