Happn Dating Apps For Men
Happn has gotten a lot of buzz in the past year or so. But just like any other dating app, plenty of us make online dating mistakes on Happn, so I asked Marie Cosnard, Happn’s Head of Trends, to elucidate how best to avoid such pitfalls. Many of us know that dating apps can work to our distinct advantage if we use them properly — and they can be hugely frustrating if we don't learn the tricks of the trade, as it were. Plus, Happn is GPS-based, so your potential matches are people you've literally crossed paths with, which makes it possible to connect with others in a totally different way in comparison to apps such as Tinder, OkCupid, Hinge and the like — but also provides a whole Pandora's box of possibility.
The gist: For when your schedule is too packed to plan times to meet new people — like, say, carving out time for happy hour at the bar — Happn is like the dating app version of Craigslist's. Happn is an app powered by real life interactions and is location-based. What it specializes in is showing you people you've physically 'crossed paths with' on a daily basis - people who frequent the same bars and restaurants as you, work out at the same gym or have similar commute.
The bottom line is that dating online is many things rolled into one: awesome, difficult, strange, painful, fun and ultimately can lead to finding lasting and real love. But to do so takes a lot of patience, usually, and a bunch of luck, and, you know, some fate sprinkled in there for good measure.
Here are 10 things women can do to improve their experience on Happn, according to Cosnard, who knows a thing or two about navigating the dating app. But first, check out Bustle's episode of 'I Want It That Way' featuring Cosnard:
Check out Bustle's 'Save The Date' and other videos on Facebook and the Bustle app across Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV.
1. Sweating The Small Stuff
'Some users tend to focus a bit too much on small details,' Marie Cosnard, Happn’s head of trends, tells Bustle. 'For example, a user will like a guy just because he’s wearing a dope sweatshirt, but will dismiss another guy for his hairstyle.' I would love to say that none of us have ever been guilty of that, but let's be real: With photo-based dating apps (aka all of them), it's all too easy to banish someone based on completely superficial details that you would likely overlook in real life.
The same is true of things you might skip over or roll your eyes at IRL: a dope sweatshirt might be yawn-worthy at a party, but maybe it can get more play on a dating app, where everything is more heightened in this weird way. 'Details are important, but we want our Happn users to try to be more open-minded,' Cosnard says.
2. Not Making The First Move
'There are still [heterosexual] users out there that believe in the social convention of men making the first move,' Cosnard says. 'Well, what if the guy is great, but is a little shy? It’s 2016 and women should feel empowered to take the radical first step in dating — and beyond.' True. The same is true if you're seeking a woman. Even if you're the shy one, you're on a dating app, so you have very little (actually, nothing) to lose. So reach out to someone who looks smart/cute/interesting/lovely, and see what happens. If you sit around waiting for someone to ping you first, you might be waiting for a very long time.
3. Forgoing A Sync With Instagram
'Happn users can soup-up their profiles by syncing it with Instagram,' Cosnard says. But if you skip this step, you're missing out on a potentially important connection point. How it works, she says, is simple: 'Thirty recent pictures from a user’s Instagram feed will appear directly in their profile, giving others added insight into who they are — a foodie, a sneakerhead, someone who loves to travel, a gamer, etc.' That way, you can convey things about yourself that you might not be able to easily do in your basic profile.
4. Opting Out Of Using Spotify
'Last summer, we coupled with Spotify to help our users meet through their shared love of music,' Cosnard says. 'The in-app profile integration allows our users to send tracks to each other, as well as add songs to their own profile to express their own musical interests, whether it be Drake, The Weeknd, or Sia.' We all know that music is an amazing way to vibe with someone, so if you're not meeting fellow music fans at concerts or other shows, you can still find them on Happn, using Spotify as a bridge.
