Online dating has grown into a billion-dollar industry, with thousands of monthly searches for the keyword “Online dating.” With hundreds of companies running ads for the keyword “online dating,” comparing and contrasting marketing strategies provides marketing lessons for marketing pros.
With leading online dating companies having impression shares exceeding 80% (that is, their ads appear in searches for more than 80% of the time a search for the words “online dating” is conducted), comparing and contrasting key brands provides insight into what strategies brands can borrow to win prospects.
Comparison: How Dating Companies Market Online
#1. Tinder
Being the first stop for those entering the dating world, Tinder covers the diverse needs of different lovers. Be it casual hookups, friendships, potential dates, or long-term relationships, tinder has it covered.
As regards marketing strategies, Tinder employs novel and gamified user experiences. Users can view many prospects’ profiles in a short time, swiping right or left, and are rewarded with the reciprocity of their admirers. The gamification of user experiences on Tinder’s app and the immediate rewards to users promote user engagement. Creating a feeling of empowerment and competitiveness, Tinder users spendmore than 90 minutes per day surfing through prospect profiles.
Given the high customer engagement rates in gamified user experiences, brands should engage users with gamification to win more prospects.
Furthermore, Tinder employs targeted marketing to reach specific demographics. Together with refined user experiences for target consumers, the leading dating company surpassed other dating services by drawing in a highly loyal client base.
Tinder employs social networking sites, like Facebook and Instagram, to grow its user base. Employing Facebook profiles to create compatibility profiles for users, Tinder improves user engagement, increasing customer retention.
#2. OkCupid
Boasting more than 3.5 million users, OkCupid (OKC) remains a leading dating company for people of various ages and social-economic backgrounds. Being the Facebook of online dating companies, the company has mastered several marketing strategies that can help brands win in their respective sectors.
Mastering the utilization of data, OKC uses extensive data collected from its freemium users to improve user interaction. At the same time, OKC employs its colossal dataset to identify and put together highly-compelling content. Equipped with extensive data and great storytelling strategies, OKC has managed to remain in the lead position in the online dating space.
Another marketing strategy that has catapulted OKC to a leading position is brand and product differentiation. With Match.com targeting the older marriage-oriented audience, and Tinder emphasizing on its hookup image and hyperlocal platform, OKC has positioned itself in the middle. Leveraging highly shareable content, data-driven algorithm and social media, OKC has managed to offer an alternative dating company for people aged 18 to 80 years.
Contrasts on Marketing Approaches
Having majored in gamifying user experiences to drive user engagement and improve prospecting, Tinder has managed to attract a large user base. Through highly targeted marketing, Tinder customizes its user interfaces to achieve unseen client loyalty.
In contrast, OKC employs data-driven insights and tailored storytelling techniques to produce highly engaging content. Through well-crafted posts, OKC has managed to reach a large user base, maintaining its leadership position. At the same time, through effective brand and product differentiation, OKC manages to compete with newer brands while maintaining its leadership position.