Modern digital technology has touched every aspect of life, from shopping to communication. Thus, it is not surprising that modern dating has also graduated online. Dating apps have become a rage among single men and women to find partners. It is estimated that approximately 40 million people worldwide use dating apps.
The market value of dating apps is estimated to be $2 billion, and the market is growing as more people get access to smartphones and other devices. Thus, tapping into this market by developing a dating app is a good business idea, especially for startups.
So the basic question is how to create a dating app. Many professional app development companies have the expertise to develop dating apps. However, it is imperative to be well-versed in dating apps’ various features to convey your requirements to the app developer.
Developers widely use Java, Kotlin, Swift, and other programming languages for developing dating apps. Frameworks popularly used by developers include Node.js and Express. js and React, the common databases used are SQL, Redis, and MongoDB. Payment gateways and Google analytics can also be integrated into the app.
The types of functions and features of the dating app determine the tools required for its development.
The common question asked is how to make a dating app. Some essential features and functions that boost a dating app’s success have been determined by analyzing top dating apps such as Tinder. Let’s have a look at some of them.
The first step is to get a thorough list of popular dating apps which consistently trend at the top. Multiple selling points of such apps should be emulated to the largest extent in your app. After that, study the key features of the app which are widely appreciated by the dating community.
The user reviews of highly popular and least popular apps should be analyzed. Note what the users prefer and are satisfied with the apps and the common complaints. This approach enables you to avoid many drawbacks of your competitor apps while getting a good idea about the things that work well for your competitors.
An intuitive user interface means the user can easily navigate it without the need to perform any complex action. Clear and simple navigation enhances user experience and helps increase user retention rate. Thus, the design of the UI and navigation is of utmost importance.
The UI should be designed so the users can get what they want using only one finger. The important icons should be located within easy reach of a single finger, especially the thumb. The number of screens users need to navigate in the app should be minimum. The fields to be filled by the users should also be kept to a minimum. The text appearing on each screen should be optimized.
Take the example of Tinder. The swiping function of Tinder using the thumb has contributed significantly to its popularity.
Dating is related to the emotional side of people. Hence, the color palette of a dating app should match the tender feelings of the user and not logic. Thus, the color palette of your dating app should not have practical colors and certainly not black and white. It is also not advisable to overload your app with colors. The key is to use minimum but effective colors.
A combination of red and pink is a good option. Green color can also position your app as a perfect match-making platform.
The problem of fake profiles or catfishing is a common problem across platforms, more so in the case of dating apps. Catfish accounts reduce the credibility of a dating app because users need to be sure that all the profiles are real. Thus, it is imperative to take steps to identify real users.
Popular dating apps such as Bumble and Wild Dating use photo verification to eliminate catfish profiles. Photo verification technology can be integrated into the app to sift real profiles from fake ones. Photo verification requires the users to upload their photos in defined poses before they can start looking for matches.
There are many video verification technological tools available for integration into the apps. Besides photo verification, video verification can also be used to authenticate users. For instance, the Coy dating app requires every new user to upload a 10-15 seconds video of them for verification before using it.
Privacy risks in mobile dating apps are high all over the world. Hackers can access the smartphone’s camera, contacts, photo gallery, and others by penetrating the mobile app. Thus, it is incumbent upon you to take security measures to protect your users’ sensitive data.
The way of encryption should protect the source code of the app. The source code can be protected by using algorithms along with API encryption. The data in servers accessed by the app’s API should be encrypted. A network penetration test should also be performed to ensure that the data is fully protected against unauthorized access.
Also Read : Top 5 LGBT Dating Apps That Constantly Gain Popularity in 2022
The dating app should provide multiple registration routes such as phone numbers, email addresses, or social media profiles such as Facebook or Instagram. Users appreciate the quick and easy sign-in process since a user wants to get on with the real task as soon as possible.
The process of email and photo verification can be deferred till the user gets a feel of the app and gets likes and matches. This enhances the chances of user retention.
The basic function of a dating app is to enable like-minded individuals to meet each other. Couples with common interests can easily start a conversation and get to know each other better. While many criteria are used by dating apps to match couples, a dating app algorithm can also be integrated with niche preferences, which can be marketed as a unique feature of the dating app. Niche preferences include favorite food, lifestyle choices, favorite movies, dream destinations, and more.
A simple questionnaire can determine users’ preferences during the signing-up process. The basic aim is to cater to the specific preferences the members are looking for in their would-be partners. Many developers are also experimenting with artificial intelligence to make the process more efficient.
The more variables an app uses to make matches, the more effective it is for the users. Filtering option based on several variables also enhances the efficiency of finding matches and makes the experience more enjoyable for the users.
