Interview with Badoo CEO: Redizin, partnerships and Bumble.
Andrey Andrev — People are reserved and shy. Nevertheless, very interesting. We invite you to read the interview. He gave it to Business Insider several years ago.
Contents of the article:
After reading the article, you will begin to better understand how the online dating industry works.
Badoo Badoo
Business Insider: Why not start by talking about the new Badoo? What are the biggest changes?
Andrey Andreev: The new Badoo you can see today is an amazing series of awesome skeletons and game-changing features that are coming soon in real time. Now we have the opportunity to implement them.
Latest news! We analyzed and revised 11 years of experience to completely redesign the app, create a completely new design, improve and optimize the UX (user experience) and simplify super-complex features.
BI: I got the impression that the “overhaul” had been planned for a long time. Why now?
AA: Yes, I”ve been thinking about restoring Badu for a long time. He resembled “Frankenstein” (as we call it domestically). This eventually happens with every product. As you add features, monetize, and improve the user experience by adding new and interesting components, the end result will resemble a small Christmas tree with lots of buttons, menus within menus, etc.
The old interface limited us in many ways. We made a lot of changes and improvements, but we had to accept that we could no longer create new features with the old interface.
It was a long thought process. After a lot of brainstorming and using the Badoo team, I realized what direction I needed to go in.
BI: Were there any factors that stopped you and slowed you down?
AA: Badoo has more than 340 million users who are naturally accustomed to a certain interface. We always test before changing anything in the application. Tests have repeatedly proven that even a slight change in the position of a button, for example, can lead to a decrease in activity and income. Yes, this is the real life of a monetized product.
This was another reason why it took so long to redo the application. Care had to be taken not to lose important functionality, and the new design was too intuitive.
BI: Were any features removed?
There is no indication of what should be saved. However, some features have been optimized. Testing and optimization.
BI: You”ve stated in the past that Badoo is more of a social network than a dating app. How would you differentiate between them?
AA: Badoo has a long history and we know what users want. Yes, of course, this is primarily a dating app. But for many, dating means flirting, chatting, etc. It used to be that dating apps were equivalent to sex. But what about real life in bars? You can”t just walk up to every person in a bar and say yes to a date. Sometimes you just show up, have a drink, chat, leave and nothing happens. Sometimes you make friends. You can”t just take the social aspect out of dating because it”s a little boring.
Badoo definitely helps you explore the world outside of your existing circle of friends. That”s another reason why it”s social: you can make friends with people you don”t know, and you can make friends with people you don”t know.
Partnership
BI: Many brands and apps highlight interactions with Badoo. What”s behind all this?
AA: We work with all these companies and partners. Badoo is a very powerful platform. It”s like a Lego game — we start each partnership, create a product from existing sources and add the necessary parts.
BI: How does the partnership work? How do you meet these people?
This may happen by accident. For example, you may meet this person at some events. For example, on the founders forum, or about these many, many, many, many tests. Sometimes people themselves turn to me. For example, here”s Bumble. When we first announced our collaboration with Whitney, the girls in this office were lined up. They asked for advice on investments, further actions, etc. It was a difficult time. Every time we do something publicly, there are a lot of people who want to talk to me.
BI: What about the financial model?
AA: It all depends on the situation. Take, for example, our partnership with Tango, an American messaging app. It”s a 50/50 split. We handle the technology, and they handle the marketing. They attract new users, and we”re responsible for keeping them happy. That”s one type of partnership.
Read also: Morality Guardian: Automatically Censoring 18+ Photos with Bumble”s New Feature
“user safety is our top priority”—that”s how the developers comment on innovation. I wish I hadn”t seen that. A dating app.
Bumble was different. They”re no longer the standard 50/50 split. This is a case where we work together to understand and define the business model. Together, we try to determine the direction of future projects. If I meet someone I trust, if I believe they can make this project happen, then I”m happy to participate.
BI: You said you outsource marketing to your partners. Do you plan to do this in the future at your company?
AA: No, Whitney is very good at what she does. She”s very strong in marketing. I don”t think that”s what we should focus on. We”re happy with our partnership with Whitney. We offer all the infrastructure, all the technology, all the services, and we focus on just one thing: marketing.
BI: Are you currently planning to acquire another company?