5. Boring Profile Pics
I know, I know, it's hard to settle on the perfect melange of profile pics: You don't want to appear stuck-up or basic, but you also don't want to go too wild and crazy, and selfies are typically a no-no, which means that you're left with … like, two acceptable pics. Cosnard has some thoughts on this matter, though. 'While a traditional straight-into-the-camera headshot with a big, warm smile is always good, we suggest that our users try to show some personality in their profile pics, such as active shots that capture doing something that truly interests them,' she says. She notes that authenticity is everything — 'Real is really in!' — and says that setting a photo shoot at the magic hour is wise. 'Good lighting is key,' she says. 'Also, a full body shot is recommended. Don’t obstruct your face, like with sunglasses. Steer clear of selfies. Oh, and try to upload at least three varied pics.'
6. Oversharing In A First Message
'Don’t be boring. Don’t overshare. Don’t pretend to be something that you're not. Also, keep the cheese-factor to a minimum,' Cosnard says. That said, don't just say, 'Hi there,' and wonder why they don't respond. 'We recommend saying something a bit more bold than the traditional 'Hi,' 'Hello' or 'Hey,' she says. In other words, land something in between the overshare and the undershare. Which brings us to …
7. Snoozing On A 'Geographical Ice-Breaker'
Since you can see when you're near a match, you might as well make the most of that and talk about it in the app. 'Happn offers a natural geographical ice-breaker with our crossed paths functionality,' Cosnard points out. 'Two users automatically have a built-in shared interest: The space they occupy.'
So, she suggests, try saying something like, 'Have you tried that new bar on Houston Street? Want to try it with me sometime?' Or, 'What do you think of that coffee shop on Fulton? I was there today, and I see you were nearby, have you been?' That way, you're pulling a two-birds, one-stone move: Creating a conversation opener and possibly a first date at once.
8. Avoiding Happn Because Of The GPS Function
I know some people are wary of Happn because of the GPS function, but it seems as though that's not a valid concern, according to Cosnard. Though some have suggested the app could be 'a stalker's dream,' that's just not so, Cosnard says, for a couple of reasons. 'Another user can never make contact with you unless you’ve chosen to 'Heart' them,' she says. 'If you don’t want another user to happen upon you, you can select the 'X' button, and you won’t cross paths again on Happn.' One would hope that you would only 'Heart' users who do not happen to be stalkers, but if it turns out that you've hearted a weirdo, you can block them, she says.
9. Avoiding Dating Online Via Happn Because Of Safety Concerns In General
'Safety was one of the core pillars of our thinking when we built Happn two years ago,' she adds. 'When you are in close proximity to another user, we note that 'You are less than 800 feet' — it’s a radius, and your exact location is never flagged on our static in-app map. It is simply impossible to track another user’s whereabouts.' So another user can't show up in real time and find you — necessarily.
All of that said, it depends on where you're using the app. In NYC or other huge cities, 800 feet is a pretty big radius. But elsewhere, especially in less-populated areas, it could be rather small. As with any dating app, use caution — but don't shy away from Happn because you feel sketched out by the GPS feature, especially in a big city.
10. Forgoing The Usual Caveat Of Meeting In A Public Place
Everyone who has ever written about dating online has touted the importance of meeting for the first time in a public place, but for the cheap seats: Be sure to make your premiere match hang happen somewhere crowded, 'preferably in [a] busy public place,' Cosnard says. As to how quickly you should take it to IRL, that's up to you, she says.
'All users — both women and men — should move at their own pace,' she says. 'We recommend chatting within the Happn app, along with making use of our voice feature that allows users to record a one-minute audio clip of themselves. That’s typically followed by texting, a couple of phone calls and, lastly, an in-person meet-up.'
This doesn't have to occur un in five seconds, though common dating-app thought is that you should meet sooner rather than later. Basically, communication is what bridges the gap between first seeing someone’s profile and connecting in real life.
Images: WiffleGif (1,6,8,10); Happn (3,5,7,9);Cora Foxx & Dawn Foster/Bustle (2)
Online dating becomes hyper-local
Happn is an app that aims to put a different spin on the online dating game. Happn's main feature is a location-based matching feature, pairing you up with potential dates based on their actual physical proximity to you. You can meet dates as you go throughout your day, and arrange casual meetups as you run errands or hit the gym for your workout. This is meant to take the dating game offline and back into the real world, and take the pressure off of physical meetups with your matches.
Meet new matches as you move through your day
Happn matches profiles based on physical proximity, but this isn’t always a benefit.
