How to Start a Dating App
How to monetize a dating site and app in 2022
May 5, 2022How to Start Your Own Niche Dating Site
May 12, 2022
Seeking love has been a continual human quest throughout history. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if people could find their perfect one easily? Well, now it's the right time to say that everything is possible! Nonetheless, we live in the year 2022, and there’s often an app for anything nowadays.
Unfortunately, the old way of finding love is dead. But fortunately, online dating apps have taken off. The companies behind these apps help their users find the right match easily and efficiently, no matter where they are.
Have you ever thought that YOU can be the one behind the dating app helping people find their love? Hopefully, app developers are eager to help you succeed in your dream business.
So if the idea to build your own dating app had ever crossed your mind but you've never put it into action as you didn't know how to begin, this article helps you. Let's jump into the details of how to start a dating app.
1. Start with a competition analysis
It is vital to study your rivals in the dating app space. The market is flooded with applications and you want yours to be the cream of the crop. So, serious competition analysis is the first step in your dating app development process.
A thorough study of your competition will help you understand what is the reason for their success or failure. You can use this understanding to build the perfect app that has everything your customers need and want. You don't have to compete with Tinder, think about the niches that you can occupy.
Take a close look at the successful apps. Ask yourself: What is special about these platforms? What do they do differently? Maybe it is a unique set of features or maybe it's a bold app concept? Look for key differences, and build on those strengths to start your own dating site. Then, validate your idea.
2. Validate your idea
The number of dating app users is constantly growing and according to Statista analysis should hit 53.3 million.
So why are these apps so popular? What makes them so beloved by users? Is the market still growing? We have some solid reasons to believe that it is!
The most popular reasons people download dating apps:
- The desire to connect
People are driven by a need to meet and connect with others. That’s how dating apps got started.
- Internet growth
In the past, it was a stigma to look for your love interest online. People thought it was embarrassing to sign up on such platforms. Now that everything is being done online, from paying bills to ordering groceries, it’s obvious that even dating will be taken over by things like online matchmaking services.
- Personalized preferences
With the advent of Dating Apps like Tinder and Grindr, finding someone who will suit your preferences is a breeze. These applications make it easy for people to find matches based on their religion, favorite sports team, or the type of car they drive.
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Lack of intimacy
As modern society gets busier and busier, we have less time and energy to devote to our love lives. People don’t have time to sit down and craft long romantic love letters or spend hours getting to know one another. Even if they do, and the relationship works out, it will have been a waste of time and energy.
3. Think about a matchmaking algorithm you want to use
The matchmaking algorithm is a major factor in whether or not a dating app is successful. However, the numbers don’t always support this belief. 64% of people date people based on common interests and 49% date people based on appearance.
When you start a dating app, the matchmaking algorithm is one of the biggest factors in making a successful product. But that’s not always true.
The dating app developer of today who applies Artificial Intelligence to such apps will soon discover the market is changing due to their technology. The whole online matchmaking scenario is soon going to make a drastic change in the next twenty years because of dating apps with AI.
When developing a dating app, it’s important to pay careful attention to details and how you match users. Tinder is so popular because of its ease of use and how it caters to specific preferences and personalities. The first step is to create a short and simple sign-up form with a few key questions about what the user is looking for in a partner.
Here're the most popular matchmaking technics used in online dating:
Location-based matchmaking
A GPS-based location system could help you match your users with their perfect person. It is always easier to meet someone close by, so using a location tool will help your users find potential matches close to them.
Allow your customers to expand their search and match radius! This not only increases their chances at finding love but also generates revenue for you.
Questionaire-based matchmaking
You can use a science-based system to match the users with each other. It is based on the questionnaire, which the users need to fill up when they sign up for the service. Once they have filled out the forms, there’s nothing left for you to do but sit back and watch as Science does its magic.
Compatibility matching is used to assess whether two potential dating partners will be compatible based on their answers to various questions. If the compatibility score is higher than a certain number, they are matched with each other.
Behavior-based matchmaking
All online platforms have trust issues. Some people lie about everything. The best way to address this is to match people based on their actual behavior. This is the most effective Big-Data approach to solve this problem.
Other techniques
Trendy dating apps are getting smarter by the day. Advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence are allowing dating apps to provide high-quality matches for users. Dating apps rely on big data and machine learning to provide accurate matches. It’s also employing augmented reality as a new — and enticing — hook.
The more data you have, the better your predictions will be. And Machine Learning allows companies to use statistics to help make better decisions.
4. Take care of the security of your dating app
Online dating can be fun, but it’s also dangerous. Every time you use an app like Tinder or OKCupid, you run the risk of encountering a creep or fraud. To create a secure dating app, your security needs to be top-notch. Make sure that your app is safe for people to use because if it’s not, people won’t want to use it at all.
To ensure the security of your users, follow a thorough app security checklist. Make sure to include a way for them to verify themselves with social media and phone number verification. This will help to verify that only real users are interacting with your app. It will also improve the UX.
