S'More User Profiles
Industry
Social / Matchmaking
Company
S'More Date
Services
Product Design and Product Management
Date
March 2025
Overview
This case study focuses on the design and launch of S'More Date, a mobile dating app built on the premise of removing user profile photos to foster a more equitable and personality-driven experience. As the founding Product Manager and Designer, my role was to create user profiles that effectively visualized someone's personality, ensuring engagement and connection without relying on traditional visual judgments.
Role
As the founding Product Manager and Designer, I led the end-to-end design process from concept to launch, collaborating closely with a team of two engineers. My responsibilities included user research, journey mapping, wireframing, high-fidelity mockups, and final implementation, while also growing the design team to four designers.
Challenge
The core challenge was to build compelling dating app profiles that allowed users to express their individuality and connect authentically, all while intentionally removing profile photos to combat superficial judgment. Initial prototypes revealed that users found profiles "boring" and undifferentiated, struggling to get a sense of personality, leading to low engagement and retention.
Solution
Leveraging user interviews and an impact-versus-effort matrix, we prioritized multimedia elements like audio notes and music playlists, which users were most excited about for self-expression. The solution involved creating dynamic profiles that integrated these elements alongside written prompts and "you match!" badges for shared interests. We also refined the UI by rearranging header components for better cover photo display, randomizing interest order, and adding secondary call-to-action buttons to enhance usability and engagement.
Results
The redesigned S'More user profiles delivered significant improvements in key performance indicators. Day 1 retention soared from 30% to an impressive 60-70%, and the percentage of Daily Active Users (DAUs) who sent chats increased from 14% to 35%. The average app session length more than doubled, from 2 minutes to 6-8 minutes, and the trial-to-subscription conversion rate improved from 38% to 61%. User feedback highlighted the "unique profiles" and the enjoyment of "listening to the music," validating the human-centric approach to personality visualization.
