How to Spark Romance with Video & Audio Tools
This article is brought to you by Stream’s Content Partnership with Global Dating Insights. Stream helps apps like Feeld, Paired, Trueflutter, and Wink build best-in-class Chat and Activity Feed experiences to help spark meaningful conversations.
Introduction
Dating apps have long faced a paradox: How do you balance the benefits of online dating with the unique atmosphere of offline meetups? Many new tools are now helping dating apps blend these two worlds and deliver improved experiences for their users.
Whether it’s traditional text messaging, video calling, live streaming, or audio conversations, there are now so many options for dating app users to interact however they want to. This will only improve user authenticity, a key issue in online dating.
Here is how cutting-edge dating apps have started to adopt this technology and Stream’s perspective on how developers can adopt these innovative tools most efficiently.
Stream has recently launched its BETA video & audio API solutions, making it easier than ever for online dating developers to upgrade their platform’s offerings. Find out more about how these video and audio solutions can be adopted and scaled to millions of users.
Being able to video call with a match brings benefits in terms of personality & authenticity. A video call enables singles to communicate face to face, getting a sense of the other’s vibe, but in a low-effort and low-cost way.
It also filters out potential catfishing & scams, meaning that users have greater confidence about who they’re talking to. Video calling capabilities within a dating app mean that users are not pressured into sharing their phone number for communication off-platform.
Industry leaders such as Bumble and Hinge already enable users to video call with their matches, with a host of new startups, including Zip Dating, Ditto, Heartstring Dating, and more, also incorporating video into their platforms.
But how can dating app developers make this happen?
The first priority is ensuring that video-calling features provide a high-quality user experience. Calls made using Stream’s video API are guaranteed to have low-latency due to its Global Edge Network, which reduces the distances calls have to travel across networks.
This means conversations feel more natural, with less chance of the call dropping or stuttering, creating the perfect environment for romance to blossom.
Adopting this feature can be done faster than building it in-house with Stream’s API solution. It provides tutorials that enable developers to add in-app video calling in a matter of days. It also offers customisation for moderation and permissions, meaning that platforms can craft their video calling tools for a safe and unique user experience
Dating platforms are in constant competition to find new ways for users to display their personality in creative ways. Live streaming is one method of doing this, giving extroverted users the ability to connect with many people and build their brand.
Live streaming capabilities have already been explored by leading dating brands Zoosk, BLK, Plenty of Fish, and Badoo, for example. “We have found again and again that live streaming provides powerful feelings of connection and entertainment,” said Geoff Cook, the former CEO of The Meet Group.
But how can dating app developers make this happen?
Stream can help dating apps to adopt ultra-low latency live streaming capabilities, full of user-friendly features. These include a Backstage Mode and the option of group live streaming.
It also has AI-enabled moderation capabilities and in-built spam and profanity filters for the live stream chat.
While video calling is all the rage, don’t underestimate the value of audio connections.
For example, dating app Blink organises audio calls for its matches, enabling ‘blind dates’ to occur online where the users chat without seeing each other’s physical appearance. Audio-only interactions can help with user authenticity while not encouraging superficiality.
Audio rooms with multiple contributors are also playing a key role in social networking and social discovery, for example, with Clubhouse and X (Twitter) Spaces. Platforms such as Bumble and Hinge already enable voice call features, an easy way for users to chat on the go..
But how can dating app developers make this happen?
Stream offers a Voice Calling API and Audio Room API, which means easy integration of these features within days. Developers can secure these spaces with in-built 2-factor authentication, and AI-driven moderation.
For users, they can enjoy optimal reliability with Stream’s Audio Track Redundancy tools and enjoy customisation options regarding user permissions and roles.
Conclusion
Romance and dating are very personal journeys, and it’s the responsibility of dating apps to let singles date how they want to. Providing options on how users can interact, whether a video call or a series of GIFs, helps users feel comfortable and free in their dating journey.
For dating app developers, it’s important that adopting these tools are worth it. With so many things already on their plate, developers require a seamless and quick process of adopting new dating app offerings.
With Stream’s support, platforms can easily and quickly integrate these video and audio solutions, with in-built moderation and customisation options.
