Name: 約會應用程序如何賺錢以及為何正在發生變化 | WSJ The Economics Of (How Dating Apps Make Money and Why It’s Changing | WSJ The Economics Of)
Uploaded: 2025-06-13T08:03:44.000Z
Duration: 9 min 2 s

程度副詞

Say you join a dating app because you're on a quest to find love or just someone to spend time with.

假如你加入交友軟件是因為你想尋找愛情，或者只是想找個人共度時光。

情態副詞

You may think you're freely roaming the market.

你可能會認為自己在市場上自由馳騁。

But behind the scenes, companies are creating new paywalls to profit off of what is for some, a shrinking number of paying users.

但在幕後，一些公司正在建立新的付費牆，以便從付費用戶數量不斷減少的市場中獲利。

In 1995, match.com was where you went to meet someone online.

1995 年，Match.com 是你在網上結識某人的地方。

At the time of its launch, only 14 percent of the US had internet access.

在推出時，只有 14% 的美國人可以上網。

Today, half of all relationships that started online began on a match group platform.

如今，一半的在線戀愛關係都是從匹配小組平臺開始的。

The dating app industry is now worth more than $5 billion, with nearly 350 million users across different apps worldwide.

目前，約會應用程序行業的價值已超過 50 億美元，全球不同應用程序的用戶接近 3.5 億。

But people are getting tired of swiping and downloads are falling.

但人們已經厭倦了刷卡，下載量也在下降。

So, companies are trying to build the next generation of dating apps by adding social networks and AI wingmen.

是以，公司正試圖通過添加社交網絡和人工智能僚機來打造下一代約會應用。

We can see some backlash against pure dating apps.

我們可以看到一些對純約會應用程序的反彈。

Generative AI will fundamentally change how dating online works.

生成式人工智能將從根本上改變在線約會的方式。

Do I think people will be swiping in five years time?

我認為五年後人們還會刷卡嗎？

這就是約會應用程序的經濟學原理。

Match Group now owns and monetizes a big portfolio of dating apps, including Tinder, Hinge, and plenty of Fish.

Match Group 現在擁有一大批約會應用程序，包括 Tinder、Hinge 和大量 Fish，並將其貨幣化。

Across the industry, there's something for everyone, whether you're looking for a casual hookup, a polyamorous relationship, or someone with facial hair.

在整個行業中，每個人都能找到適合自己的東西，無論您是在尋找隨意的勾搭、多配偶關係，還是有面部毛髮的人。

Most apps today use a freemium model, where part of the platform is free, but you have to pay either a subscription or one-time fee to unlock certain features, like unlimited swipes or new cities.

如今，大多數應用程序都採用免費模式，即平臺的一部分是免費的，但你必須支付訂閱費或一次性費用才能解鎖某些功能，如無限刷卡或新城市。

But if companies are successful at setting up a match, they could lose paying customers.

但是，如果公司成功設置了匹配，就可能失去付費客戶。

So, they're trying to get more money out of the people while they're on the apps and keep them around for longer.

是以，他們試圖在人們使用應用程序時從他們身上榨取更多的錢，讓他們待得更久。

Most dating apps really lock people up in paradox of choice by giving them millions of people to choose from.

大多數交友軟件讓人們有數以百萬計的人可供選擇，這確實讓人們陷入了選擇的悖論。

That's how we kind of make money, is by helping you speed that process up, get more exposure, get more people contacting you, help you sort through those contacts.

這就是我們賺錢的方式，幫助你加快進程，獲得更多曝光率，讓更多人聯繫你，幫你梳理這些聯繫人。

But the number of people willing to pay for the world's most popular dating app has been shrinking for six quarters now.

但是，願意為這款全球最受歡迎的交友軟件付費的人數已經連續六個季度減少。

We have heard loud and clear that some users, especially the Gen Z cohort, are looking for more from their dating apps.

我們清楚地聽到，一些用戶，尤其是 Z 世代，希望從約會應用程序中獲得更多。

Tinder has 50 million monthly active users.

It brought in $1.9 billion in annual revenue last year and invented the now-famous swipe-right mechanism.

該公司去年的年收入達到 19 億美元，併發明瞭如今聞名遐邇的 "向右滑動 "機制。

To try and bring in money from users while they are on the app, Tinder currently offers a range of subscription tiers and one-off purchases to unlock things like unlimited swipes and being able to see who likes you.

為了在用戶使用該應用時從他們身上賺錢，Tinder 目前提供了一系列訂閱等級和一次性購買服務，以解鎖無限刷屏和查看誰喜歡你等功能。

So, they did a really great job for a long time, and I think what's happening right now is that people want to graduate.

是以，在很長一段時間裡，他們的工作非常出色，我認為現在的情況是，人們想要畢業。

They'll be on a Tinder, they'll hang out there, that's their go-to, but then they'll look for something else.

他們會上 Tinder，在那裡閒逛，那是他們的首選，但之後他們就會去找別的東西。

They'll realize there's a particular thing that they want, and it could be that they want a long-term relationship, in which case they'll go to a Hinge.

