The inner working of Dating Apps (and how AI can help you stand out)

Dating apps: we love to hate them, but most of us are already on it. While there are plenty of articles talking about how harmful they are to us, what if instead we understand the insight behind how it all works? Recently, I stumbled upon a deep dive into the inner workings of a dating app. Here's the breakdown:

User Ranking: It's All About the Like-to-Pass Ratio

Forget complex ELO scores. According to the article, the basic principle for the app ranking algorithm is your like-to-pass ratio is all that matters. If 100 people see your profile, what percentage of them swipe right? This number is highly distinct between Men and Women.

• Men: 5% Median Like ratio
• Women: 38% Median Like Ratio

What Does This Mean For You?

First impressions matter a lot. Your primary profile picture is your key to success. It's the first (and sometimes only) thing users see before deciding to swipe. This is why we recommend investing in AI generated photos that has been curated and trained to maximize click rate.

Profile Completeness: Surprisingly (Mostly) Irrelevant

Despite user demand, elaborate profiles don't dramatically impact your success. Many users (especially men) don't even bother opening them! It's all about that initial visual appeal.

User Behavior: Girls Scroll, Guys Hope

• Women are more active scrollers, seeing many more profiles than men to find people they like.
• Men are more dependent on hoping their profile photo catches the attention of women.

Feed Algorithm: Where the Magic (and Manipulation) Happens

The feed algorithm is ultimately for retention and personalized engagement, but in general:

• For women, show them new profiles.
• For men, if you are one of the first few likes the women get, you need to be shown in that women's feed.
• For both, show at least one person that the user would find attractive.

The Bottom Line: Pictures > Everything Else

In the quest for an attractive profile, many users turn to AI generated profile photos, and for a good reason:

• AI maximizes your "like-to-pass ratio". With AI, we can iterate on the profile photo and optimize which images generate the most swipe-rights.
• AI is the ultimate "professional photographer". The article's author is right: if your profile photo is a selfie you took in your bathroom mirror, you're losing.
• Make it Easy for the Algorithm
• Invest in the AI: Your primary profile photo is worth more than any clever bio or witty opening line.

Caveats & Thoughts

• Location Still Matters: Don't expect matches if you're swiping from the remote countryside.
• Honesty (Still) Pays: Don't catfish. Be realistic about what you're presenting and what you're looking for. You can use AI to improve your profile photo, but don't misrepresent yourself.
• Have the right expectations As a user the most important thing is to go on dates!
• Don't listen to me Users are always bias and have different goals. Take all of this information with a grain of salt and apply this insight into your own dating profile.

Dating apps, as it stands right now, may not be perfect. But this article, at the very least, helps us to understand the game so that we may play it a little bit better.