Language exchange app: Implement a better matching algorithm for long-term practice

Hi everyone, I’ve been learning Mandarin Chinese for about four years now, and overall the journey has been really rewarding. I study regularly and genuinely enjoy the language. Right now, my main focus is improving my speaking, especially pronunciation, tones, and sounding more natural in conversation. To do this, I’ve tried practicing with native speakers both online and in real life. Over the years, I’ve met a lot of Chinese people, more than I can count, through platforms like HelloTalk, WeChat, Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and also in person. Most interactions start off well. We usually agree to help each other, where I help with English and they help me with Chinese, and I’m always willing to put in effort on my side. What I’ve consistently noticed, though, is that these exchanges don’t last long. Usually after a few days or at most a couple of weeks, the other person slowly stops responding. They don’t block me or end things negatively, they just go silent. This happens even when conversations are friendly, respectful, and focused on language learning rather than personal topics. I’m not trying to generalize or blame anyone, and I completely understand that people get busy or lose motivation. I’m just curious whether this is a common experience when learning Chinese, or if this is simply how most language exchanges work. For those who are learning Chinese or have successfully improved their speaking skills, how do you usually go about practicing speaking? Is it normal for language exchanges to be short-term? What has worked for you when it comes to long-term or consistent speaking practice? I’d really appreciate any advice or shared experiences. Thanks.