他們會意識到自己想要什麼，可能是想要一段長期關係，在這種情況下，他們就會去 Hinge。

Hinge was created in 2012, the same year as Tinder.

Hinge 創建於 2012 年，與 Tinder 同年。

It now has more than 10 million users and an annual revenue of $396 million.

現在，它的用戶已超過 1000 萬，年收入達 3.96 億美元。

In fact, it's made it part of its marketing strategy.

事實上，它已將此作為營銷戰略的一部分。

While Tinder has been struggling to retain paying users, Hinge has seen a 31% year-over-year increase in people who pay for the app.

Tinder 一直在努力留住付費用戶，而 Hinge 的付費用戶卻同比增長了 31%。

What Match has done quite well is buy other properties, that then people will go from a Tinder to one of their other properties.

Match 做得很好的一點是收購了其他物業，這樣人們就會從 Tinder 轉到他們的其他物業。

Having a portfolio of dating apps, that's really the ideal business model.

擁有約會應用程序組合，這才是真正理想的商業模式。

The companies who don't own a portfolio of different apps are taking another strategy, keeping people online even after they meet someone.

那些不擁有不同應用程序組合的公司則採取了另一種策略，讓人們在遇到某人後仍能保持在線。

Enter Grindr, the so-called Gaberhood in your pocket.

進入 Grindr，所謂的口袋裡的 Gaberhood。

One of our straight counterparts kind of classifies itself as like the app to be deleted, right?

我們的一個直男同行把自己歸類為要刪除的應用程序，對嗎？

Because people might get into a long-term relationship, but they're still on Grindr very actively.

因為人們可能會進入一段長期關係，但他們仍然會非常積極地使用 Grindr。

同樣，他們在 Grindr 上也有朋友。

Grindr was originally designed as a casual dating app for queer men based on people's geographic location.

Grindr 最初是為同志男性設計的一款基於地理位置的休閒約會應用。

It's grown from one of the first mobile meetup apps to a platform of more than 13 million monthly users with $260 million in revenue.

它從最早的移動聚會應用程序之一發展成為月用戶超過 1300 萬、收入達 2.6 億美元的平臺。

To keep users on the app, Grindr is paving new pathways to profitability by developing features around the ways people are already using it, like for gay-friendly travel tips and health care information.

為了讓用戶繼續使用該應用，Grindr 正在圍繞人們已經在使用的方式開發新的功能，如提供對同志友好的旅行提示和醫療保健資訊，從而為盈利鋪平新的道路。

Kind of like how Uber started as a rideshare business and has expanded into grocery through food delivery.

這有點像 Uber 從共享單車業務起家，通過送餐業務擴展到食品雜貨業務。

Grindr is building something the company hopes will appeal to their users in long-term relationships too.

Grindr 正在打造一款產品，希望它也能吸引長期關係中的用戶。

We should not build a dating product that is awesome for 2021 or 2022.

我們不應該為 2021 年或 2022 年打造一款出色的約會產品。

We should build a dating product that is going to be awesome for 2027.

我們應該為 2027 年打造一款超棒的約會產品。

And so our dating product should be AI first.

是以，我們的約會產品應該以人工智能為先。

Online dating companies are sitting on massive treasure troves of data.

在線約會公司坐擁大量數據寶庫。

我們可以看到人們是如何交流的。

We can see who is communicating with who for how long.

我們可以看到誰在與誰交流，交流了多久。

So to chew on all of that and make sense of it and look for disparate connections and correlations, that's when I think AI can start giving us something interesting.

是以，要咀嚼這一切並從中找出意義，尋找不同的聯繫和相關性，我認為人工智能就能開始給我們帶來有趣的東西。

Grindr has partnered with romantic AI company XHuman to develop a digital dating assistant called the Grindr Wingman.

Grindr 與浪漫的人工智能公司 XHuman 合作開發了一款名為 Grindr Wingman 的數字約會助手。

So this is something that is kind of present in your app or in your profile always and makes suggestions to you, right?

是以，這東西會一直存在於你的應用程序或個人資料中，並向你提出建議，對嗎？

Like, hey, maybe as you're talking to somebody about meeting them for a coffee, these are the three places you could go and do that ad because it's convenient for them and for you geographically.

比如，嘿，也許你正在和某人商量約他喝咖啡，這三個地方就是你可以去做廣告的地方，因為這對他們和你來說在地理位置上都很方便。

Or this guy's coming over to your house based on what I know about him and what I know about you.

或者，根據我對他的瞭解和對你的瞭解，這傢伙會去你家。

Play this music, you know, while you wait.

在你等待的時候，播放這首音樂。

It could be a conversation starter as well.

Like, here's some suggestive text of what you could start the conversation with.

比如，這裡有一些建議性的文字，你可以從這些文字開始對話。

There's no official plans yet, but Grindr's AI features could one day go from wingman to actual companion.

雖然還沒有官方計劃，但 Grindr 的人工智能功能有一天可能會從僚機變成真正的伴侶。

Obviously, we want to solve loneliness for people in real life first and foremost.

顯然，我們首先要解決現實生活中人們的孤獨問題。

And that's what Grindr is really good at.

