Could Tinder be the next big marketing tool?

Tinder, the finger-swiping dating app, is looking to monetise its popularity through introducing native advertising, in a move described as “only a matter of time” by its owners.

IAC, which also own other sites including Match.com, Ask and Vimeo announced the decision at the company’s first quarter earnings call.

Greg Blatt, chairman of IAC’s Match group, said the nature of the Tinder user experience presents itself with “real opportunities for native advertising that certain of our other products don’t”.

Tinder’s presents an attractive audience with the majority of users being under 25, with user growth up 15% from February to March, an increase of 1,500% year on year

The app is also the 20th most-downloaded iOS app in the UK and the 2nd most popular lifestyle iOS app, according to the latest (29 April) data from app analytics site App Annie.

The company said it was growing to be a “very powerful, quickly built brand”.

Early footsteps were taken by some brands looking to promote themselves through the app, with US broadcaster Fox uploading fake profiles of the actors starring in its sitcom “The Mindy Project”, to encourage users to watch the programme. However, the tool hasn’t allowed advertising to become part of its membrane – until now.

Could marketers begin to adopt the dating tool, or will users and marketers alike be turned off and just swipe left?