No matter what kind of dating app you’re using, knowing where to start the conversation can be tough. You can’t just jump into a long-winded introduction. Start off with a cool, open-ended question. Share an interesting fact, ask a question, or make a statement that your partner can respond to.

Ask questions about your partner. Express a genuine interest in getting to know them. Keep the focus on your partner. Don’t ramble about your day or talk about your aunt’s cat named Fluffy. Express your appreciation for your partner. Put your phone down. Try to have a conversation without staring at your phone. If you’re on a date, put away your phone and just talk to each other. Keep it light. Only talk about serious topics (like your love life) if you’re both open to that. Otherwise, keep it light.

A clever dating app name, strapline and initial graphics are a good start, but to make a dating app truly effective, thoughtful consideration needs to be given to a number of key issues.
Here are several key areas you should consider:
1. User journey – How should the dating app flow work? What should the user do at each stage?
2. Registration – Do you retain user data? If so, how?
3. Messaging system – How might a user start a conversation?
4. Profile setup – How do you create a profile?
5. Matching – How do you pair users together?
6. Compatibility – How do you match users with potential partners?
7. Payment – How do you bill users for the app? Do you need in-app purchases?
8. Support – How do you support your users?
Once these are worked out, creating an app is much simpler than most people think.