if(we)

if(we) operated as a social and mobile technology company, functioning as an incubator for new social applications from its base in San Francisco, California. The company's history began as Tagged Inc., which was co-founded in 2004 by entrepreneurs Greg Tseng and Johann Schleier-Smith. They aimed to create a social discovery service for meeting new people, which became profitable in 2008 and saw significant revenue growth. In a strategic shift in October 2014, the parent company rebranded to if(we) after acquiring the social messaging startup Tinode. This move marked a change in focus towards incubating new mobile software, while continuing to operate its successful platforms, Tagged and hi5.

The company's portfolio was diverse, centered on connecting people. Tagged, its flagship product, was designed as a social discovery network for dating and making new acquaintances, incorporating social games to encourage interaction. Another significant platform was hi5, once a top-tier social network, which if(we) acquired in December 2011 and integrated with Tagged's features while maintaining it as a separate site. The company also developed other applications, including Nod, an iOS messaging app with customizable avatars, and Swoon, an Android-based dating app with a swipe-style interface.

The business model focused on a freemium approach, where basic social networking was free, and revenue was generated through advertising, subscriptions for premium features (VIP access), and in-app purchases like virtual gifts or currency for games. This model proved successful, with the company reporting $44 million in total revenue for 2016. In March 2017, if(we) was acquired by MeetMe (now The Meet Group) for $60 million in cash. The acquisition was a strategic move by The Meet Group to expand its global portfolio of mobile social discovery platforms, adding if(we)'s 10.6 million mobile monthly active users to its own. Following this acquisition, The Meet Group itself was later acquired in 2020 by ParshipMeet Group, a major player in the online dating market.

Keywords: if(we), Tagged, hi5, social discovery, mobile applications, social networking, The Meet Group, social incubator, dating app, freemium model, virtual gifts, social games, Greg Tseng, Johann Schleier-Smith, MeetMe, ParshipMeet Group, online community, user acquisition, mobile revenue, social technology