In the last year or two, dating site operators have realized that they simply cannot meet the needs of their audience without new features. Everyone is sick and tired of swipes, algorithms for selecting odd couples, all sorts of personality tests, and more. Users just want to communicate with interesting people and make new, promising acquaintances.
Recently, many dating websites and apps have started focusing on video communication – using online video chats and video streams to offer their audience a whole new communication experience. Admittedly, the results were excellent.
Video Chat and Live Streaming – Not the Same
The video chat feature in an online dating app is nothing new. At least since the pandemic, when demand for video dates increased, almost all popular dating platforms have integrated video chats into their apps: Hinge, seeking.com, Bumble, Match, Liveli, Luvr, Clover, and others.
However, video dates for two are just one of the ways to use videos on dating sites and apps. For example, let’s take a look at a few unusual ideas implemented on popular platforms.
Hinge – 30-second videos on profile. Instead of a static photo, you can upload a short video in which you talk about yourself, and show your life, your hobbies, and interests. Almost complete freedom of action. Very informative and unusual!
Seeking.com – Two-second looping videos seeking Loop. Something similar has been around on-site for a long time. A short section of the video loops creates an interesting animation effect. You can add signatures and specify what exactly you want to show in this post. Interestingly, users who added a seeking Loop to their profile have seen a 20 percent increase in conversation duration (according to TechCrunch). If you’re having problems finding love online, seek.com is the best dating website. Check it out. Now go to seeking.com. Sign up and find a romantic match Save 65% on your membership search when you apply the best seeking coupon code.
Match stories. In many ways, the feature is similar to the classic Instagram Stories format, but with a focus on dating. Users can download “A Match Story” with videos and photos. The duration of such a story is a maximum of 60 seconds. But there can also be several of them.
All of these features are intended not only to make communication on dating websites and apps more diverse but also to help users find the ideal partner for a relationship. Given the rapid development of Internet technologies, we are sure to see many more interesting innovations related to video.
But back to the topic at hand – what is the difference between an online video chat and a live stream? The difference is very big. In video chat, you communicate with a person face to face. A video stream means that any number of viewers can connect to your show.
Why has live streaming become so popular on internet dating platforms in the first place?
It seems as if there is no point in integrating the video streaming function into dating applications since there are already enough specialized services. Here are just a few of the most popular video streaming sites: Twitch, Smashcast, Mixer, YouTube, Bigo Live, Afreeca, and others.
At first glance, there is no particular need for live streaming for online dating platforms. But if we look closely, we will see that the feature is necessary and useful. The fact is that video streaming in the classic sense is no longer used for dating, but for completely different needs:
The broadcast of gameplay and demonstration of video games;
Collect donations from viewers;
Self-promotion and the like.
For example, have you heard many stories about how a couple met on Twitch and this was the start of a strong romantic relationship? Of course, there are such cases.
Live streaming on apps and dating sites is specifically designed to find a potential partner. Or at least for communication between the viewers and the stream moderator. Such streams are in some ways more personal, creative, and even soulful. The possibilities they open up are simply huge. Imagine your stream being accessible to a dating app’s audience of millions. True, the chances of finding a person you’re interested in this way are much higher than endlessly swiping left and right on photos of strangers in the hope of a successful meeting.
Yes, so far live streaming is not that widespread in apps and dating sites. Although most popular platforms have not joined the new trend, we advise you to pay attention to another format of online dating – online video chats.
Online video chat: an alternative to dating apps and live streaming
We would like to start with the not-so-popular online video chat Bazoocam. This is essentially a classic video chat but with support for video streams. You can start your stream and other users can join in as viewers if they wish. However, it is important to understand here that moderation in Bazoocam is very controversial. That’s why most of the streams on the site are very explicit. This format in Bazoocam is not suitable for promising acquaintances.
Another story – alternative video chats like chatrandom.com, ome. tv, , monkey.cool, chathub. Cam and others. Although they don’t offer live streaming features in the traditional sense, they are still great for online dating. Plus, many of them offer truly unique opportunities. For example, OmeTV has a built-in news translator, CooMeet – a unique gender filter, and Chatrandom – thematic chat rooms based on interests. Everyone can find exactly the platform that suits them best.
By the way, in recent years (also because of the pandemic) many popular bloggers have come to video chats and record content for their videos here. For example, YouTube star Emma Chamberlain celebrated her birthday party on Omegle, and popular Tiktoker Michael Le, with 35 million followers, often appears in a video chat in which he records random users’ reactions to meeting an online idol. These are just a few examples out of hundreds and thousands. Bloggers and TikTokers are only fueling interest in video chats even more. This means their popularity will continue to grow.
Summary
Let’s now weigh all the pros and cons to decide how important live streaming is for today’s dating sites and apps.
Advantages of the format:
the opportunity to tell a large audience about yourself;
unusual communication format;
great space for creativity
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