Bumble Expands ‘Opening Moves’ Functionality Shortly After Release


**Bumble Enhances Its Opening Moves Feature to Promote More Genuine Interactions**

Several months after modifying its hallmark policy of *”women taking the initiative,”* Bumble has revealed enhancements to its Opening Moves feature.

Since debuting in 2014, Bumble has distinguished itself as the dating platform where only women can initiate the first message in heterosexual relationships. However, due to the emergence of *[dating app fatigue](https://mashable.com/article/dating-app-fatigue-has-led-to-a-flurry-of-irl-singles-events)* — including remarks from women about the stress of always being the ones to start discussions — Bumble rolled out a method for men to engage first, though in an indirect manner. The Opening Moves feature, launched earlier this year, permits women to establish prompts for men to reply to, allowing them the opportunity to initiate the conversation without the woman needing to send the introductory message.

**SEE ALSO:** *[Looking for serious relationships? Explore the top dating apps of 2024](https://mashable.com/roundup/best-dating-sites-for-serious-relationships-2024)*

Today, Bumble is enhancing this functionality. Users can now create up to three prompts for their matches to select from when initiating a dialogue. Furthermore, users can choose a photo as an Opening Move, providing additional ways to initiate contact.

A spokesperson from Bumble reported that feedback has been favorable since the rollout of Opening Moves. Users value having more choices to showcase their personalities and start conversations, facilitating easier connections. These improvements are a direct answer to user suggestions, with Bumble noting a 26% boost in chat initiation and a 77% increase in “quality conversations” worldwide since the feature’s initial launch. Bumble characterizes a quality conversation as one where both individuals interact actively, leading to deeper exchanges.

Amanda McAlister, Bumble’s principal product lead, expressed her views on the recent updates: *”By offering our members more imaginative, tailored ways to begin conversations, we are witnessing quicker and more frequent connections. As dating continues to change, we adapt as well, and these enhancements enable members to partner based on genuinely shared interests and initiate conversations that feel more authentic right from the outset.”*

Here are some of the most favored Opening Moves in the U.S., according to Bumble:

– What’s your dream getaway?
– What’s your perfect first date?
– Staying in or going out for date night?
– What’s the last thing that made you laugh?
– What’s something not revealed in your profile?

In addition to these improvements, Bumble has also implemented the option to filter matches based on interests shown on profiles. The app has added over 30 new interests, covering memes, houseplants, and mocktails. Bumble’s internal statistics indicate that 90% of users have at least two interest badges on their profiles, with 60% choosing the maximum of five.

As certain users *[shift away from dating apps](https://mashable.com/article/dating-predictions-rest-of-2024)*, platforms like Bumble are concentrating on fostering more meaningful dialogues. This pattern is similarly observed with *[Hinge’s recent limitation on unanswered messages](https://mashable.com/article/hinge-your-turn-limit-feature-cap-on-unanswered-messages)*. For now, Bumble appears to be following this direction, emphasizing quality over quantity in online dating interactions.