Two people meeting over a cup of coffee and calling it a date is now socially normal. A date happening as a result of them connecting via a dating app is gaining momentum in the world. A dating app is a huge pool of people looking to connect with others who share similar interests.
The usage of a dating app has brought a huge change in the way we look at social relationships. Two people do not just meet through a mutual friend but they can now meet online and still go on to establish a strong bond among themselves.
Are you comfortable with your partner going on dates with other people? Are you comfortable with your partner sleeping with people in your social circle? All open relationships look different and you and your partner may have different ideas about what is and is not acceptable behavior. Be honest about your emotional needs from the start, and create boundaries that respect those needs.
5 Key Features
Every agency working in the field of app development needs to keep track of trends and aims to make its services better. Hence, they function on a systematically designed guide to develop a dating app like Tinder. Some key features that the majority of the developers emphasize on are as follows:
#1. Establishing connection
Once two users are matched, it is important to let them connect and take the conversation forward. A dating app, therefore, offers features like chat, audio call, and video call to its users. The feature helps them to talk to each other in their preferred form of communication.
The phone numbers are kept private and a disclaimer is shown asking the users to take precautions during the conversation and not share confidential information that may harm their personal or professional life.
Some dating apps allow users to save messages and get a copy of them in their email. WhatsApp, even though not a dating app, allows its users to get an entire copy of the chat via email. A similar trend has been widely accepted by the community of app developers who are working to develop a dating app.
#2. Easy-to-use dashboard
The dashboard is the first screen that a user sees after logging in to their accounts. It generally shows a summary of all the activities like suggestions and the profile of the last user they connected with. Dashboards of a few apps also show the recent activities of other users with whom they have connected.
A user must find it convenient to switch from one section to another while navigating on the app. A few basic sections that users expect in their dashboard are profile, privacy, and recommendations. The list varies as it depends on the everyday experience of the users.
A list of tools can also be summarized under one section. Privacy, for example, can be mentioned under settings along with the section to edit user details and profile pictures.
#3. Customized photo album
Many android app development companies are experimenting with this feature. It lets a user share his or her images with other select users. Other select users in the case of a dating app refer to the users whom they have matched with. The photos shared with the match remain on the app and are not visible to others.
A customized photo album can be created separately for different matches. From the point of view of a user’s security, an option is given to them to disable the download and screenshot function. The shared images remain on the platform and the threat of someone misusing the shared images is reduced. Other forms of media like video can also be customized similarly.
Instagram is an app that has worked on this feature. It lets you create a list of close friends and share your stories only with them.
#4. ID verification
This is the most important feature. Whether one is looking to find true love or just a fling, verification of one’s identification is important. It ensures that only people with authentic identities are joining the platform.
One way to verify the identity of a user is to seek a copy of their identity proof and ask them to upload it. A team of specialists verifies the details and gives formal recognition to an account. A user may also be asked to submit other documents like residential and nationality proof.
To secure the account, one may set up 2-Step Verification. The feature sends an email or a text when an attempt is made to access the account from an unknown device.
#5. Search options
A search option is generally of two types. It can either be basic & advanced or only one of them. The basic search option includes finding a user based on his or her interests, age, and gender. The advanced search option lists features like finding a user by their names, locations, and contact details, to name a few.
While some apps offer both the options for free, some may offer the advanced search options as a part of a paid membership. Such search options act as filters and ensure that only relevant suggestions are shown to a user.
A huge number of social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram work on a similar model. They offer such options for free and show a list of people that they might know. The category may also appear as From Your Contact List.
Final Words
There is no strict rule about what features a dating app developer must offer. However, when businesses opt for iOS app development, then dating apps should follow the standard protocols of the app store. The five features mentioned above are the most common and highly expected.
