The mobile dating scene has evolved significantly in recent years with numerous apps and companies searching for new ways to attract and retain younger users. However, digital matchmaking technology custom-built for the LGBTQ+ community hasn’t kept pace with other solutions in the space.
Enter Archer, a new-age dating app designed specifically for queer men. Archer’s social-first experience allows users to meet, date and celebrate their individuality and the queer community. The company launched Tuesday under the Match Group family of apps.
“When we looked at the space, we realized there has been a ton of change within the dating app industry over the past decade but none of those efforts were really focused specifically on the experience for queer men,” Michael Kaye, Archer’s director of brand marketing and communications, told Built In.
Archer leverages artificial intelligence and a group of human moderators to offer users a safe space to seek out connection while fully embracing who they are. The platform also aims to foster community among its users. While the app’s basic dating features, such as messaging and uploading photos, are now available, it plans to incorporate more social features down the line.
Some of the platform’s upcoming features will allow users to upload short-lived content to the app, such as photos, stories and live streams, Kaye said. Additionally, the platform will allow users to join community chats with multiple people at once and have the ability to follow other users.
“We also see that Gen Z is looking for something a little bit different,” Kaye said. “They’re digital natives, and they feel so comfortable on social media platforms. So we figured this is the perfect moment to be creating a new app that is really blending what we love about social media [and] what we love about dating apps into a single space where queer men can really find their person … or simply find their community.”
Archer’s innate safety features include having to set a verified selfie as one’s primary profile picture while users are simultaneously free to upload as many profile photos as they like. As users browse the app, they can view other profiles that detail that person’s specific preferences and interests. Then, they can reach out through Archer’s chat feature to anyone they’re interested in getting to know better.
While the dating app is constructed to keep users safe from catfishing and similar digital threats, it also aims to protect its users’ emotional well-being. One of Archer’s defining features is profile tags. Users can select from preset tags to describe their self-identity, hobbies, interests, communities and more.
For instance, if someone identifies as bisexual, plays volleyball and is a fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race, they can add those specific tags to their profile. Eventually, users will be able to search for profiles that feature specific tags. Archer will also soon enable freeform tagging options for users to create their own profile tags.
Archer allows users to discover other users in a variety of ways. The app offers a couple of grid-format views for searching by profile photos, and it also offers a linear view where they can scroll through more robust profile details.
“When I first started to experiment with dating apps, I was a closeted gay man. I didn’t come out of the closet until I was almost 23 years old,” Kaye said. “[For me], the gay dating apps that were around at that time … [were] designed to really reinforce this idea that love and connection within my own community should still be hidden. … [Archer] is all about celebration and it is about saying, no matter how you identify, you can come to Archer and show who you are. You can come as your true self.”
Following its launch, Archer is now available in the New York City area, including Long Island, Hoboken and inner Jersey City. The company said it aims to expand its service across the nation by the end of 2023.
“Inclusivity is so important to us both at Match Group but also at Archer,” Kaye said. “We created Archer as a space where men who are queer can feel accepted and feel welcomed.”
