Match Group, Inc. is a leading provider of subscription dating products servicing
North America, Western Europe, Asia and many other regions around the world
through websites and applications we own and operate. We operate a portfolio
of brands, including Tinder, Match, PlentyOfFish, Meetic, OkCupid, OurTime,
and Pairs as well as a number of other brands, each designed to increase our
users’ likelihood of finding a meaningful connection. Through our portfolio
of trusted brands, we provide tailored products to meet the varying preferences
of our users. We currently offer our dating products in 42 languages across
more than 190 countries.
Consumers’ dating preferences vary significantly, influenced in part
by demographics, geography, religion and sensibility. As a result, the market
for dating products is fragmented, and no single product has been able to effectively
serve the online dating category as a whole.
Given these wide ranging consumer preferences, our strategy focuses on a brand
portfolio approach, through which we attempt to offer dating products that collectively
appeal to the broadest spectrum of consumers. We believe that this approach
maximizes our ability to capture additional users. We work to apply a centralized
discipline to learnings, by sharing best practices and technologies across our
brands in order to increase growth, reduce costs and maximize profitability.
Additionally, we centralize certain other administrative functions, such as
legal, human resources, finance, tax, and others. This approach allows us to
quickly introduce new products and features, optimize marketing strategies,
and more effectively deploy talent across our organization.
Coinciding with the general trend toward mobile technology, we have also experienced
(and continue to experience) significant growth in our mobile-first dating products,
as well as a meaningful shift in the user bases of our previously desktop-oriented
dating products, who have gone from accessing those products via desktop devices
to accessing our mobile experiences for those products via mobile devices. This
shift to mobile, along with the combination of our mobile-first dating products
and the deployment of mobile experiences across substantially all of our previously
desktop-oriented products, has enabled us to reach groups of users which had
previously proven elusive, such as the 18-25 year old audience; for example,
Tinder has been able to tap into this audience rapidly over the last few years.
Additionally, in previously desktop-oriented products like Match, the shift
to mobile has led to increased usage of our products, as mobile users on average
access our products at meaningfully higher rates than users who access our products
on desktop.
Prior to the proliferation of computers and mobile devices, human connections
traditionally were limited by social circles, geography and time. Today, the
adoption of the internet and mobile technology has significantly expanded the
ways in which people can build relationships, create new interactions and develop
romantic connections. Additionally, the ongoing adoption of technology into
more aspects of daily life continues to further erode biases and stigmas that
previously prevented individuals from using technology to help find and develop
those connections.
We believe that dating products serve as a natural extension of the traditional
means of meeting people and provide a number of benefits for their users, including:
Expanded options: Dating products provide users access to a large number of
like-minded people they otherwise would not have a chance to meet.
Efficiency: The search and matching features, as well as the profile information
available on dating products, allow users to filter a large number of options
in a short period of time, increasing the likelihood that users will make a
connection with someone.
More comfort and control: Compared to the traditional ways that people meet,
dating products provide an environment that reduces the awkwardness around the
process of reaching out to new people. This leads to many people who would otherwise
be passive participants in the dating process taking a more active role.
Convenience: The nature of the internet and the proliferation of mobile devices
allow users to connect with new people at any time, regardless of where they
are.
Depending on a person’s circumstances at any given time, dating products
can act as a supplement to, or substitute for, traditional means of meeting
people. When selecting a dating product, we believe that users consider the
following attributes:
Brand recognition: Brand is very important. Users generally associate strong
dating brands with a higher likelihood of success and a higher level of security.
Generally, successful dating brands depend on large, active communities of users,
strong algorithmic filtering technology and awareness of successful usage among
similar users.
Successful experiences: Demonstrated success of other users attracts new users
through word-of-mouth recommendations. Successful experiences also drive repeat
usage.
Community identification: Users typically look for dating products that offer
a community or communities with which the user can associate. By selecting a
dating product that is focused on a particular demographic, religion, geography
or intent (for example, casual dating or more serious relationships), users
can increase the likelihood that they will make a connection with someone with
whom they identify.
Product features and user experience: Users tend to gravitate towards dating
products that offer features and user experiences that resonate with them, such
as question-based matching algorithms, location-based features, offline events
or search capabilities. User experience is also driven by the type of user interface
(for example, swiping versus scrolling), a particular mix of free and paid features,
ease of use and security. Users expect every interaction with a dating product
to be seamless and intuitive.
Our Dating portfolio
Dating is a highly personal endeavor and consumers have a wide variety of preferences
that determine what type of dating product they choose.
As a result, our strategy focuses on a portfolio approach of various brands
in order to reach a broad range of users. Our brands are collectively available
in 42 languages, and offered in over 190 countries. The following is a list
of our key brands:
Tinder. Tinder was launched in 2012, and has since risen to scale and popularity
faster than any other product in the online dating category with very limited
marketing spend, growing to over 3 million Subscribers today. Tinder’s
distinctive “right swipe” feature has led to significant adoption
among the millennial generation, previously underserved by the online dating
category. Tinder employs a freemium model, through which users are allowed to
enjoy many of the core features of Tinder for free, including limited swiping
and communicating with other users. However, to enjoy premium features, such
as unlimited swiping, a Tinder user must subscribe to either Tinder Plus, launched
in early 2015, or Tinder Gold, which was launched in late summer 2017.
Match. Match was launched in 1995 and helped create the online dating category.
Among its distinguishing features are the ability to search profiles, receive
algorithmic matches and attend live events, promoted by Match, with other Subscribers.
Additionally, new features, such as Missed Connections, which uses location-based
technology to enable users to connect with other users with whom they have crossed
paths in the past, engage users into more meaningful connections. Match is a
brand that focuses on users with a higher level of intent to enter into a relationship
and its product and marketing are designed to reinforce that approach. Match
relies heavily on word-of-mouth traffic, repeat usage and paid marketing.
PlentyOfFish. PlentyOfFish was launched in 2003 and acquired in October 2015.
Similar to Match, among its distinguishing features is the ability to both search
profiles and receive algorithmic matches. Similar to Tinder, PlentyOfFish has
grown to popularity over the years with very limited marketing spend and also
relies on a freemium model. PlentyOfFish has broad appeal in the central United
States, Canada, the United Kingdom and a number of other international markets.
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