AA: I”m currently very busy with Badu. We”ve never acquired anything. Instead, another partner has been handling marketing and user traffic, leading to numerous successful partnerships covering both technology and monetization components.
BI: Are you concerned about cannibalization in the apps you publish?
AA: No, we”re not. They”re all very different. It”s like a restaurant. If a new restaurant opens around the corner, you don”t stop going to your favorite place for a long time.
All the apps we work on are different. Give users freedom of choice. Our moods change daily, influenced by a number of factors. So why should we expect people to use only one app or go to only one restaurant?
BI: Tell us the story of Badoo and Bumble. A TechCrunch article last year said you acquired the company.
AA: We didn”t buy it. We invested in it and provided technical support.
Whitney and I started our business together in 2014. I loved her vision of creating a women-focused company in the social media space and believed in what she wanted to achieve. I had an impressive background in the industry, and so did she. I supported and encouraged her in her endeavors.
Bumble has access to part of Badoo”s infrastructure located in London, but operates autonomously as a completely independent company. The company is headquartered in Texas and is led by Whitney.
I work with Badoo every day, but I”m also an active Bumble partner. Whitney and I work closely together and can leverage what we”ve built at Badoo to provide Bumble with critical resources. I am directly involved in everything related to the production of this company”s products.
Interview with General Director of Voir Anton Ishchenko
Interview with General Director of Voir Anton Ishchenko
AA: Badoo is like my favorite child. This is a much older child. Badoo is not just a standalone product. This is a huge machine, a working factory, staffed by very talented and dedicated people.
For any company, going public means the beginning of the end; the structure becomes more collaborative, and innovative projects are less likely to be transferred to line managers.
Believe it or not. After 11 years, we still feel like a start-up. We are open to new ideas from any team member. We test, make mistakes and create new and interesting products for Badoo. Why is it so hard not to love him? I think I”ll devote some time to this matter.
Badoo, Andrey, Russia and London Badoo-2
Badoo, Andrey, Russia and London Badoo-2
AA: Before founding Badoo, I created a number of successful projects, including Begun and Mamba.
BI: You live in London. Why?
AA: I really like it here. Lifestyle, energy, people. I firmly believe that you create what is around you. Our UK office is located in the West End. The reason for this is that it is a very vibrant and diverse area and I want that to be the case at Eight Relief.
BI: You mentioned earlier that the name has changed. Why did you decide to do this?
AA: Unfortunately, there are no conspiracy theories here. I wish I could. I used my father”s last name, but soon after moving to Europe I realized that people had difficulty pronouncing and spelling my name correctly. So I decided to make things easier for everyone (including myself) and started using my mother”s last name. This is also very cool. Andrey Andreev.
BI: One of the topics I would like to touch on is the Western perception of Russian technology companies. There are companies such as Yandex, VKontakte and others that often do not want to expand to the West. Why do you think?
AA: In Russia and in the Russian business space, much is different. Firstly, mentality. Russia is a very unique and specific market, very different from what you see. You”re not just selling coffee, you”re selling an experience that includes emotions, relationships and certain habits. To be successful, you need to know your market well and put it into practice.
In many cases, Russian products and business projects are far from Western thinking. The fact that there are local alternatives on the market is not a problem. So I think they decided to stick with what they already know and the markets where it works best.
BI: It seems like Badoo has avoided publicity for a long time. Why is this so?
AA: Badoo is a technology company founded entirely by technologists. We have never done PR. Badoo was founded when tech companies didn”t need PR. All you have to do is actually get a great product. This in itself is a breakthrough. But we are still a product/technology focused company and PR is not what we are used to.
BI: Was it a conscious decision on your part not to go out in public?
AA: To be honest, I’m not one of those who get hung up on my image. I”m focused on the business, on the product. I try to do everything I can. If I get results (like the recent Badoo reinvention), I”m ready to talk about it with pride. I go out for a while, talk about it, and then go back to work.
BI: Is this the new Andrew? Do you plan to conduct further interviews?
AA: No, no, no, no. I have to hide it for now. I have no right to be modest — we did a great job. I consider it my duty to say this out loud so that everyone knows.
BI: Is Badoo planning a marketing campaign in the US? Are you ready to take on Tinder, or is that market not what you”re focused on right now?
Fireside chat: bumble & badoo — noah17 london
