The dating app's users can now get more social by showing possible matches to others for their opinions and recommendations.
ADVERTISEMENTTinder has rolled out a new feature enabling friends and family of swipers to recommend potential matches.
The dating app's Matchmaker feature will allow users to grant others access to their accounts for 24 hours so they can suggest likes.
The feature, described by Tinder as making dating a "team sport," allows the user to select a group of people who are sent profiles to scroll through and give their opinions. They can't reject anyone, but they can make recommendations.
Once the time is up, Tinder users can review the profiles recommended by their matchmakers before making their final decision.
Tinder launched in September 2012 and has radically changed the online dating landscape. Taboos about looking for relationships online have long evaporated, and the app has options for all, from monogamy, to open relationships, long-term, short-term or still figuring it out.
Matchmaking by friends and family is common in many communities, and friends sharing their swipes when together in real life, or even letting their mates handle the swiping, so this update is perhaps no surprise.
“For years, singles have asked their friends to help find their next match on Tinder, and now we’re making that so easy with Tinder Matchmaker,” noted Melissa Hobley, chief marketing officer at Tinder.
It also comes as users begin to tire of swiping-based dating apps. According to TechCrunch, younger users, particularly Gen Z, have been turning to friend-finding apps and traditional social media, like Instagram to make connections.
Apps like Bumble, BFF and Meetup have become popular ways to build platonic relationships.
Gen Z’s comfort with platforms like TikTok is also being tested by startups like Candid, Ditto, IRLY, Snack which have been using video to transform dating apps into "more dynamic and authentic experiences".
What are the most popular dating apps in Europe?
While some sites have a reputation for hook-ups, others are aimed at forging connections. As the dating app market widens, so do the opportunities to make more tailored matches.
So what are people across Europe looking for from a dating app?
According to apptweak.com Tinder is one of the top three most popular dating apps across the UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy.
Bumble and Badoo were the next most downloaded apps between August 8, 2021, and February 2022.
While the report found that Bumble is the other leading app in North America, it is generally not among the most popular apps in Europe.
Instead, Badoo topped the charts in France, Spain, and Italy.
Badoo, which is part of the Bumble empire was launched in Moscow in 2006. It caters to the younger audience for friendship, relationships, and casual dating and has a lot of special features including video chat profile visits, likes, scores and send a song.
Bumble, launched in 2014, enables women to make the first contact with matched males ( in heterosexual matches). It's also for people seeking new friendships rather than casual relationships.
ADVERTISEMENTIn the UK, Hinge which focuses on relationships rather than hook-ups, and matches users with people they share Facebook friends with, reached the top three.
In Germany and Italy, Lovoo was found to be among the most popular. The Germany-based app aims at matching people based on personality and location, so they can meet like-minded people in their area.
Also popular are two French dating apps 'Happn' which matches users with people they have crossed paths with and Meetic, a paid app that is meant for long-term relationships, not for hookups.
Meetic was the fastest-growing app in the month of January 2022. It did not make it into the top three downloaded in France, but it did in Spain between August 8, 2021, and February 2022.
