Cyberspace – In the fourth generation of Jack’d, the popular hook-up app for gay urban millennials, members can now send GIFs through chat. “I spent the summer touring the country’s prides, interviewing Jack’d members on what they wanted in the app’s next generation, and over and over again, I heard from millennials that they prefer interacting with each other in ways that do not always include text messages,” explains Alon Rivel, the Director of Global Marketing at Jack’d. “They said GIFs allow them to break the ice in a funnier and more interactive way, so we got to work adding GIFs to Chat in 4.0.” Jack’d 4.0 is live now on Android and iOS.
In today’s digital age, the GIF has taken over nearly every corner of digital communication. It’s no longer just kitten and “Nene Leakes” clips, either. Today, it’s all about the reaction GIF where rather than typing out an expression like “Wow!” or “I’d like a piece of that,” or incorporating emoticons like :-O (“shocked”), chatspeak like LOL, or emojis, guys are reacting with GIFs that mimic how they would express themselves in person. Whether it’s a drop of the jaw, a widening of the eyes, or a dumbfounded stare, GIFs — unlike words that may not capture tone — provide a clear emotional reaction. They’re basically emojis in HD.
“Members report that a lot can be learned about the types of GIFS a guy uses in his chat,” continues Rivel. GIFs add a glow of light to a guy’s true personality. For example, a GIF of Bianca Del Rio rolling her eyes says, “Oh, please” and “I spend my Friday nights watching RuPaul’s Drag Race” all in one easy step.
“You can gage a guy’s wit through GIFs,” says Rivel. “Humor is a very attractive quality.” He advises guys find original GIFs that haven’t already been seen all over Facebook. “Our research has shown that guys appreciate when other guys try to make them laugh. Interestingly, we have also found that senders are more responsive to guys who react positively to their GIFs. Turns out that guys like guys who laugh at their jokes.”
GIFs on chat is just one of the exciting new features on Jack’d 4.0. Also being released this month is a newly designed version of their “Insights” function that not only lets members know the type of guys a man they’re interested in is into, but how frequently he responds to messages. “Insights is a real time-saver,” says Rivel. “Why waste time on a guy who is not into you or takes forever to reply back?”
Additionally, Jack’d has enhanced its Anonymous Browsing feature that allows guys to check whose on the app without being seen and its popular Swipe to Match function. Swipe To Match allows members to match themselves with other members. If two men share a match, Jack’d acts a personal yenta, alerting the pair of their mutual interest.
These innovations follow last months’ announcement of increased safety measures on Jack’d including the disabling of screenshots and the app’s new blurring feature. The disabling of screenshots removes the ability to take screenshots of anything on the app. The blurring feature adds a rounding error to all member coordinates so instead of pinpointing a guy’s exact location, users are only given a general idea of a guy’s whereabouts. Both are in direct response to the rise in bullying and hate crimes against the LGBTQ community since the US presidential election that have made security a real concern to members throughout the world.
Jack’d 4.0 has also improved the overall user experience for members. A large percentage of members polled last summer reported frustration with slow functionality and crashes. Rather than simply update the code in 4.0, the tech team re-wrote the application from scratch. They also added brand new servers to accommodate the growing population of gay men on the app worldwide.
In addition to its brand new design and layout, the grid of nearby guys on Jack’d 4.0 now loads 200 guys no matter how remote the area. It’s an important feature for men in rural areas where the closest guy may be up to 200 miles away. For members that go Pro with a paid subscription, 500 guys will load on the grid.
Registration is easier, too. Jack’d 4.0 allows men to skip parts of the registration process or, for even quicker access, they can log in through Facebook.
1.2 million guys use Jack’d, all hoping to find local men to chat, date, and meet. The app consistently ranks among the top four gay social apps in both the App Store and Google Play. 67% of Jack’d members in the United States are between 18-26. Nearly 60% are Black and Latino.
Jack’d 4.0 is live now on Android and iOS. More exciting additions will be rolling out in the near future including additional video functions and the introduction of exclusive Jack’d emojis.
Visit the newly designed website and check it out for yourself: http://www.jackdapp.com.