The swiping technique to accept or reject matches used by Tinder is worth emulating. Swiping right means the user is interested in a match, while a left swipe means rejection. When both members swipe right, a conversation is initiated. Including a swipe undo function, which allows the user to cancel a swipe and do it again, is recommended.
In-app communication should be easy for the matched users to converse with each other. The chatrooms should be simple, like WhatsApp or Messenger, so users can converse quickly without needing to learn complex functions. The app can help matched users initiate conversations through icebreaker questions, fun questions, and more. The matched users can also be encouraged to start a conversation by making some rules, such as providing a limited amount of time to start a conversation.
The messaging can be made more fun with innovative features such as custom GIFs and stickers. The users can also be provided statistics of their conversation, such as the number of words exchanged, frequently used words, and others to make messaging more interesting for the users.
Video chatting features can be integrated into the app because the online dating audience prefers video chatting before meeting in person.
The dating app can carry a GPS-enabled geolocation feature, enabling users to find potential matches in their cities. This is a beneficial feature because users residing in the same cities can meet each other in person more swiftly and easily. This feature can also be monetized by allowing users to expand their search radius by paying a certain fee.
Push notifications can be integrated into the app to alert the user in case of a new match, message, etc. However, the push notifications must be customizable so that the users can select specific kinds of alerts or turn off the notification completely.
A person using a dating app often wants to either put dating on hold for some time or meet his/her perfect match and wants to quit dating altogether. To this end, the dating app should have a feature to enable users to freeze their profiles for a specific period or delete them whenever desired.
Earning money from a dating app is possible. Even though the online dating audience wants to download such apps for free and wants to avoid investing money in dating, there are other ways by which you can monetize your dating app despite offering it for free.
Premium accounts earn a lot of revenue for dating apps. While the basic account in your dating app should be free to attract users, you can give the option of premium access to the users by paying a certain amount. Access to extra features and benefits by premium accounts influences many users to pay for premium access. Extra features include
The premium account plans can be divided into Silver, Gold, and Platinum based on the amount and features offered in ascending order.
In-app purchases enable the dating app to monetize users who do not want to buy premium subscriptions with its regular monthly bill but instead prefer to buy features whenever desired. For instance, a profile boost feature can be provided as an in-app purchase. Profile boost enables the user to get more views within a limited period, and the more the profile boost purchased by a user, the greater the period for getting more views. Other common in-app purchases include emojis, super likes, charms, and more.
Online advertisements are also widely used to monetize dating apps. You can incorporate digital ads in your dating app through a provider such as Google Adsense. The users are shown the advertisements but can switch to an ad-free premium subscription. Thus, either way, the app is monetized. Built-in banners are recommended for advertisements on apps because ads popping up during use tend to exasperate the users.
Online video games which the users can play with their partners can be provided on the dating app. The games should also have chat and video calling features to enable them to converse with each other while enjoying the game. The game sessions need to be purchased by interested users, enabling monetization.
A sound marketing strategy to promote your app is required to acquire more users and grow your dating app. Some have been mentioned here.
Blog posting on the app is a tried and tested marketing strategy. Content such as informative articles, dating statistics, infographics, and more interested existing users attracted blog readers who can register on the app.
Social media is the haunting ground of the dating population. Thus, having a good presence on social media is beneficial for a dating app. Posting content such as new app features, updates, and humorous passages on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and more help in engaging with the target audience.
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An important question is how much it costs to make a dating app. Some factors determine the cost of developing a dating app.
The dating app can be designed to run on Android or iOS devices or both operating systems. A cross-platform dating app has a wider reach but costs more than a single-platform dating app. Your decision needs to be based on the type of OS your target audience prefers.
The nature of the features and functions of a dating app plays a major role in its development cost. To create a dating app like Tinder, with its complex architecture and many advanced features and functions, the time taken can be more than 960 hours. A long and thorough development goes into making a dating app like Tinder.
The reputation and experience of the Dating App Development Company and the country where it is based also play an important role in determining the cost. Depending upon the development team’s expertise, the hourly rate can be $15-$51 for a software developer, $16-$54 for a software engineer, and $44-$104 for a senior software engineer.
Based on the abovementioned factors, the average cost of developing a single-platform dating app with the simplest features ranges between $23k and more than $25k. A simple dating app’s average development cost for Android and iOS ranges between $37k and $45k, let’s get connected with MoonTechnolabs for final estimations and execution plans for your dating app development.
Jayanti Katariya is the CEO of Moon Technolabs, a fast-growing IT solutions provider, with 18+ years of experience in the industry. Passionate about developing creative apps from a young age, he pursued an engineering degree to further this interest. Under his leadership, Moon Technolabs has helped numerous brands establish their online presence and he has also launched an invoicing software that assists businesses to streamline their financial operations.
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