May 26, 2025
This weeks newsletter includes
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Duet App’s TikTok strategy + Toolkit overview ✅
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Strategy overview 📚
Duet is a dating app that ditches superficial swiping for SmartTag personality matching that actually connects compatible souls. Think Hinge meets Myers-Briggs, but with the chaotic energy of your bestie spilling relationship tea.
What's absolutely wild is how they've cracked the code on dating app marketing in the most saturated space imaginable. While Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble throw millions at polished ads, Duet went viral by making content that feels like it was created by your friends gossiping in a car.
Their secret sauce? Turning dating app skeptics into believers through pure entertainment - resulting in 400M+ views and growing its user base faster than people can say "dating apps don't work."
Here are some of their most successful videos and how they did it 👇:
🎬 Dating Realization Journey
65M+ Views, 770k+ Likes, 10K+ Saves
Hook: Me staring at the 'I thought I'll never meet anyone like you'..
Format: Text Overlay + Acting in background
Why this video worked:
Genius storytelling arc - starts with skepticism (everyone's default state) then delivers the surprise twist that hooks viewers until the end
Shows emotions that look authentic from doubt to joy, creating deep viewer investment
Relatable journey - Everyone understands the surprise of finding someone who truly "gets" you
Perfect pacing - Each frame builds emotional tension before the satisfying resolution
Smart product storytelling - Duet's SmartTag feature is revealed as the hero that made the connection possible
🎬 3 Month Rule Breaker
10M+ Views, 1.2M+ Likes, 7K+ Saves
Hook: You ever get tired of the 3 months rule and want a genuine connection?
Format: Lipsyncing + text overlay narration
Why this video worked:
Calls out toxic dating culture that gen z is tired of, instant relatability and engagement
Positions Duet as anti-dating app solution for people wanting real connections
Uses trending romantic audio to reinforce love message, algorithm boost + emotional connection
Direct recommendation style feels like friend giving advice, builds trust quickly
Comment section exploded with people sharing dating frustrations, massive engagement driver
🎬 *casually talking to my bestie*
800K+ Views, 150K+ Likes, 15K+ Saves
Hook: casually talking to my bestie
Format: Text overlay + Animated Storytelling
Why this video worked:
The chaotic crawl from backseat creates "wtf is happening" retention that hooks viewers until the punchline
Objection handling disguised as gossip - addresses the #1 thing people say about dating apps without feeling preachy
Millennial aunt energy with the dramatic entrance gives major "bestie spilling tea" vibes that gen z loves
Lip-sync but with purpose - uses familiar dialogues to showcase brand + deliver message
Comments are pure engagement fuel - people either roasting dating apps or defending them, controversy = views
Key Takeaways from this Content Strategy ⭐
Turn Skeptics Into Your Best Evangelists All three videos start from a position of doubt - dating apps don't work, people are skeptical, the 3-month rule exists. Duet doesn't avoid these objections, they lean into them hard. They literally made their most viral content by addressing the exact things people say against dating apps. The lesson? Your biggest haters' complaints are your best content ideas.
Emotional Proof Over Logical Features Duet never explains how SmartTag works or lists personality matching benefits. Instead, they show the exact moment someone realizes "holy shit, this actually worked." The contemplative stare, the genuine surprise, the "I can't believe this happened" energy. They understand that people don't buy features, they buy the feeling of success. For consumer apps, capture the micro-moment of user delight, not the technical process that created it.
Content makes the user feel special: Their content works on a different layer which needs its viewers to be users of the category in order for them to get the tiktok and engage with it. Think game studios making content around specific missions that only players will understand.
Pros: Viewers will feel special
Cons: Not everyone will get it and so scroll away rate will be high.
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