Lovoo is probably familiar to most cell phone users who have been to the Apple or Android App Store from time to time.
The mobile application from Lovoo GmbH from Dresden, originally designed as a dating app, has been making numerous headlines for the last 2 to 3 years as it has recorded a rapid increase in members that far exceeded all expectations.
28 million users was recently broken in May 2015. This development is very significant even for a mobile application during the general growth phase of this industry.
The beginnings – or the birth of the flirt radar
The mobile app Lovoo was initiated at the beginning of 2012 by the creators of the previously successful social community Dampfer.NET . Björn Bak is managing director at LOVOO and has been active on the Internet as an entrepreneur for thirteen years.
Together with his brother Benjamin and 6 other colleagues, the app was designed and developed within 9 months.
The central function of Lovoo is the circular flirt radar , which shows potential partners in the surrounding area and thus helps love get started.
The team around the two Bak brothers obviously hit a nerve and had the needs of millions of young people who wanted to flirt right on their radar. Just two years later, the seven million user limit was exceeded.
The experience from previous projects and the composition of the team probably contributed largely to this success.
From the user behavior and feedback of the social network Dampfer.NET, it was possible to determine which functions and features were particularly well received and how a unique user experience could be created that clearly sets this application apart from the competition.
The result was a dating app and a messenger service that was impressively user-friendly and made it possible to get to know new people very quickly, flirt with them and spontaneously arrange dates.
This application is particularly popular among young users in their 20s. freemium model is also likely to be a not insignificant success factor . The majority of users use LOVOO completely free of charge.
The evolution – or change to a local network
Humans are social creatures, that much is certain. Things weren't much different at the beginning of human history. The digital revolution towards Web 2.0 has finally taken up this phenomenon once again and connected the entire world.
Since this development, we have been able to rely on an almost endless range of contact options to get to know new people, exchange ideas with them, meet them or perhaps even find our dream partner or soul mate.
The founders of Lovoo were aware of this fact right from the start and, when the mobile app was launched, they incorporated functions that went beyond those of a classic dating app and took a more holistic approach (such as with social networks). Over the years, their basic philosophy has been confirmed by user behavior.
Many users also use Lovoo to get to know people beyond the mere idea of dating (keyword: social discovery ). In addition to the search for the dream partner, the love of life, a hot affair or an exciting adventure, the search for good friends, leisure partners or soul mates was also important to users.
Lovoo took these needs seriously and responded by paving the way for them - with Lovoo version 3.0 (and following...).
What new functions have been added?
First of all, the patented live radar was further developed. From now on it was possible to find people in the immediate area who had the same interests, preferences and hobbies.
The second major innovation was the News Feed . This presents the user with locally relevant content created by other members. This feed has a modern and chic look and is convenient and intuitive to use.
Together with the hashtag feature , it is now possible to find people with the same interests and follow their profiles. This means you can always stay up to date about this person and their activities.
Another new feature is called “Challenges” . These are small and mostly funny competitions in various disciplines that involve uploading photos. Many of you may still be familiar with the “Ice Bucket Challenge ,” which has become so popular that numerous celebrities have jumped on it on TV and had a bucket of ice water poured over their heads in public.
Challenges on Lovvo run for a predetermined period of time and participants can win cool prizes (e.g. an Apple Watch, ...).
Photo Reply ) was also well received
Proven features such as the chat function, user profiles and the match function were retained in the makeover and seamlessly integrated into the new app layout.
Click here to Lovoo Android The application is also for iOS .
The future – or meaning of user voices
I assume that we can expect a lot from this application in the future. It would be more than surprising if the innovative, productive team around the Bak brothers, driven by a clear philosophy, suddenly worked less feverishly on further improvements and new possibilities.
Security, data protection and the fun factor could be central topics for the next big update.
Therefore, I believe that 2016 will also be an exciting year for the mobile search for your soul mate.
In my opinion, another indication is the close cooperation between the development team and the user base in order to always have a good feeling for the needs and wishes of the users. In a sense, the stethoscope is directly on the pulse of the members...