BLK has launched Events, a new in-app feature designed to give Black singles additional ways to meet and connect in person through community-focused gatherings.
The dating and social app, which is part of Match Group, is rolling out Events across 29 cities nationwide after testing the feature in Atlanta over the summer.
Events allows BLK members to discover nearby gatherings, reserve spots, add events to their calendars and invite friends directly through the app.
Members can also use in-app chat to connect before, during and after an event and continue interacting with people who attended.
The feature is intended to address growing demand among BLK users for lower-pressure ways to meet potential partners and new people outside of traditional one-on-one dating.
BLK said the product was informed by its research into how Black Gen Z singles are approaching dating and social connection.
Last year, the company identified a trend it calls “Community Cuffing,” after 60% of BLK singles surveyed said they would prefer to meet someone in shared spaces where their community already gathers.
A more recent BLK survey found that nearly seven in 10 respondents said they feel lonely, while six in 10 said they do not know where to go to meet people.
The Events feature is designed around those findings by bringing offline social opportunities directly into the dating app experience.
Rather than positioning every event strictly around dating, BLK is giving members the flexibility to attend gatherings to meet potential partners, spend time with existing friends or simply participate in an event that interests them.
That approach is also reflected in the Invite Friends functionality, which allows users to bring someone they already know to an event.
BLK initially introduced Events in Atlanta on August 7.
According to the company, 65% of eligible active users in Atlanta engaged with the Events tab during the test period.
Feedback and usage from the Atlanta rollout helped shape the broader version now being introduced in other markets.
Events is currently available in select cities including Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Miami and Charlotte.
BLK plans another update in November that will expand the number of locations and introduce a guest-list feature allowing members to see who plans to attend before deciding whether to participate.
The launch expands BLK beyond its core digital dating experience by connecting online discovery with in-person community events.
BLK has surpassed 13 million downloads since launching in 2017.
The app is designed specifically for Black singles and focuses on connections centered around shared culture, values and community.
BLK is part of Match Group, whose portfolio also includes Tinder, Hinge, Upward, Match, Meetic, OkCupid, Pairs, PlentyOfFish and Azar.
KEY QUOTES:
“Black singles have always met through community. What our community keeps telling us is that they want to meet people in person; they just don’t always know where to go. Events answers that. It takes the pressure off and puts the focus on being in the room with people who understand you.”
Corinne Harris, Director of Brand Marketing at Match Group
“Dating looks different when you start with someone who gets where you’re coming from. That’s why BLK exists, and Events is that idea built into the app. Connection starts with community.”
Amber Cooper, Senior Manager of Brand Marketing at BLK