But if AI, conversational AI, can be helpful in solving some of that virtually as well, that is something we should think about, right?

但是，如果人工智能、對話式人工智能也能幫助我們解決一些實際問題，這才是我們應該考慮的，對嗎？

Whether what direction that will go in, I don't yet know.

至於會朝著哪個方向發展，我還不知道。

But it's certainly something we've thought about and will continue thinking about and experimenting with.

但這肯定是我們考慮過的問題，並將繼續考慮和嘗試。

While Grindr is leaning into AI to retain its audience, Muz, an app for Muslims, is betting you'll want to stick around even after you get married.

Grindr 依靠人工智能來留住閱聽人，而穆斯林應用程序 Muz 則打賭，即使你結婚了，你也會想留下來。

Facebook started as a social network and added Facebook dating.

Facebook 最初是一個社交網絡，後來增加了 Facebook 交友功能。

We've got the dating app, if you will, the marriage app, and we're adding the social network afterwards.

我們已經有了約會應用、結婚應用，之後還將增加社交網絡。

Muz is an app for Muslims who want to get married.

Muz 是一款專為想要結婚的穆斯林設計的應用程序。

It has more than a million monthly active users and more than 20 million in annual revenue.

它的月活躍用戶超過 100 萬，年收入超過 2000 萬。

There's a ton of different features unique to the Muslim dating experience, including allowing for a chaperone on the app and letting women decide when men can see their photos.

穆斯林約會體驗有很多獨特的功能，包括允許在應用程序上有一個監護人，以及讓女性決定男性何時可以看到她們的照片。

I think one thing that we consciously do is remind ourselves why we exist and effectively, for me, why we are not a Tinder and a Bumble.

我認為，我們有意識地做的一件事，就是提醒自己為什麼我們存在，對我來說，就是提醒自己為什麼我們不是 Tinder 和 Bumble。

For Muslims, getting married, finding your life partner is such a big part of our life, our culture and even our religion, right?

對穆斯林來說，結婚、尋找人生伴侶是我們生活、文化甚至宗教的重要組成部分，對嗎？

So it's deemed as being half of your faith is in finding a partner.

是以，這被認為是你一半的信念在於找到伴侶。

Muz says it's facilitated at least half a million marriages based on the people who left the app and said they got married.

Muz 說，根據那些離開應用程序並表示他們已經結婚的人的數據，它已經促成了至少 50 萬對婚姻。

On Hinge, that would mean losing at least half a million potential customers.

對於 Hinge 來說，這意味著至少會失去 50 萬潛在客戶。

One of the interesting things that we launched is effectively a social network for Muslims.

我們推出的一個有趣的項目實際上是一個穆斯林社交網絡。

And for me, this is looking at, well, how do we help generate more authentic conversations between Muslims?

對我來說，這就是在研究，我們如何幫助穆斯林之間開展更真實的對話？

Younger users gravitate more towards more social apps.

年輕用戶更傾向於使用社交性更強的應用程序。

It's what they're used to being on all day.

他們已經習慣了整天對著電腦。

So to have something that's social with an element of dating is a good graduation for them.

是以，對他們來說，社交活動中加入約會元素是一個不錯的畢業選擇。

We started off with Muz being the app where single Muslims meet.

我們從 Muz 開始，它是單身穆斯林聚會的應用程序。

And I think now we're morphing into the app where Muslims meet.

我認為，現在我們正在蛻變成穆斯林見面的應用程序。

Bumble is also investing into friendships as a way to keep people on their apps, even if they're not looking for love.

Bumble 還投資於友誼，以此來留住應用上的用戶，即使他們並不是在尋找愛情。

This is an ecosystem of human connections and using technology as a bridge to build healthier and more equitable relationships.

這是一個人際關係的生態系統，以技術為橋樑，建立更健康、更平等的關係。

Bumble Inc., which owns Bumble, Bumble for Friends, Bumble Biz, Badoo, Fruits and Official, has 42 million monthly users and a revenue of more than a billion dollars.

Bumble Inc. 旗下擁有 Bumble、Bumble for Friends、Bumble Biz、Badoo、Fruits 和 Official，月用戶數達 4200 萬，收入超過 10 億美元。

Bumble has positioned itself as the sort of antithesis to Tinder by putting women first.

Bumble 將自己定位為 Tinder 的對立面，把女性放在第一位。

Today, that mission has remained, but it's also investing in friendship apps.

如今，這一使命依然存在，但它也在投資友誼應用程序。

Niche dating apps tend to do a bit better when it comes to the continuity problem.

在連續性問題上，小眾約會應用程序往往做得更好一些。

People tend to stick around on the niche apps because it's with their people, right?

人們往往會堅持使用小眾應用程序，因為這是與他們的人在一起，對嗎？

Now, a decade into the age of dating apps, these companies are working to capture wider audiences and higher revenue.

如今，約會應用程序時代已經過去了十年，這些公司正致力於吸引更廣泛的閱聽人，獲得更高的收入。

And your pool of potential matches may be getting bigger and bigger.

您的潛在匹配對象可能會越來越多。