• What are your typical app users like?
• Which treats are common among users?
• What is the average day or week of your targeted audience like?
• What are their interests and hobbies?
• What is their perception and attitude towards online dating?
• What problems do they face when finding potential matches and dates by using a mobile or web application?

While targeting a niche audience, you take a competitive advantage and easily build a strategy that engages loyal audience. A majority of LGB adults report that they have used an online dating site or app so offering dating services that include the trans and queer communities is one of the ideas.

• location
• background
• interest.

You can take a step further and unite people that share even the same dislikes: the example is Hater, a dating app that offers users to meet someone ‘hating the same stuff and determines matches based on the things they do not like.

Time to analyze competition

As we said, the market is already filled with a variety of dating apps right from the most basic to top tier ones. What can you do to stand out among them? Before you actually get an answer, you should study the existing apps towards both ends of the spectrum carefully.

Consider the most popular dating apps. Which features do they share and what are the unique selling points? Go through reviews of both the most and least popular dating apps and note down features which satisfy users. Also, pinpoint common issues or features that didnt appeal to the target audience. Now go over the list and start figuring out the ones which you must definitely include or exclude from your app.

Tinder needs no introduction on the dating service market due to reported 57 million users and the super-powerful search functionality based on geolocation and basic filters (age and gender). The concept of the app was initially linked in reducing embarrassment and unwanted attention. Users can only talk if they both like each other.

Overall, the app functions enable users to receive tons of suggestions though in the free version, the geographic parameters can be set up to 10 miles.

OkCupid provides one of the most detailed profiles on possible matches. Its concept is based on the algorithm asking lots of questions to maximize the matching success. It can ask users personal questions such who they would vote for and their attitudes toward guns, and (on fun side of the spectrum) shower sex or clapping when a plane lands.

With social distancing becoming a new reality, OkCupid started to ask users about their crisis survival plan and attitude to virtual video dates. It brought them 200% increase in user engagement.

This is a dating empire that has been matching singles for over 20 years. It was designed as the dating site for singles interested in love and marriage. Users can send messages activating it as a paid feature. The app has over 8 million premium members worldwide but most of users reside in the US. It is worth mentioning that there is no option for users in a relationship mark their status as such due to Match policy that does not encourage third-party relationships.

Lets match!

Probably the most important part. Your dating app is expected to create almost perfect matches. There is no real science of how to do that, and can you use a variety of algorithms for the purpose. Here is what we suggest.

An average user considers looks and interests to be the two most important factors when they are finding a suitable match. 64% of users of dating services claim that they look around for a person with whom they share common interests. 49% of users stated that hookup they also give weight to looks when finding a partner for themselves.