How many would have bet, in times of pandemic, on the crisis of Tinder, Bumble and all the other dating apps? At a time when meeting over a glass of wine is rarely possible and it is mandatory to wear a mask even during a walk (as long as it is not really forbidden to leave the house), look for a soul mate or even just the adventure of a night is so complicated that it discourages the use of these applications.
Or at least so we tended to think, probably underestimating the need for singles around the world to keep meeting new people to flirt with even just digitally. The numbers are unequivocal: Tinder recorded its swipe record (the scrolling of potential partners to whom we give our preference or not) in March 2020, reaching 3 billion in a single day just as the whole world entered. lockdown. Bumble, the latest addition to the world of dating apps, went public on February 11, 2021 and on the same day recorded a 63% jump in the value of its shares, a clear sign that investors are not afraid of a crisis. of this sector.
Overall, the eight most popular dating apps scored in Q4 2020 – at least in the United States – an average increase of 12.6% in the number of active users compared to the same period last year. The biggest leap was recorded by Hinge, an app dedicated to those in search of lasting relationships and which recorded a growth of 52.8%. Lower numbers, but still significant, for Tinder (+ 15.3%), for Grindr (+ 14.6%) and for Bumble (+ 10.6%). And in Italy? In the absence of precise data, you can rely on Google Trends, which shows how the searches related to Tinder are constantly increased over the past twelve months.
However, the use of dating applications in times of pandemics has changed considerably. If until recently these apps represented a bridge from the digital to the physical world, today they are the places where not only potentially interesting people are identified, but where knowledge is deepened. It also shows that the time spent on apps has grown on average – again in the last quarter of 2020 – by 13.4%. From this point of view, the novelty that has contributed more than any other, during the pandemic, to a longer stay on Tinder and the others is that of the videochat.
In May 2020, OkCupid saw growth in virtual dating 700% compared to the pre-pandemic period, while video calls on Bumble grew in the same time frame by 70%. “Some people organize simple video chats or virtual aperitifs”, has explained Sara Konrath, OkCupid Scientific Advisor. “Others play some online video games together. Still others even watch a movie together even if they are in different homes. The feeling is that virtual dating, in many ways, is becoming a new step in the courtship process ”.
A drastic change from the past, which is also reflected in the fact that – according to data from OkCupid – 83% of users are willing to accept virtual appointments regardless of where other people are. After all, if meeting in person is practically impossible, it makes little difference whether one is in Lombardy or Basilicata.
But that’s not the only change observed: according to the Singles in America association, 63% of people who use dating apps said that during the pandemic, they spent more time getting to know the people they came into contact with. contact and 69% of having had a “more sincere” approach. At the same time, the percentage of people wanting a simple adventure has dropped by 20%. In a phase in which the company can be almost only virtual, people are looking for people with whom there is primarily character compatibility or linked to common interests. Good conditions for a possible lasting relationship.