OkCupid – Dating Go-To for the Hip Crowd
OkCupid has been in the online dating game since 2004. That's quite a while now, and the brand name is anything but unknown with over 10 million registered users. However, they did undergo a massive rebranding campaign in 2018. So, that's the year when what we now call OkCupid has begun the way we know it. With the new slogan – 'Dating deserves better,' - they have decided to cut all the strings that may hold an old and reputable service back. OkCupid has redefined itself by addressing every frustrating point of that one may associate with online dating and shying away neither from minorities nor majorities
If you live in the US and pay attention, you have surely noticed their provocative ad campaign that includes same-sex couples alongside heterosexual ones, quirky and less-than-safe humour, and the overall feel of edginess. It is such a stark contrast to average dating sites that are desperate to avoid any form of controversy. This gives us an idea that the today's OkCupid is not ‘yet another dating platform.
Although it may seem like throwing your image out the window, OkCupid is indeed keen on their brand image. But it is not the image we are used to seeing on a dating platform. Meanwhile, they focus not only on helping users to match but also to have fun with the service. It means eliminating every boring or otherwise off-putting element of online dating. These are, for example, writing a five-paragraph essay about your dream relationship or answering countless questions you couldn't care less about.
In addition, making an online dating experience enjoyable also means keeping users safe from creeps and other sorts of ill-intended people. These two goals may seem mutually exclusive: how can you provide a safe experience without forcing users to introduce themselves properly? OkCupid didn't shy away from addressing this seeming paradox, - let's take it to step by step and see how well it has turned out.
One of the polarizing points that OkCupid has addressed is apparent at the very first steps as you set up your profile. The site offers you as many as 12 options from which you are to choose your gender identity. So, a Trumpie or another right-wing conservative gets a red light right off and goes to another website. If it wasn't enough for him or her, he or she gets another blow right away: 20 sexual orientations to choose from. One may argue that such a policy is bad for business because it scares off a fair share of potential users. This is the ball-less approach that most dating services adopt.
OkCupid, on the other hand, had the guts to address this and achieved two goals. First of all, deliberately losing a part of the potential audience makes them look like a company with principles as opposed to a bunch of money-grabbing sellouts. Secondly, it creates a safe space for progressive people willing to embrace the impending future. There are few things more disappointing about online dating than to hook up with a hottie only to start a heated political debate. And both advocates and opponents of OkCupid progressive approach can agree upon that. So, they all find the site policies beneficial, leaving arguing to YouTube comment sections and other social media.
Another thing both parties share is how they hate filling in their profile questionnaires. It makes one feel like back at school, and not a fun part of it. It can be so tedious that a user may even get discouraged from finalizing the process. Besides, many of the regular questions are too straightforward – for example, ‘Do you cheat?' or ‘Would you describe yourself as a tidy person?' They apparently suggest the only one answer, leading some people to answer insincerely, which undermines the whole idea of those questionnaires.
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