Is Instagram the new Tinder?

As far as being honest right away, the author of this paper is a regular user of Tinder. But between the sloppy dates, the arguments that never work out, or the suitors who don’t look like their pictures, we really don’t know why we keep battling it out. This dating app. It is clear that young people are not making the same mistake as us. Because Generation Z, that is, those born between 1997 and 2010, rely more on social networks than on dating sites to find shoes to match.

and this is instagram himself who says it. In a report on upcoming trends, Posted in December, the social network claims that “Gen Z plans to use platforms such as IG for dating and communication” in 2023. The meeting ended. Will Instagram soon replace Tinder in the match race? to me 20 minutesBecause baby boomers are always good at raising real issues, we wanted to find the answer to this question.

Less stress, more confidence

Although dating apps remain the number one way to initiate relationships, they have lost some of their luster in recent years. Like the dating queen, Tinder, which saw downloads drop by 5% in 2021. Because it is enough to interrogate dozens of users (in this case, the author herself and her friends) to understand that finding a perfect match, rarely is a politician with a clean criminal record. “Everyone knows someone who had an unfortunate experience on Tinder. There is a general attitude of mistrust towards each other on these apps,” explains Florence Escaravidge, founder of the company. LoveIntelligencespecializing in love counseling and relationship coaching.

And for good reason, on Tinder, these are rarely the same people on their profile as IRL—singles who aren’t truly single, “non-contract” photos, profiles that have presented far more than their own. If there are also some on Instagram, the risk of “catfishing” is still lower. “From the moment an Insta profile has existed for several years and is updated regularly, a priori, it’s not fake,” continues Thu Trinh Bouvier, a digital strategist. “Between posts and stories, we can get a more accurate view of the interviewee’s daily life,” adds the expert. Especially since unlike Tinder where we swap with complete strangers, on Instagram our flirts are often acquaintances or friends of friends. A big difference for Thu Trinh-Bouvier: “These are people from our second or third friendly circle, we know someone in common, and this creates a bond of trust,” adds the specialist.

On Insta, “real life” emoticons

But what makes Instagram such a good dating app is precisely that it’s not a single app, decodes Thu Trinh-Bouvier: “Unlike Tinder, where the type of relationship you want is clearly stated, on Instagram, we don’t categorize it. We don’t define the relationship.” That’s created instantly, there’s less pressure. Because we won’t lie to each other, successfully starting a conversation on Tinder is harder than getting a raise at your annual interview. It’s hard to always be funny, innovative, or make a difference. We don’t recommend the joke” was It is possible that we will meet at Monoprix, but there will be no supermarket” To start the conversation, it didn’t really work out with the author. And if by chance you manage to start a conversation you want, it can end as quickly as you started.

But on Instagram, flirting takes on “real-life” symbols, according to Florence Escaravidge: “We turn around and rediscover slowness, latency times and consistency in exchanges, it’s more natural, a flirtation that takes a simple form little by little,” she analyzes, adding: “It recreates A form of ambiguity, expectation and even imperfection at times if we begin to argue. All of these ingredients are necessary to put some of the magic back into dating, which apps have sadly lost.”

Because even for those who prefer Tinder for dating, Instagram is never far away. “There is a bridge between the two applications. On Tinder, you can sync your Insta account,” recalls the head of Love Intelligence. And the links don’t stop there. And the proof is, when they match, the first reaction is an Insta exchange (the word for experience). Moreover, young people who meet in bars are more likely to exchange their Instagram accounts than their phone numbers. “We bring the other into his personal world,” says Tho Trinh-Bouvier.

Follow back, like and flame emoji

More than just content, Instagram has it all figured out. Unlike Tinder, there are many ways to engage in conversation on the social network. We can even make a slogan out of it: “Its function is at every level of interaction.”

A short communication course with his Instagram crush for beginners. First there Follow and the Follow Back, This means the fact that you follow the account of the chosen one in your heart and that the latter follows you in return. And of course more follow back The faster, the more likely that person will respond to your contact. Then he comes Likes. Obviously, they don’t all mean the same thing (yes, we know it’s not always easy to decipher a message). There is one in your last picture, it’s a good move for sure, but your brother could do the same. Or the photo you posted several months ago. And there, it’s all good: it means your crush has brought up all the posts on your profile. A good way to take a first approach and break the ice.

But it’s the reactions to Stories that have hit Instagram hard. In addition to Such as, the social network now allows you to send an emoji. You post a picture of yourself and receive a flame or heart emoji that you like? It is not dangerous to claim that he is flirting with you. Well, it’s not always a good idea to receive that, and we’re not going to lie to you. Like a flame greeted at 3am by that ex-date who ghosted you and who’s hoping to bring the lid back on after a year of silence. For those who didn’t get it — and Facebook boomers — the flame emoji is a bit like an Insta 2.0 poke.

Last but not least, the Stories. Again, let’s be honest: anyone who hasn’t looked at the list of those who viewed the a story Hoping to see the name of someone he likes is denounced. Because according to a legend that has yet to be confirmed by Instagram’s highest authorities, the names at the top of this list will be the ones who view your Stories the most (we want to believe it). Suffice it to say that seeing our crush’s first name, our little heart sank. There are still DMs—private messages—, which are the last step that (usually) takes you to a higher level of intimacy. Come on, we wish you all a Happy New Year, but above all, may it be filled with dates and who knows, with love.