The Next Generation of Dating Services

Hyper-personalized matchmaking is shaping the future of how we find love and friendship

Finding the right connection on a dating app is like finding a needle in a haystack, if not worse. For every hit, there are too many misses. Dating app Pheramor claims only 2% people are satisfied with current dating platforms and many quit after a few months of trial and error. Still, there are more than 50 million users on Tinder according to the New York Times and another 23 million on Bumble according to Bumble’s website. Globally, Online Dating Magazine published there are over 7500 dating sites and the industry is valued at $4.6 billion according to VICE.

Companies now have to use more predictive technology to tailor user experience because across products and services, people are weaning off ones that are based on a one-size-fits-all model.  

Details such as fitness regime, music choices, and social network engagements are being leveraged to create a more meaningful dating experience. 

In the future, it is likely that the swipe model will be redundant and a more algorithmic shift will replace the function; one that will reduce the guesswork from dating through AI or genetics-based dating. This may become the defacto way Gen Z will connect, not just romantically but also in relationships of all sorts – mentors, friends, travel partners etc.

At the moment, Tinder has taken the lead on AI adoption within the online dating industry although the full scope of integration is largely untapped.

Here are four innovative examples of dating services taking customization a step further from our database at TrendHunter.com.

1. AI Dating App Updates

Tinder utilizes AI with their ‘Super Likeable’ feature. Super Likeable allows users signal to others he/she is particularly interested. It tracks data such as swipe patterns, whether those patterns reveal specific preferences, such as, guys with glasses or girls with red hair.

2. Voice-Based Dating Apps

The Waving App works exactly like Tinder but with a twist. Instead of agonizing over the perfect profile picture, users upload voice messages. The application, in a sense, is tailored for those who feel competitors like Bumble and Tinder use photos that can often be misleading.

3. Genetic Dating Apps

Houston-based Pheramor is one of the latest businesses to pop up around the concept of genetic testing. Tapping into established research, it pairs individuals based on genetics of attraction and social media interactions. By using the science of pheromones, the app is marketing itself as a service that increases dating efficiency. You can take a swab of your DNA and send it for testing. The company will use this information as well as other social media interactions to pair a perfect match.

4. Scent-Driven Matchmaking Campaigns

Match.com launched a test campaign around scent driven dating. The campaign gave women the opportunity to get a whiff of their prospective date by receiving 6 scented bottles with different male scents inside. Match says these were “created from the natural odors of male Match members.”

Women participants were able to read about each man on the box of each of the perfume bottles, which contained their dating profiles. If they wanted to contact any of the men they were aromatically attracted to, they could do so via the site.

While this may not be an example of a trend that is expected to be widely adopted, brands will continue to experiment with such bespoke personalized matchmaking as a marketing vehicle for special promotions or seasonal events.

Companies now have to use more predictive technology to tailor user experience because across products and services, people are weaning off ones that are based on a one-size-fits-all model. Details such as fitness regime, music choices, and social network engagements are being leveraged to create not only meaningful dating experiences, but also friendships as well. For more information on this shift and to get a custom research report on this subject or one relating to it, have a look at Trend Hunter's consumer insights research.