Tinder has recently introduced a new feature named Tinder Matchmaker, marking a shift towards a collaborative approach in the pursuit of love. The feature empowers users to enlist the aid of their friends and family in identifying potential matches within the app’s expansive pool of users.
Emphasizing the communal nature of modern dating, Tinder stated that the incorporation of the “friend test” into the platform effectively transforms the search for romance into a collective effort. The move came after a recent survey, commissioned by Tinder in partnership with OnePoll, revealed that over 75% of singles engage in frequent discussions about their dating lives with friends every month.
Recognizing the significance of outside perspectives in the quest for a meaningful connection, Tinder Matchmaker aims to equip users with valuable insights from their trusted circle when evaluating potential matches. By involving friends and family, the feature seeks to broaden users’ perspectives and shed light on promising possibilities that might otherwise go unnoticed.
“Handing your phone over to the friend group was the original vibe check. Obviously you want your friends to like whoever you’re crushing on, and Tinder Matchmaker is a fun way to get the bestie seal of approval even before the match”, said rapper Coi Leray, who partnered with Tinder for advertising the new feature.
In practice, users can share their personalized profile link with a maximum of 15 people within a 24-hour timeframe. The designated matchmakers can either log in to Tinder or proceed as guests, granting them a brief window to recommend suitable profiles to the user before the session concludes. However, the matchmakers are unable to initiate conversations or interact on behalf of the user.
Although invited friends can suggest profiles for the user to consider, the final decision ultimately rests with the user, ensuring that they retain full agency over their dating journey. Once the 24-hour window expires, users can view the profiles that their matchmakers have “liked” on their behalf, which are marked as “recommendations.”
Tinder’s parent company Match Group has been grappling with the aftermath of the pandemic, with app sign-ups yet to return to 2019 levels, Gary Swidler, the company’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, revealed for the Financial Times. The latest feature also comes as an attempt to capture Gen Z’s attention and engagement, as the generation has been shown to prefer using social media platforms over conventional dating apps for finding new love interests.
Tinder Matchmaker is available now in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom and Vietnam, and will be rolling out to users globally in the coming months.
