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    <title>The Dash Blog</title>
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    <description>Guides, comparisons, and host playbooks for in-person speed dating events.</description>
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    <lastBuildDate>Fri, 29 May 2026 18:32:17 GMT</lastBuildDate>
    <item>
      <title>May 29 release: announcements that do more — polls, video, reactions &amp; pinned updates</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/product-update-2026-05-29</link>
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      <pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Host announcements grew up: live polls, short video clips, emoji reactions, automatic link previews, and a pinned update that headlines your event page.</description>
      <category>Product Updates</category>
      <category>Release Notes</category>
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      <title>May 26 release: onboarding polish, cleaner chat, smarter host analytics</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/product-update-2026-05-26</link>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>A per-field onboarding flow, an analytics rebuild with PDF export for hosts, and a few dozen small touches that make the everyday screens calmer to live in.</description>
      <category>Product Updates</category>
      <category>Release Notes</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Speed dating software checklist for hosts</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/speed-dating-software-checklist-for-hosts</link>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Choosing speed dating software? The 12-point checklist to run any tool through before committing — registration, waitlists, check-in, matching, chat, host control, pricing, analytics.</description>
      <category>Hosting Advice</category>
      <category>First Time Host</category>
      <category>Playbook</category>
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      <title>Dash events vs dating apps: why speed dating isn&#39;t Tinder</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/dash-events-vs-dating-apps</link>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 25 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Dash is event software for in-person speed dating nights, not a dating app. A clear comparison of how matching, chat, discovery, and safety differ from Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble — and which product matches what you&#39;re actually trying to do.</description>
      <category>Product Comparison</category>
      <category>Hosting Advice</category>
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    <item>
      <title>How to make the most of your speed dating experience</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/how-to-make-the-most-of-your-speed-dating-experience</link>
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      <pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Seven things that turn a fun night into actual connections — be yourself, stay present, keep it light, take notes, follow up. A simple guide for daters, first-timers and regulars alike.</description>
      <category>Speed Dater Tips</category>
      <category>First Time Dater</category>
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    <item>
      <title>How to Host a Memorable Speed Dating Event</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/how-to-run-a-speed-dating-event</link>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>A practical host playbook covering venue selection, pre-event communications, smooth check-in, running the rounds, collecting picks, and following up fast. The small decisions that separate an event daters remember from one they forget.</description>
      <category>Hosting Advice</category>
      <category>Playbook</category>
      <category>Event Day</category>
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      <title>May 19 release: post-event stats, ghost detection, and a friendlier home</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/product-update-2026-05-19</link>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Post-event stats for daters, ghost detection and bucket-full alerts for hosts, and a Home tab that now splits Live, Upcoming, and Past events.</description>
      <category>Product Updates</category>
      <category>Release Notes</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Speed dating by hand vs with Dash: a host&#39;s side-by-side</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/speed-dating-manual-vs-dash</link>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>A job-by-job comparison of running a speed dating event manually — paper scorecards, spreadsheets, group texts — versus running it on Dash. Where each one fits and what changes for the host.</description>
      <category>Product Comparison</category>
      <category>Hosting Advice</category>
      <category>First Time Host</category>
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      <title>Don&#39;ts of being a speed dater</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/donts-of-being-a-speed-dater</link>
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      <pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Five patterns we&#39;ve watched cost daters real matches at speed dating events — being too picky, aiming too high, ignoring potential matches, misreading signals, skipping reflection — and what to do instead.</description>
      <category>Speed Dater Tips</category>
      <category>First Time Dater</category>
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      <title>May 12 release: Sign in with Apple + Google, hosts own capacity</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/product-update-2026-05-12</link>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Sign in with Apple and Google land in the same icon row, hosts take ownership of event capacity with auto-waitlist promotion, and the host dashboard now updates in real time.</description>
      <category>Product Updates</category>
      <category>Release Notes</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>What if you don&#39;t get any matches after speed dating?</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/what-if-you-dont-get-any-matches-after-speed-dating</link>
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      <pubDate>Sat, 09 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>No matches doesn&#39;t mean the night was a failure or that you&#39;re undateable. How to think about it clearly, reflect without spiraling, look for patterns instead of shame, and decide what to do next.</description>
      <category>Speed Dater Tips</category>
      <category>First Time Dater</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>May 5 release: awards &amp; badges, in-page RSVP, redesigned public event page</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/product-update-2026-05-05</link>
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      <pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Designed badges every dater earns from events, an in-page RSVP sheet that replaces the auth-page redirect, and a rebuilt public event page that finally previews well when shared in group chats.</description>
      <category>Product Updates</category>
      <category>Release Notes</category>
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    <item>
      <title>How to follow up after speed dating</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/how-to-follow-up-after-speed-dating</link>
