The HYPE: Will We Be Using Tinder in 2020?… Or Nah?

It’s completely undeniable that Tinder is the new hot dating app that has everyone buzzing and swiping for love. Is it here to stay…..or nah? Gartner’s Hype Cycle helps us decide from a “technical marketing” standpoint. Keep reading….

Gartner’s hype cycle is a useful tool created by Gartner, an IT research company. The cycle’s stages are often used as a reference point to gage which part of the wave a company is on at the moment and how long it will take to peak or dissolve. It also assesses its own risks and opportunities. The hype cycle is broken into five stages:

1. Technology Trigger: Prototype and Concept or “Baby Phase”. ( Apple iWatch starts here)
2. Peak of Inflated Expectations: Technology is starting to catch onto the wave. Early Adopters are gravitating to new technology. (Tinder goes here.)
3. Trough of Disillusionment: There are some evident flaws and failures. The tough decision phase. Companies may toy with deciding to keep or drop lack luster products. ( Apple iPod Touch)
4. Slope of Enlightenment: Technology’s potential to grow and expand the breadth and depth of product line is assessed.
5. Plateau of Productivity: The technology is widely used and implemented. It’s place in the market has solidified. (Great Example: Apple iPhone. )

Tinder is in the Peak of Inflated Expectations phase. The technology is being implemented and early to mid phase adopters are gravitating towards the product, even some late adopters have caught on. The popular app still has room for improvement including, monetization and product attribute expansion. Perhaps in a few years, Tinder will be in the Slope of Enlightenment Phase after researching their strengths and weakness. The app is gaining great ground amongst the Millennial audience and continues to reach new peaks in downloads regularly. So…maybe it may become the go to app for  the younger adults in 2020 and beyond.

Social dating sites such as OK Cupid, Plenty of Fish (POF) and Match.com, are better known staples for older less tech savvy bachelors and bachelorettes. Tinder grasps the attention from “digital natives”, who are the second largest target demographic compared to their grandparents or parents the Baby Boomers. By capturing and appealing to a HUGE target audience, Tinder almost ensures its stake in the “computer love” world of online dating. Plus, lets be honest…Millennials ( people born after 1980) rule the world [seriously]!  More and more advertisers and marketers are working hard to cater to us. We don’t care whether you like dogs more than cats or like long walks on the beach during the sunset. Let’s face it…we’re a bit shallow. Tinder meets all the needs and wants of Millennials in the simplest way possible.

So…will we be using Tinder in 2020?…or Nah? I say, YES! As long as it remains simple, people are attractive (and easy), and there is a need for social gratification, Tinder will live on! Living La Vida Tinder Baby!