Read on to learn about how the gamification of dating has led to our generation inadvertently becoming digital marketers. If you’ve had a Tinder account, you may have subconsciously crafted your first digital marketing campaign without realising it.

The gamification of interaction

The rise of accessibility has allowed the human race to reach heights thought unreachable only 15-20 years ago. However, should social media apps be as strategic as deploying a new marketing campaign to differentiate and position yourself among your target demographic?

Humble Beginnings

Launched in 2012, Tinder is a relatively new resident of the App store which has since become entrenched in dating apps. It can be said that the stigma surrounding these apps has somewhat faded over the years.

What was once ‘Never talk to strangers!’ has slowly morphed itself into ‘It’s a match!’.

Tinder successfully established and normalised itself among its target demographic via word of mouth marketing around college campuses. Tinder’s digital marketer’s initial strategy was to offer students access to college parties if you downloaded the app. This grew Tinder’s base in college towns and cities densely populated with their target demographic. Moreover, they also harnessed celebrity and influencer advertising which further spurred on their growing network effects.

What separated Tinder among other things was namely its ‘game-like’ interface. Without a doubt, Tinder is a prime example of industry disruption, fuelled mainly by their focus on user experience. Additionally, Tinder was praised for its ease of use with a ‘no-questions-asked’ feel. Linking your social media page would automatically collate your basic information to sell your product. A mere few minutes work and you’re ready to launch your first digital marketing campaign.

The gamification of people

With this information in mind, my question for you the reader is: has this seamless user experience and gamification of dating apps done more harm than good? It’s easy to think with the game-like interface of such apps that you are just completing a level of candy-crush while waiting for the kettle to boil. However, real people exist at the other end of your phone.

Picture this: you’re walking to college one morning and notice your jacket doesn’t quite fit as well as it used to or maybe has a faulty zip. You decide to open up ASOS and begin swiping and scrolling through until you find an adequate replacement. You’re basing all of your consumer choices on the aesthetics of your jacket and how it presents itself and voila; you have a replacement jacket on the way in 3-5 working days. Do you see what I’m getting at?

Have social media apps reduced us all to expendable ASOS jackets, hoping our next customer won’t notice our faulty zips until they lose our receipt and can no longer return us?

As dramatic as it may sound, we are effectively digitally marketing and branding ourselves online everyday. If you have never used dating apps you haven’t escaped this bizarre concept. Dating apps have just taken this effect of social media to a utopian extreme.

The customer is always right?

We are often weary to fork out an extensive amount of money to buy a pair of shoes or clothes online as we worry about the fit. However, due to online dating apps, we don’t seem to be as frugal when it comes to investing in actual people online.

A simple ‘ghost’ is the dating world’s equivalent to walking up to the customer service desk and claiming your jacket was falsely advertised and receiving a full refund. A classic case of forgetting to read the small print of a digital marketing campaign.

Rethinking your campaign…

Perhaps you didn’t match the product description given in your initial marketing campaign on Tinder. You can always improve your SEO by adding perhaps better pictures and a wittier description of yourself to increase traffic.

Nevertheless, chin up everyone! Why take something personally on an app that’s success is rooted in the impersonalisation of people and the gamification of human connection?