Tinder Advertising: The Pragmatic Guide to Reach Young Audience

02/05/2022 By Ghia Marnewick Reading Time: 5 Minutes

Let's get right down to it, shall we? When it comes to the world of online dating, there's one app that reigns supreme - Tinder. People around the world know its name and understand what it does, without having ever seen it or used it themselves.

This kind of global recognition is why the app is so popular – with 75 million people currently using the app. And more impressively, the app has made over 60 billion matches to date. Of course, whether these matches have ended in true love remains a mystery. With just under 8 billion people in the world, it appears as if true love is something reserved for a select few.

Nonetheless, Tinder has an impressive user base which provides the perfect space for advertising. Let’s take a look at the world of advertising on Tinder and how marketers can use this space to their advantage.

Why you should advertise on Tinder

Before we even discuss this, you’re probably asking yourself “Can you advertise on Tinder?”, and if the article didn’t give it away, the answer is yes. Tinder is a great platform for marketing, it’s just a pity not everyone knows about it.

Having said this, with an expansive user database predominately made up of male Millennials or Gen Z-ers, brands looking to reach this audience will do well to ad Tinder to their list of marketing platforms. And with the average user spending 90 minutes a day on the app, it leaves a lot of potential for people to see your ad. As a result, the future of dating apps can be seen in two ways, matching potential couples as well as matching brands with customers – how romantic.

How Tinder Ads work

Tinder advertising in 2022 is expected to boom, and if you’re smart about it, you will be able to use it to your benefit. However, to do so, you’ll need to know how Tinder ads work.

The first thing you need to know is that the ads can only be created using a Facebook business account and corresponding page as well as with Google ads. This means that when you’re creating your ad, you will follow the same process you would with any other online marketing campaign. Select your target audience, their interests, location and allocate a budget.

Once created and approved, the Tinder advertisement campaigns will run for as long as you schedule it to – or until the budget runs out. This means that the Tinder advertising cost is determined and controlled by you.

It’s important to note that while Facebook and Google are used to create the ads, they will still be displayed within the Tinder app. The app itself does not currently offer a built in ad functionality.

How to create an Ad on Tinder

Tying into what we just discussed, let’s look at how you can create ads for your business on Tinder. This can be done in one of two ways. The first is through a display ad on the home page that click thoughts to your website, and second is an interactive ad that requires a swiping motion to either show more details or dismiss it.

The interactive ads are great when it comes to generating engagement and is one of the better options for businesses.

Creating Tinder Ads through Facebook:

Start by creating a Facebook business account if you haven’t already got one
Once set up, go into the Ads Manager, and select “+ Create”
Choose the campaign objective and move on to the next step
Select your placements by clicking on “New Ad Set” and scrolling down to placements
Click on “manual placements” and it will give you four platform options: Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Audience Network
Audience Network is the option that will share your ad on Tinder, which falls under the dating ads category
Fill in the required data fields and send the ad for review.

Creating Tinder Ads on Google:

Create a Google Ads account if you haven’t already, and then log in.
Click on “new campaign” and specify the type of ad as well as the goal.
We recommend choosing web traffic and specifying your businesses website
Next, you will be able to define your audience – so males aged 18-25 in Canada speaking French for example.
The budget will then need to be allocated to the campaign, and you'll even be able to get an idea of how it will perform.
Now you will need to specify the placement by going into “apps” and searching for Tinder.
Check the box, finalize the creative and you’re good to go!

Once the ad has been reviewed and set live, it will display on the platform you have selected, which will be Tinder in this case.

5 Tinder Ad Tips

When it comes to any form of marketing, there are always a few things you can do to make your content more appealing and get those desired leads and conversions. Here are a few to help your Tinder advertising campaigns come to life.

1. Be bold

Your ad needs to be eye-catching and almost force the user to stop scrolling. Consider your demographic and their interests, and structure your ad accordingly.

2. Spark curiosity

Show the user what they will be missing out on and trigger the dreaded “FOMO”. Try to tie this in with something relevant to Tinder as well as the audience you are targeting.

3. Be true to your brand

Don’t try and fit into the world of Tinder, instead, look at standing out and showcasing your individuality. Much like the people using the app, you need to show what makes you unique and not the same as everyone else.

4. Find a way to link into the user’s dating life

How will your app make a difference in the world of love? Are you offering a getaway for two or a meal kit for a romantic dinner? Think of things relevant to the world of dating and see how you can fit into it all.

5. KISS

Keep it simple, stupid. The basis of any marketing campaign. Don’t try and overcomplicate things. Tinder is a fast-paced app, there isn’t time to waste on unnecessary information. Say what you need to say and get the message across in the most efficient way possible.

5 Tinder Ad examples

Now comes the fun part, examples of impressive Tinder ads to inspire your next campaign.

1. Ex Machina

At the SXSW (South by Southwest) festival, male attendees were matched with a gorgeous woman by the name of Ava. After some conversation, it was revealed that Ava was a bot promoting the film, Ex Machina. The beauty of this was that the users had no idea that it was all a marketing tactic, they genuinely thought they were talking to a real person. It was a risky tactic, but it paid off.

2. Dominos

To celebrate Valentine's Day, the pizza giant decided to engage with men and women on Tinder. If a user decided to swipe right and share corny love-inspired puns, they stood a chance to win free pizza or discounts. While this was an ad, it fits in with the theme of the day as well as the purpose of Tinder.

3. Atlanta Hawks

The Swipe Right Night gave Tinder users the chance to access special Love Lounges and meet other singles. All they had to do is swipe right to stand a chance to win.

4. Suits

To promote the third season of Suits, Tinder users were given the chance to match with either Rachel Zane or Harvey Specter – based on their preferences of course. By swiping right on the character profile, users were given access to exclusive content only available on the platform.

5. Amnesty International Australia

While most of the Tinder campaigns have been lighthearted and fun, the last example in our list tackles more serious matters. On International Women’s Day, they launched a campaign raising awareness about forced marriages. Profile pictures were replaced by images of women being oppressed around the world. There was also a quiz and other engagement elements to further raise awareness for the cause.

Tinder Advertising offers so much potential

When it comes to marketing on Tinder, you have the opportunity to reach so many people. The trick is being able to do so in a way that works. While the above-mentioned examples worked well, there are countless other examples of similar natures that failed from the get-go.