Dating app Bumble has reduced catfishing by offering photo verification. Users must take a selfie in a certain pose to get verified — flashing a peace sign on the app to do so. This way, Bumble has stopped being catfish bait.
Explore what top safety features for dating sites protect users from scams.
5. Create a list of essential features to implement
What are the key features you need to include in a dating app? If you are about to start your dating app, take a look at these essential elements we've published previously. Remember, it's important to prepare the list of the desired features BEFORE the development starts. Here's the additional set of features you may find useful.
An Invaluable Verification System
It is without a question that a thorough verification system is the most important component. In the end, your platform will be a playground for creeps and frauds if you do not invest in a secure verification system. Not only are you protecting yourself from such people, but you are also ensuring a more secure user experience.
To keep your users safe and secure, you must implement a strong social media verification system. This will ensure that they are who they say they are. A phone number verification system and a photo verification system are also great things to have in place to make sure that the person is who they say they are. By doing this, you’ll know how to start a great dating app profile that is safe.
Clear website concept
The user should have many reasons for using your platform. For example, an online dating app user may be looking to enter a serious long-term relationship or simply seek a quick fling. Whatever it is, the experience should be tailored to the objective, and users should get matches that match their goals.
Messenger
Users must be able to connect and talk with each other. With instant messages, they can coordinate dates, learn about each other’s interests, and even ask important questions. These interactions will ultimately help users find their ideal matches and decide whether to invest their time with potential love interests.
Undo The Mistake
Many times on dating apps we mistakenly swipe the wrong way. Especially when we’re a bit nervous or distracted. Help to prevent users from making a mistake by giving them the ability to undo their choices.
Profile Description
For many people, it is a deal-breaker if they do not like the same television shows as their match. It makes sense, then, for them to be able to easily see what TV shows their potential matches likes on your application. Let them dedicate a small portion of their profile to listing their favorite music, books, and movies.
Push notifications
Push notifications are an amazing tool to communicate with customers, and you should use them to show new matches. Although this might annoy users from time to time, if done correctly, it actually increases the likelihood that users will open their app. The trick is to be relevant but not spammy. Try out this feature as you create your dating app.
First date ideation (optional)
When choosing the right first date, users will be clueless. This feature can help! It gives you the perfect first date idea. Most often, people have a hard time figuring out whether they should plan a formal dinner or just grab a coffee. But with this useful feature, users will have no trouble whatsoever!
6. Select the right technology and development team
SkaDate’s specialists use a number of tools and technologies when developing dating apps. First, pick your programming language. It could be Kotlin or Swift or Java. Next, you’ll want to pick a database. MongoDB or SQL or Redis could work well. If your brand decides to have an online storefront, then make sure to host it on the Express.Js framework (for apps) and Node.Js (for websites). For payment processing, you’ll want to look at Stripe, CCAvenue, or PayPal.
As a dating app developer, you can’t overlook Google Analytics, Twilio, and Google Maps. It all depends on your feature set and app type. You can talk with our team of experts to get a detailed estimation.
7. Calculate how much it will cost to develop a dating app
The price of creating an application depends on the platform features used in it. As in, the cost of building a dating app also depends on various aspects such as the development process and the features used in the app. If you want to know how to make an app for iPhone/Android that functions as a dating site, and the cost, shoot us an email with your details and we’ll tell you. For detailed pricing on how to start a dating app and successfully develop it, check Skadate pricing page.
8. Choose a monetization strategy for your dating app
Modern dating applications seek to sidestep traditional norms. There is no rule saying that you can’t make money while facilitating love.
However, you may wonder: how to create a dating app and not monetize it? How much money do dating apps make? And what are the benefits of mobile dating apps versus traditional dating? With the right app monetization strategy, you can easily make money with your application.
In-app Purchases
Basic and simple, this is a straightforward way of making money with your app. Offer people with the chance of making in-app purchases, like keys and coins to get access to premium features or to look at more choices.
In-app Ads
In-app ads are the most well-known monetization strategy for your idea. With relevant ads, you can generate revenue.
Premium Subscription
One way to monetize your application is to offer subscription-based access to premium features. By offering multiple tiers of subscription plans for different kinds of users, you can easily earn money from all kinds of app users.
Alongside this monetization technique, it is also good to partner with local businesses such as cafes and restaurants, and gift shops in order to generate revenue.
More details on the monetization technics we describes before, so you can check it out if you are seriously interested.
Finding love is no easy task. But with dating apps, we’re getting closer to a future where finding the one won’t be so difficult. If you’ve considered creating your own dating app but haven’t figured out what kind of app to make, consult a company that specializes in dating app development, like SkaDate.
If you’re already in the mindset of developing a dating app, what are you waiting for? Tell us your idea and we can help make it an app masterpiece.
So if the idea to build your own dating app had ever crossed your mind but you’ve never put it into action as you didn’t know how to begin, this article helps you. Let’s jump into the details of how to start a dating app.
