In an effort to resonate with younger users amid declining user engagement, Tinder announced on Tuesday the launch of a new double-dating feature.
Double Date allows users to pair with friends and view other paired users who share at least one of their individual preferences, such as gender or sexual orientation. Once one of the pair takes the match, the group chat starts with all four participants. If users prefer to chat one-on-one, there is also the option to prefer individual profiles within the match. Users can invite up to three friends to participate in this new dating experience.
By encouraging users to double their dates with friends, this approach aims to reduce the pressure and anxiety that are often associated with solo dating, and create a more comfortable environment for all involved.
“In early testing, users consistently say they feel more comfortable being a real selves when connecting with friends as a pair and when it leads to stronger engagement,” Cleo Long, Head of Product Marketing told TechCrunch. “The group chat format makes it easy to plan casual meetups, whether they break ice and evolve into friendship, romantic connections, or something in between.”
Image credits: Tinder
The launch of this new feature follows Tinder's parent company, Match Group, and reports a 5% decline in payment subscribers, which fell to 14.2 million in the first quarter on the dating app.
Double dates may be an effort to attract new users while regaining these users. The company said early test results are promising, with nearly 12% of users who accepted the double date invitation being either new or replied.
According to additional internal data, individual users participating in double-dating chats sent 25% more messages than a typical one-to-one conversation. The message volume for these group chats was found to be 35% higher, especially among users under the age of 29.
The double-dating feature has been tested in select markets, including parts of Latin America, Spain and Scandinavian Europe. The feature is set to be globally deployed in July.
Similar apps like Fourplay, Duodate and Double, which have been successful in this niche, are gaining interest in group-oriented dating experiences. In particular, a report from the UK-based dating app 1828 found that 48% of Gen Z respondents believe double dates can reduce dating anxiety.
In addition to double dates, Long pointed out other features that could help “turn dates into more team sports” such as matchmakers and my dates. In a recent Tinder report, Long discovered that almost half of the singles are seeking support from friends when navigating the dating scene.
This feature also seems to be based on past concepts, including the previous Tinder Social, but focuses on creating a serious and comfortable dating experience rather than a party atmosphere.