It’s not uncommon for people to screenshot dating profiles and send them to their friends and loved ones, either to get feedback or to let them know who they’re seeing this weekend. Now Tinder users can share their date plans directly from the app with a new feature called “Share My Date.”
Tinder announced Monday that users will now be able to send a link with details about the upcoming date, including the match name, meeting location, date and time. There is also an option to enter a note at the bottom. Links can be sent up to 30 days before the date and are editable, so users can update details whenever they want.
“Share my date” links are visible to all recipients, including non-Tinder users. Friends with a Tinder account can see the match’s full profile, but they can’t interact with it, including sending messages about the match. Non-users see a limited version of the profile in their browser, only being able to see the match’s photos, name and age, a Tinder spokesperson told TechCrunch.
Like Tinder’s “Matchmaker” feature, which allows users’ friends to suggest potential matches, the “Share My Date” link expires after a certain period of time. This is to discourage people from sharing on social media, the spokesperson told us.
The new feature was inspired by Tinder user data: 51% of singles under 30 tell their friends the details of their dates in advance.
“At Tinder, we continue to release new features that aim to create a fun, safe, and respectful experience for everyone,” Melissa Hobley, Tinder’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “Discussing your plans with friends and family is an age-old dating ritual. Share My Date streamlines this sharing of basic information so singles can get straight to the exciting part, from figuring out what to wear to preparing conversation topics.
In the coming months, the new feature will be rolled out in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, India, Germany, Ireland, in Japan, Brazil, Singapore, Switzerland, Mexico, Korea, Vietnam and Thailand.
The launch of “Share My Date” comes at a time when dating apps are experiencing slow growth. Last January, there were only about 12.7 million installations in the United States, a growth of 2.38% compared to the previous year’s growth of almost 16%. In the fourth quarter of 2023, Tinder’s total number of paying customers fell 8% year-over-year to 10 million.
Parent company Match Group – which owns Tinder, Match, Hinge, OkCupid, PlentyOfFish and others – is expected to report its first quarter 2024 results on Wednesday, May 8.
techcrunch