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      <pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>How to follow up after a speed dating match without overthinking it — what to send, when to send it, real message examples, and how to handle silence.</description>
      <category>Speed Dater Tips</category>
      <category>First Time Dater</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How to know who to pick after speed dating</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/how-to-know-who-to-pick-after-speed-dating</link>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Picking after speed dating is not a lifetime commitment — it is just deciding who you would be open to talking to again. A practical guide to choosing well without overthinking it.</description>
      <category>Speed Dater Tips</category>
      <category>First Time Dater</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A safer DateRounds alternative for in-person speed dating</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/compare/daterounds</link>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>DateRounds is a lightweight, code-based speed dating tool. Dash takes a safer approach with real registration, QR check-in, table assignment, mutual-match-only chat, and event analytics in one place.</description>
      <category>Product Comparison</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How to stay sharp through every speed dating round</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/how-to-stay-sharp-through-every-speed-dating-round</link>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Speed dating moves fast. The people who do best aren&#39;t the smoothest in the room — they&#39;re the ones who reset between rounds, manage their energy, take quick notes, and give each conversation a fair shot.</description>
      <category>Speed Dater Tips</category>
      <category>Event Day</category>
      <category>First Time Dater</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A simpler SpeedMatchApp alternative for in-person speed dating</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/compare/speedmatchapp</link>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>SpeedMatchApp is a broader matching platform built for many event formats. Dash is focused on in-person speed dating nights with event-based pricing instead of a monthly subscription.</description>
      <category>Product Comparison</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The best speed dating questions that don&#39;t feel like an interview</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/best-speed-dating-questions</link>
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      <pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>A working list of speed dating questions that start real conversations — openers, everyday-life prompts, story-starters, preference questions, values without weight, and what to avoid.</description>
      <category>Speed Dater Tips</category>
      <category>First Time Dater</category>
      <category>Event Day</category>
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    <item>
      <title>What to wear to speed dating</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/what-to-wear-to-speed-dating</link>
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      <pubDate>Sat, 21 Mar 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>How to dress for a speed dating night without overthinking it — reading the dress code and the venue, options for guys and women, fit, fragrance, shoes, and what to skip.</description>
      <category>Speed Dater Tips</category>
      <category>First Time Dater</category>
      <category>Event Day</category>
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    <item>
      <title>Should you host a speed dating event?</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/should-you-host-a-speed-dating-event</link>
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      <pubDate>Sun, 15 Mar 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>An honest look at what it takes — the qualities of a good host, the real rewards (community, mentorship, side hustle), and the workload nobody tells first-time hosts about.</description>
      <category>Hosting Advice</category>
      <category>First Time Host</category>
      <category>Side Hustle</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>What to expect at your first speed dating event</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/what-to-expect-at-your-first-speed-dating-event</link>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 09 Mar 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>A first-timer&#39;s walkthrough of a speed dating night — check-in, the rounds, picks, match reveal, and follow-up — without the mystery or the pressure.</description>
      <category>Speed Dater Tips</category>
      <category>First Time Dater</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Best venues for speed dating: 10 spots that almost always work</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/best-venues-for-speed-dating</link>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>The right venue can make or break a speed dating night. Ten venue types that tend to work — from coffee shops after hours to hotel conference rooms — plus what every venue needs and which rooms to avoid.</description>
      <category>Hosting Advice</category>
      <category>Venue</category>
      <category>First Time Host</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Speed dating fuel: snacks and water are your secret weapons</title>
      <link>https://dash.dating/blog/speed-dating-fuel</link>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 18 Feb 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>The right snacks and (especially) the right amount of water do more for a speed dating event than most hosts realize. Eight practical tips, including the convenience-store run that taught us to always over-order water.</description>
      <category>Hosting Advice</category>
      <category>Event Day</category>
      <category>Venue</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How to host a memorable speed dating event: quick tips</title>
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      <pubDate>Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>A six-point skimmable recap of what actually matters when you host a speed dating night — expectations, venue, check-in, flow, picks, follow-up. Read this first, then go deep in the full playbook.</description>
      <category>Hosting Advice</category>
      <category>Playbook</category>
      <category>Quick Tips</category>
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    <item>
      <title>A ladies&#39; guide to speed dating</title>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Eleven small things that make a speed dating night feel natural — warmth, curiosity, clarity, follow-up. Less performing, more being yourself. The companion to our guy&#39;s guide.</description>
      <category>Speed Dater Tips</category>
      <category>First Time Dater</category>
      <category>For Ladies</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A guy&#39;s guide to speed dating</title>
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      <pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>Ten practical tips for guys at a speed dating event. Confidence, listening, dressing, follow-up — what actually works in the room, less &#39;say the perfect line&#39;, more &#39;show up and pay attention&#39;.</description>
      <category>Speed Dater Tips</category>
      <category>First Time Dater</category>
      <category>For Guys</category>
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