A few days ago we were gathering ideas on Hinge with the intention of telling you about our direct experience and trying to understand if and for whom it makes sense.
Then we got stuck.
Not because we didn’t know what to tell you – indeed, “stay tuned” – but because news has begun to spread on the web: Giorgia Soleri, ex-girlfriend of Damiano David, leader of the Maneskin, has signed up for Bumble.
Now, we’re not sure why this fact should be considered relevant news, but it has brought the dating app created by the co-founder of Tinder into the spotlight.
So, thanks to our pluri-weekly experience on Bumble, we decided to explain how it is and how it works this platform which – in theory – should finally put power in the hands of women.
How did we get to Bumble?
At the end of May, the arrival of Bumble in Italy was announced but, to tell the truth, we had been hearing about this app for months.
Droves of friends rushed to recommend her to us because “the woman makes the first move” but until four weeks ago we hadn’t succumbed to the pressure.
Then curiosity and the official landing in the Bel Paese convinced us to try it and understand it. After all, we had already experienced several and wanted to understand what was different about it.
Not one, but three modes
There is one key thing you need to know about Bumble before approaching it: there is not only one mode, there are 3 of them.
There is “Date” for those who want an appointment, “BFF” to find new friends and “Bizz” for those who want to expand their professional network in a fun way.
It’s a new and classic approach at the same time.
New because none of the other dating apps provides such a clear division and a change of functionality and interface depending on your goal; classic because basically all the other apps we’ve tried have some voice that helps you specify what you’re looking for, if of course you want to.
To simplify: Tinder is also full of people looking for new friends but the app always remains the same for everyone.
Bumble: How does it work?
Now suppose you are looking for love.
The app is pretty intuitive to use.
The first tab allows you to edit your profile: you can upload photos and videos, indicate interests, enter information to break the ice, write a bio and give basic info ranging from height to your current job.
You can always here check profile – so you give people the certainty that you are the one in the photos – and eventually subscribe a subscription, Boost or Premium.
The second tab is that of Best Bees and it’s the element that disappears when you opt for a mode other than Date.
Why? Well, because here you find every day 4 profiles that, according to Bumble algorithms, are super compatible with you.
We emphasize “according to the algorithms” because, to date, we have never found particularly interesting ideas so either we are difficult to decipher or the app still needs to be refined.
The third tab is traditional: here are the profiles to consult and with the classic swipe right or left express your interest.
Three important things to know:
- the profiles scroll verticallywith photos and information arranged alternately to push you to get to the end;
- there are i Well done, so you can comment on photos and conversation starters even without having already matched,
- you can use i SuperSwipe, which, however, are paid if you have not signed up for a subscription.
We then a section dedicated to likes, so you know how many likes you have gotten but without knowing from whom – except for activation of the Premium subscription – and finally the message tab with sustained, or missed conversations.
What does “the woman makes the first move” mean?
“Miss you” means that you have matched with someone – therefore both expressed interest – but then you have not started a conversation.
And this is where the famous “the woman makes the first move. Because, if the match is between a man and a woman, only the latter can start chatting.
If this is not done within 24 hours then the match is cancelled.
What if they aren’t two people of different genders? If they are two women? Or two men?
Beh, the ball passes to the first person to like it.
Let’s take a trivial example: I like you, you like me after N hours/days/weeks. We both find out we matched, at the same time, but the job of initiating the conversation falls to me.
Reducing everything to this, however, would be wrong.
Whitney Wolfe Herd wanted to create a dating app that was a safe place at 360°, a place where women could live their relationship with each other more serenely. Coming forward is just one piece of the puzzle. For example, photo verification allows you to limit catfishing attempts, i.e. people who impersonate someone else. The video chat within the app is great for getting to know each other before moving on to WhatsApp, Telegram or seeing each other in the real world. Or, to continue, we find the artificial intelligence that controls the images and a specific attention to mental health.
Does the experience really change?
Over the past few weeks we have convinced ourselves that the answer to this question is very subjective.
We belong to a category that we could define as “aware users”.
Aware of how the web works, aware of how dating apps work, aware of the dangers of the web, aware of ourselves.
What does all this mean? First of all, we always tread lightly, because we can never know who is in front of us and – remember this – safety comes first. Secondly, it means that we are used to (or perhaps here we should say USUAL) take the first step regardless of the app we are on. Waiting for him – or the other in general – to make the first move is an unproductive and perhaps not very modern attitude. So we don’t need Bumble to give us a push: we give it ourselves, everywhere.
It’s not like that for everyone.
There are those who need encouragement, those who need to feel in a safe place, those who don’t have the same experience with the web. And this is where Bumble comes in with its women-first features and approach.
Don’t expect a revolutionary user experience but why not give it a chance? Maybe this is the dating app for you. Also because, in the end, there isn’t one better than the others but there is certainly one that can better suit you and those you are looking for.
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