Happn's main philosophy is a simple one. After creating a profile on the app, you'll start matching with potential dates based on physical proximity. This takes the form of a 250-meter radius around your phone. As the app begins to learn your daily routines, you'll start to match with other users who you've actually passed throughout your day. Unlike Tinder and Bumble, you won't have to spend hours swiping through potential matches. This method of matching has a lot of potential for cute moments straight out of a romantic-comedy; you can run into matches while doing your grocery shopping or say hello while you stop at a cafe for your morning coffee. This takes some of the pressure off of the usual online dating game; instead of arranging a high-pressure date or meetup, you can say a casual hello to your matches as you go about your day and see if the spark is there.
Happn requires the use of an existing Facebook account to join, so the potential for fake profiles is severely limited. Catsfishers can't create a fake profile directly on the app, but would instead need to go through the roundabout requirement of first creating a fake Facebook profile. The location-based matching also cuts down on the chance of running into a scammer or other fake account, as you can only match with people you've physically encountered in the real world.
Another standout feature is Happn's in-app messenger. In particular, users have the ability to send Spotify songs as a message, and play them directly in the messenger window. Conversations about your music tastes and favorite songs become much easier when you can just send the song you're talking about directly to your match.
Though the location-based matching sets Happn apart from other apps like Tinder and Bumble, it also provides some serious drawbacks and security concerns. The 250m location radius is more than large enough for folks living in major cities, but if you live in a rural or suburban area you'll likely have more trouble finding potential matches. As such, the app is more tailored to people living in densely populated urban areas; users in other locales will want to consider other dating apps that don't put such a heavy focus on location.
On a related note, personality and interests take a backseat to location matches. Though Happn does match users based on shared interests that you specify on your profile, matching based on location takes priority. Profiles aren't as in-depth or detailed as on rival dating apps like Tinder. As such, the burden shifts more to the user to find out if a person you've been paired with is actually a good match. This can be a major plus if you have the time and energy to do so, and can lead to a more traditional dating experience. However, many people look to modern dating apps to eliminate that extra getting to know you step, and to have the added security of already knowing what interests and preferences you share with a match.
The security concerns associated with this method of matching are also significant, and should be given careful consideration before creating an account. You'll be physically passing your matches over the course of your daily routine, which means your life can quickly become uncomfortable if you have a bad experience or interaction with a match. Beyond that, your routines have the potential of becoming legitimately dangerous if one of your matches proves to be unsafe.
Barring an actual restraining order, there's not much recourse if you start to feel unsafe around one of Happn's matches, as they do have access to your location and you likely already encounter them in your daily life. It's not a stretch to say that Happn can be a dangerous tool in the hands of a stalker. In addition, the necessity of linking to a Facebook account only amplifies these concerns, as this feature forces you to present information that you might not otherwise be comfortable sharing.
Unfortunately, Happn hasn't taken significant action to address these concerns, and the app doesn't currently have a robust safety net in place should you feel uncomfortable with a match.
Where can you run this program?
Happn is available for iOS, Android, and Windows. Potential users will need an existing Facebook account to join.
Is there a better alternative?
Yes. Happn has a specific local focus, which means you could be presented with a narrow pool of options. Other dating apps like Bumble and Tinder expand the match criteria to include personality and algorithm-based matches, greatly expanding your chance of potential dates. Both apps also provide a level of distance that Happn doesn't, which by default avoids many of the security concerns that come along with Happn's location matching. If you’re looking to step beyond your immediate physical area or want a little bit more privacy in your personal life, you should give those apps a try.
Our take
Happn has a few features that set it apart from a crowded field of dating apps, and their empasis on creating real-world encounters is unique. Apps like Tinder could take note of the additional messenger options, and Happn’s extra layer of verification to curb catfish accounts. However, potential security concerns and the small selection of potential matches account for some significant drawbacks that you should consider before creating a profile.
Should you download it?
Skip it. Happn’s extremely narrow match criteria and major security concerns mean there are better options for online dating.
Lows
Happn App Download
- Local matches only
- Safety concerns
- Limited match criteria