Zoosk is the dating site that perfectly straddles old-school online dating and modern app-led romance.
The Zoosk app is the Apple store’s no 1 grossing dating app, and the site’s proprietary matching technology is about as high-tech as dating gets. Plus, it actually seems to work… more than many dating sites can claim.
But not all Zoosk’s users have to be tech-savvy. I mean, there are almost 35 million of them from 80 countries, what’s the chance of them all being computer scientists?
Zoosk is super easy to use – not surprising when you see how much time and effort they put into UX design, something they talk a lot about on their blog – and it looks modern and streamlined.
And the best part about it? Zoosk’s algorithm does all the work for users looking for a match. Sign up here and try it for yourself!
Well, all the work of finding someone suitable, unfortunately, the algorithm can’t actually chat Kathy from Canada up for you, you’re on your own there!
Any interaction with another user’s profile counts as a view. Any interaction with your profile by another user counts as a view in the other direction – they’re viewing you.
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What Is Zoosk’s Algorithm?
The Zoosk algorithm is the site’s smart way of matching you with people you’ll get on with and be attracted to.
Replacing the standard, boring and often inaccurate personality tests many dating sites have used for years, it relies on much more than views, taking into account all your activity on the site.
Check out my in-depth post about Zoosk where I talk about how their algorithm works.
The algorithm might end up noticing things about you that even you don’t know – like maybe you have a thing for curls, women who are exactly 5’ 4”, or men holding fish they’ve just caught in their profile pictures.
Okay, probably not that last one. Do those pictures work on anyone?
So, it’s extra important to know what a view is on Zoosk because your views will inform the algorithm of what and who you’re interested in.
Don’t worry about clicking on profiles out of curiosity or by accident though – the whole point of the algorithm is that it’s smart, and has been learning from Zoosk users for a decade.
Basically, it knows humans are weird and accounts for that in its conclusions about you.
What Is A View?
Here we are, at the meat and potatoes! According to Zoosk themselves:
Views can be generated when other members interact with any information on your dating profile. This can include your photos or dating profile information (Story, Perfect Match, Ideal Date, etc).
That means that anything from a quick glance at your photos to reading all the information there can count as a view. It follows that some views are more important (longer) than others.
The algorithm will be able to tell how long a view is, but users don’t get this information. However, if someone views your profile repeatedly or a view comes along with a like you can be pretty sure they’re interested!
How Do I Know When I Get Views?
All views are useful to old Al the algorithm, but to be useful for you directly you need to know when they happen. Luckily, the Zoosk boffins have thought about that.
There’s a Views section in the Menu on Zoosk, and that’s where all views of your profile are listed.
Depending on your settings, you’ll also be notified of new views and even encouraged to get in touch with the users viewing your profile.
It is possible to browse in ‘invisible mode’ on Zoosk, which means that other users won’t see that you have viewed your profile. If someone using Invisible Mode or Hide and Seek looks at any of your profile information or pictures they won’t show up on your Views page.
Invisible mode can be paid for with Zoosk coins and lasts 30 minutes. I really can’t imagine what it’s used for except maybe spying on an ex? And let me tell you, that’s never a good idea. If that’s all that you made your Zoosk account for, deactivate it now.
You’ll just feel worse. Look for someone new instead! Or possibly a therapist…
Hide and Seek is an add-on for monthly-paying premium members and it offers three visibility modes. You can go invisible for as long as you choose that mode with the Hide and Seek add-on, which some users choose for privacy reasons.
The add-on is charged every billing cycle, so remember to cancel it once you don’t want or need to be invisible anymore!
What’s The Point Of ‘Views’ On Zoosk?
As I’ve already mentioned, viewing information is useful internally for Zoosk as it’s part of what the matching algorithm relies on behind the scenes.
Of course, the algorithm gets far more information that users would want, need or know what to do with. So why are users shown their profile views?
For flirting purposes of course! You can play cat and mouse with a beautiful stranger, send cheeky likes to whoever viewed you, and get adorably embarrassed when you accidentally view the brunette you’re talking to four times because you’re checking out her interests so you can sound suave as hell in your messages…
Basically, Views are another level of interaction online and can lead anywhere. It’s fun to think about who might like you and play with revealing or not revealing who you like. Ah, it’s just like being 16 again. Except with more self-confidence and better skin.
From a practical standpoint, views can also warn you if anyone is being creepy, but that can be solved by reporting or blocking the nuisance user.
If you’re a really determined dater, you can also use Views to assess the quality of your profiles. If you make any changes to your Story or Perfect Date, or you try a new photo, an increase or decrease in views will show you whether or not it was a good move!
Don’t get too obsessed though, there’s nothing attractive about a date who brings spreadsheets full of online dating information to the first date. Oh, unless you both brought them!
Your eyes meet across a crowded coffee shop… you both thought you were the only one there because you were buried in notes about profile views… she smiles, holds up a pie chart, you smile, hold up a bar chart… okay I have to go, I’ve got a rom-com to write.
If you want to try Zoosk yourself, you can sign up for free here.
