Over the past decade, singles looking to meet their soulmate online say there are two main methods: try your luck on dating apps or make friends with as many mutual friends as possible on social media in the hope that you will find the chosen one.
But some have found a third way, using apps like Goodreads and Strava to meet partners they hope to spend the rest of their lives with. These couples have proven to be trendsetters. So-called hobby apps – built around activities like running, reading or watching movies – are having a heyday, and not just for love.
It’s all part of a larger movement as people grow tired of the “digital city market” offered on Twitter/X and other social media platforms, according to The Guardian.
Increase interest in conversations on hobby apps
At a time when many are abandoning Elon Musk’s social network because of its attitude towards “freedom of speech” (which some consider “hate-mongering”), competing apps like Bluesky and Threads are making a comeback users.
While some users move to Twitter replicas, others take refuge in apps that promise to connect them with people with whom they share interests. Running app Strava has seen a 20% increase in users in a year, according to digital market intelligence firm Sensor Tower.
That success led her to add a messaging tool for users to keep in touch, in addition to documenting their workouts. The social knitting network Ravelry, which is accessed through a number of third-party apps, has more than 9 million users. Goodreads has amassed over 150 million members.
Letterboxd, the moviegoer’s dream app where you can check off, review and rate the latest movies you’ve seen, alongside other moviegoers and the occasional famous actor or director, has gone from 1.8 million users worldwide in March 2020 to over 14 million users this summer. The app has grown its monthly active user base by 55% in a year, according to Sensor Tower.
There is no sexual tension on hobby apps
Because hobby apps are more enjoyable places, people spend more time on them – and may eventually convert to other types of services. This includes finding like-minded people with whom you would like to spend time romantically.
One reason people might start finding love on apps that weren’t explicitly designed for that purpose is that the expectations are lower — and as such, the atmosphere is less sexually charged.
“Dating apps seem like a dating supermarket and something you have to do if you want to have some kind of connection. A lot of people get quite upset that you’re being judged based on your looks,” says researcher Dr Carolina Are.
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Source: www.descopera.ro
