How To Build Your Own Dating App

Nearly 100 million people have used online dating to find that special someone. Dating apps are here to stay, and interest in using them is likely to grow. Are you interested in getting your share of this business? Here’s what you need to know.

Dating is a big business, and you might think it’s time you got in on the action. A dating app can be a fun, profitable business. People will never stop looking for someone to love, which means a dating app is a reliable source of income.

Reasons To Build Your Own Dating App

Why should you get into the dating business? Here are some good reasons.

It’s a Fun Business

The desire to meet someone will never go out of style. Online dating has become an established way to meet someone for casual dating, a long-term relationship or marriage. Helping people find a special person to spend time with is a worthwhile pursuit.

There is one downside. If you're not rigorous about security, a dating site can develop a disreputable reputation. The 2015 data breach of the Ashley Madison site came back to haunt the site’s former users in a 2020 extortion scheme.

Others have justifiable concerns about romance scams, fraud, violent crime, and many other dangers of online dating sites. Research suggests that approximately 10% of profiles on dating sites may be fake, adding an additional layer of caution for users. How do you combat that? With a rigorous security protocol and background checking.

How do you combat that? With a rigorous security protocol and background checking.

It’s Extremely Profitable

There are over 50 million Tinder users, and there are 20 million people on Match.com.

The average user spends about $243 using paid dating apps, and all those users add up to the $1.9 billion the dating market makes each year.

If you’re hoping to reap some of that money, you need a dating app that stands out from the competition.

A Niche Dating Site Can Meet Customers’ Needs

Specialization has become the hallmark of successful dating sites. While Match, Tinder and eHarmony appeal to the general dating public, specialty dating sites cater to people who want to date from a more select pool.

Here are some specialty sites drawing millions of users.

• Our Time: For daters over 50.

• The League: For daters of specific educational backgrounds.

• WooPlus: For plus-sized men and women.

• Sweatt: For fitness enthusiasts.

• Align: Matches based on horoscopes.

• MissTravel: Finds people who want travel companions.

These are just a few examples. Is there a niche yours can fill?

Build a Great Dating App

Here’s a seven-step plan to developing your own dating app.

1. Determine Your Market

Is your idea for a dating app viable? Market research before you get started is smart for any idea, but it’s especially important in a crowded field like the dating app business.

It’s difficult to compete with the big, established names in this crowd. Is there an underserved dating market out there? If you tap into it at the right time, you could be highly successful.

2. Decide How You’re Going To Monetize Your App

There are many ways to make money from a dating app. You can charge extra for premium services, run in-app advertising, offer in-app purchases, create social events and affiliate with local businesses like restaurants and flower shops.

3. Focus on Security

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of security and safety on a dating app. Protect yourself and your users by following these tips:

• Use a well-written, encrypted code when you build your app.

• Test your security measures across all platforms.

• Use data encryption for all information you store on the app.

• Install strict profile verification methods. Some dating sites now use photo verifications to double-check that people are posting legitimate photos.

• Use phone and social media verification for additional protection.

4. Create a Marketing Plan

How will your dating site attract your niche customers? Come up with a viable marketing strategy to get your app’s name out there among your potential customers.

5. Choose Your Dating App Software

You need robust, reliable software to create an app your customers will enjoy using.

You will need:

• Programming tools.

• Databases.

• Architectural frameworks.

• Ad capability.

• Web servers.

• Graphics and animation.

• Payment processing.

6. Consider Adding Third-Party Services

Some dating apps allow their users to make a restaurant reservation, order gifts or book a ride right from the dating app. These can be profitable partnerships for you and these affiliated businesses.

7. Hire a Software Developer To Create the App

Do you really want to build a dating app yourself? Allowing a software developer to build it for you means you can concentrate on marketing your site and interacting with potential customers. At Chetu, we use rigorously tested, encrypted dating app software to create an app you can market with pride.

If you want a secure, reliable dating site that looks great and is easy to use, contact Chetu. We can build a dating app that has all the features you need.

Keys To a Successful Dating App

Every good dating app must have the following features to work well.

Unique Profile

Every user needs an opportunity to create a distinctive profile only the user can create, edit or share.

Chat and Messaging

An in-app messaging function is ideal. It allows users to communicate with each other without having to share phone numbers or email addresses. It encourages immediate, early interaction, which is a plus in a dating site.

Geolocation

Most people want matches in their same geographic location. Geolocation services help narrow down their choices to certain parameters. People who don’t mind traveling to find love can expand their geolocation.

Matching Mechanics

What matching mechanics will your site use? Love may be a mysterious force, but the mechanics of date matching are all based on math and science.

Some dating sites use complex algorithms to match personality traits, while others use questionnaires and geographic mapping to match people mathematically. Questionnaires and profile matches are basic forms of matching, but they work for a lot of sites.

A more complex approach is to use behavioral matching, which uses data from the user’s profile, social media accounts and other public sites to develop more accurate matches. Which approach will you take?

Social Media Integration

Since many people use dating apps with their social media sites, it’s a good idea to allow social media integration on your app. It also makes it easy to choose potential partners based on their preferences.

Great UI/UX Design

With thousands of dating sites out there, the ones that rise to the top are attractive and easy to use. Part of Tinder’s popularity is its fast, fun interface. Match.com and eHarmony are both known for their inviting user experiences.

Your user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) should both be top-notch. A cheap-looking app that’s hard to use gives the impression that it’s unreliable and unsafe. A high-quality, attractive site engenders more trust.

Make your app fun by gamifying the questionnaires, adding graphics, and awarding prizes for completing detailed profiles.

We Build Top-Ranking Dating Apps

At Chetu, we specialize in building mobile apps that stand out for their reliability, performance and design. If you’re interested in making your mark on the online dating world, we can help. We’ll build it, we’ll test it, and we’ll work out all the bugs before you launch it into the world. Contact us to get started today.