OkCupid’s problem wasn’t pursuing the “marginal” user but rather not being able to capture the “mainstream” user and staying niche, while Tinder was the first dating app to bridge the divide. Tinder did it by making the experience less awkward and more casual, similar to how most people start flirting and evaluating each other offline: by looks and vibes. As a result more people were on the app and there was more choice, which sealed the dominance.

I tried OkCupid for several months in 2013 without much success. Then I tried Tinder for a few months the same year and met my wife. Very different experience from the author of the article.