Bumble’s Vice President of Strategy has been talking about how lockdown regulations have changed dating culture, specifically in Australia.
On 16th June she appeared in the first installment of the Vogue Code Virtual Series, a monthly slate of webinars from successful businesswomen to help the community digitally connect and learn.
Joshi explained that while COVID-19 has changed the face of the dating industry, it has expanded the range of opportunities for people to connect.
The female-first social app is reportedly experiencing more messages, more meaningful conversations and overall longer conversations.
She also gave some insights into how Bumble’s voice and video call feature is being used in the country. There was a 76% increase in its usage between 13th March and 1st May, while the average video chat session now lasts 28 minutes.
Bumble launched the feature last year, long before the pandemic caused the majority of the industry to follow suit. Joshi said that the team knew singles wanted a virtual dating option in order to lay the foundations for offline relationships.
The company has run additional marketing campaigns to show users how beneficial virtual dates can be. It has since added social-distancing filters to help aid the transition back to offline dates as lockdown restrictions are lifted.
The webinar session also included advice about how women can gear themselves up for success in the technology industry and the importance of having an inspiring mentor.
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