People all across the world have been adjusting to what it means to “date” during a worldwide epidemic for more than a year. From meeting someone at a restaurant to organizing a zoom date over the phone or laptop, the dating app sector has evolved. Gen Z and Millennials, who have both led the charge in the recent rise of dating apps, may be attributed in large part for this shift – and continuing progress.
Now that the vaccine is available, dating app users are eager to resume their dating lives. As “normal” life returns almost as fast as it disappeared, the world of dating apps adjusts to new trends and users‘ changed dating tastes in a post-pandemic America.
The use of dating apps skyrocketed during the pandemic, and it appears that this trend will continue after the successful rollout of vaccines
Dating apps, like so many other sectors, saw a surge in new users and total activity in the last year, as they provided secure methods for individuals to stay connected during times of isolation. Top dating apps saw an increase in demand around the onset of COVID-19.
Between March and May 2020, Tinder saw 3 billion swipes in a single day, OkCupid claimed a 700% spike in dates, while Bumble’s video calls increased by 70%. YPulse’s Finding Love Post-COVID trend report found that 40 percent of 18-39-year-olds say they’ve been using dating apps and sites more often since COVID-19, while 43 per cent of 18+ have been dating exclusively on apps and sites since the outbreak started,” and that 40 percent of 18-39-year-olds say they’ve been dating exclusively on different apps and sites since the start of the outbreak.
Many dating app users are keen to return to in-person dates as soon the immunization process is over. Today, dating apps are bracing for yet another wave of rising user demand, as many dating app users are eager to return to in-person encounters. According to OkCupid data, “people who are vaccinated or plan to get vaccinated receive 14 per cent more matches than those who don’t receive 14 per cent more matches than those who don’t receive 14 per cent more matches than those who don’t receive 14 per cent more matches than those who don’t receive 14 per cent more matches than those who don’t receive 14 per cent more matches than those who don’t receive 14 per cent more matches than those who don’t receive 14 per cent more matches than those who don’t receive 14 “The phrase ‘I’m vaccinated’ on OkCupid profiles increased over 1,400 per cent this month [in May 2021] compared to January,” according to additional data from OkCupid, leading many to believe that today’s dating app users will continue to be more open about and invested in vaccination status and overall health.
CNBC writer Jessica Bursztynsky wrote: “Bumble told investors that it was already seeing signs of increased engagement in the U.S. People who had opted out of the app during the pandemic are starting to come back, and people who stayed are engaging even more.”
Dating apps are now offering features that encourage users to get vaccinated
As more users exhibit interest in sharing their vaccination status – and matching with others who share it – dating apps are adapting their systems to keep up with the changes. Bumble, Match, Tinder, Hinge, and OkCupid, among the most popular dating apps today, have joined a new initiative that will provide badges and filters to users who want to reveal their vaccination statuses. Many dating apps will also offer premium content and other tools to help users discover more about where they can be vaccinated, in the hopes of encouraging more people to get the vaccine.
The participating platforms, which have a combined user base of more than 50 million in the United States, will promote their vaccine-related services in a variety of ways. When users post their immunization badges, Match will give them a “boost,” pushing their profiles higher in search results. Users with vaccine badges will receive “credits for ‘Spotlight’ and ‘Superswipes’ features” on OkCupid, and users with vaccination badges will receive “credits for ‘Spotlight’ and ‘Superswipes’ features” on Bumble. Tinder, the leading dating app, is taking it a step further by announcing the addition of a “Vaccine Center” for users looking for information on vaccination locations in their region.
While many dating apps are updating their platforms to reflect the present condition of the globe, others are concentrating on dating patterns that have arisen as a result of the pandemic and have the potential to be long-term relevant. Lolly, one of the newest dating apps to hit the market, is capitalizing on the popularity of TikTok and short-form videos among Millennials and Gen Z.
Lolly members are invited to post short films to their dating profiles for other Lolly users to scroll through in a vertical fashion similar to TikTok. When a user loves another user’s video, they may “clap” it instead of “liking” a static snapshot. “Clapping a video feeds Lolly’s recommendation algorithm, all but guaranteeing that users will see videos from that person again,” Forbes writer Rachel Sandler writes.