Skip to main content

Tinder’s first podcast is here to help you navigate the world of online dating

Branded podcasts are a thing. Everyone from eBay to Slack has dabbled in the format of late, with the aim of capturing an audience and (of course) promoting their products. The latest company to release a podcast series is popular dating service Tinder.

Now, before you tune out and turn off, we understand it’s easy to balk at the idea of a sponsored podcast, but Tinder may be on to something. And, at the very least, it sounds like it’s trying to create something substantial.

DTR,” short for “Define the Relationship,” is its aptly titled first attempt at the humble podcast, reports The Wall Street Journal. The show is produced by Gimlet Creative, a company that found considerable success with its branded podcast for eBay, dubbed “Open for Business.” Tinder’s audio show sees host Jane Marie (music supervisor for celebrated public radio show This American Life, and former editor at Jezebel) explore the weird and wonderful world of online dating. “I’ll be your guide through this wild new world of dating, love, and sex, in cyberspace,” says Marie in a quote on Gimlet Creative’s website.

A typical episode will reportedly see Marie dish out online dating tips (such as how to craft an appropriate profile) and include real-life anecdotes — for example, in the podcast’s trailer, Marie is heard asking a guest if they’ve ever sent a nude pic.

“Each episode explores the good and bad, the hilarious and awkward, the wonderful and bizarre aspects of defining relationships in today’s world,” reads the show’s blurb.

The main question for brands trying to break into the podcasting space is whether there is an actual audience for what they’re producing? In Tinder’s case, the answer is a resounding yes. Consider the fact that on any given day the web is full of articles on online dating. Additionally, Tinder itself has been releasing a steady stream of data from its vaults regarding user behavior, such as the types of GIFs people use to kick-start a conversation, and the profession most likely to land you a match. The dating service even has its own in-house sociologist, Jessica Carbino, who specializes in matching user data with in-app experiences — and isn’t shy about discussing her findings with the media. Therefore, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Carbino popped up on the show as a future guest.

DTR kicks off on Thursday, and will include six episodes in total. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, or listen in on SoundCloud.

Saqib Shah
Saqib Shah is a Twitter addict and film fan with an obsessive interest in pop culture trends. In his spare time he can be…
Bluesky finally adds a feature many had been waiting for
A blue sky with clouds.

Bluesky has been making a lot of progress in recent months by simplifying the process to sign up while at the same time rolling out a steady stream of new features.

As part of those continuing efforts, the social media app has just announced that users can now send direct messages (DMs).

Read more
Reddit just achieved something for the first time in its 20-year history
The Reddit logo.

Reddit’s on a roll. The social media platform has just turned a profit for the first time in its 20-year history, and now boasts a record 97.2 million daily active users, marking a year-over-year increase of 47%. A few times during the quarter, the figure topped 100 million, which Reddit CEO and co-founder Steve Huffman said in a letter to shareholders had been a “long-standing milestone” for the site.

The company, which went public in March, announced the news in its third-quarter earnings results on Tuesday.

Read more
Worried about the TikTok ban? This is how it might look on your phone
TikTok splash screen on an Android phone.

The US Supreme Court has decided to uphold a law that would see TikTok banned in the country on January 19. Now, the platform has issued an official statement, confirming that it will indeed shut down unless it gets some emergency relief from the outgoing president.

“Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19,” said the company soon after the court’s verdict.
So, what does going dark mean?
So, far, there is no official statement on what exactly TikTok means by “going dark.” There is a lot of speculation out there on how exactly the app or website will look once TikTok shutters in the US.

Read more