Matrimonial sites Vs Dating App Vs Matchmaking Apps

Indians might have a firm grasp over the idea of online matrimonial websites, but matchmaking and dating apps on the other hand is something that people are now adapting to. The Indian way of life has come a long way and more and more people are moving away from homes in search of better job and lifestyle. This has led to singles looking for partners outside the prescribed norms and traditions. Earlier it was only arranged marriage, which was part of the Indian culture in which parents were the main decision makers. They would fix the marriage based on caste, gothra, religion, family background, etc. But now the scenario has changed and it is the youngsters who are taking this decision for themselves.

“Today, as the young people take control of their careers and attain their financial independence, their confidence in their judgment and their worldview has also strengthened. They, now, better understand the levers that determine their happiness. One of those levers, naturally, is who they marry” said Mr Sumesh Menon, CEO and Co-founder, Woo, India’s leading matchmaking app for urban singles seeking a life partner.

Slowly, the traditional construct of the ‘partner’ too, has started to change form. Increasingly, young singles are no longer incomplete halves moving through the world, forlorn and constantly searching, but rather confident young individuals who are quite aware of who they are and what makes them happy. The ask from a partner therefore, has also shifted from being the ‘revered other’ to being the ‘partner in crime’, someone who will aid and abet your individual quest for happiness and also introduce happy moments for two.

Matrimonial sites targets the parents who are looking for a suitable match for their children.
They make something as important as finding a life partner a very transactional process, where you are assessing someone not based on who they are but filters like weight, complexion, nationality, age, gender, availability of photograph and often religion, geographic location and caste. It reduces human beings and a human process to ‘specifications’, like you would do, say if you were purchasing a new laptop, rather than looking to meet someone you would potentially marry.

Online dating on the other hand is a personal introductory system whereby individuals can find and contact each other over the Internet to arrange a date, usually with the objective of developing a personal, romantic, or sexual relationship. Dating apps can be very frivolous ‘hot or not’ type experiences, which hardly lend themselves well to sincere intent or commitment.

Whereas, Matchmaking apps match users based on common interests, profession, lifestyle, interests etc. Matchmaking app fills the gap between casual dating apps and the old-fashioned matrimonial portals. There is a huge under-served section of users, who are looking at taking the next big step in their lives and would like to meet someone special for that. But the road to meeting that special someone, especially in a culturally complex landscape like India, is quite tricky. Matchmaking apps like Woo, provide these users with a sophisticated, secure and private platform to help them find their life partners. In our increasingly isolated lives, finding a life partner is becoming one of life’s biggest challenges and Woo is committed to solving that human problem.

“On one end of the line we have stuffy matrimonial sites, tailor-made for the parents, and on the other extreme, western imports of online dating platforms that quickly devolve into a mosh pit of men in an ‘anything goes’ frame of mind. We introduced Woo with the single mission of finding a middle ground - A healthy environment where young urban professionals connect and interact. Woo is committed to a deeper search for a meaningful relationship, one that is rooted in joyous, real conversations and connection, than arbitrary social variables” added Mr. Menon.
While the space is nascent, it is fast getting crowded with players old and new. This eventually means more choice for user and hence more chances of meeting people they can connect with. In a few years from now, mobile apps like Woo will be the first port of call for young Indians looking for commitment.

(The article has been contributed by Pavit Nanda Anand, Manager – Corporate Communications, Woo)