How to develop a social media app?

Given how far we’ve come in the field of technology, it comes as no surprise that social media is at the forefront of everything. Every business, small or big, uses various social media apps/sites to promote itself.

The sheer number of features that you can use is an absolute game-changer. But if you think social media app development is something relatively new, then you’re mistaken. The first social networking site was developed in the ‘70s. It was as simple as they come with basic features like messaging, online forums, and many more.

Social networking/media sites are used extensively and are a great place to boost businesses. According to Oberlo, a person spends an average of 2.5 hours on social media, which is spent looking/sharing content.

For a good period, people used browsers, and now people prefer using apps, which is why businesses are making use of it. Social media app development can be done from the ground up, or it can also be integrated into an existing website.

If you aren’t familiar with the app development technologies, then you’ve nothing to worry about. You can go online and find tons of app developers in Australia, England, or anywhere. You can find the best app developers to help you create the best app for your business.

Types Of Social Media Apps

If you want to learn how to develop a social media app, then you ought to consider the business objective. Based on it, you can choose from different types of social media apps.

Depending on your business objective, there are different types of social media apps that you can choose.

1. Media Sharing Apps

If you’re planning to target a more artistic crowd or content creators and are willing to know how to make a social media app like Instagram, then media-sharing apps are something you should emphasize. When you develop a media-sharing application, you allow people to share live videos, videos, photographs, and other media content over the web.

It will also help the brands generate leads, build value, and target customers in the long run. It will allow the brands and individuals to discover the media they intend to use. In this way, the right audiences can be targeted by the brands, and more sales will be converted in result-driven and convincing ways possible.

2. Blogging Apps

If your target audience leans towards literature, writing, and publishing, then a blogging app is the perfect fit for your business. Take a look at WordPress; they’re among the leading blogging apps. The blogging & publishing networks will empower content marketing! As the digital promotions of businesses and services are on point, content marketing is the key for people to thrive.

Brands and individuals use content marketing techniques to target relevant audiences, create engagement, and convert more sales. If you are willing to give a platform to brands for a successful digital marketing approach, create a blogging application. When you become a reputed blogging network, companies will pay to publish their brand promotional content on your platform.

3. Forums for Discussions

If you’re looking to build a platform where people can share their thoughts or have discussions, you should focus on creating an app similar to Quora. You can get a lot of engagement when you plan on creating forums for discussions. You might know how great people come upfront to share their views on a question that has been answered wrongly.

The psychology of being right with knowledgeable responses has made online forums so effective. It also allows people to gain some great knowledge on rare topics. You can generate a lot of engagement from the application and use it for brand endorsements. Businesses will start answering the forum questions and will promote their services to get the crowd to know about the brand.

4. Social Networking Apps

Suppose the primary objective of your business is to connect people from all over the world for both professional and personal reasons. In that case, social networking apps are something you should concentrate on. Before you learn how to develop a social networking app, get an insight into its efficacies.

Different types of social media applications permit users to be associated with either brands or other users over the internet. It helps the business through social awareness, relationship building, lead generation, branding, conversion, and customer service. You can channel various social media campaigns over the networks, which will help you widen the brand’s reach.

One of the biggest benefits of developing a social networking application is that it will encourage businesses and individuals to interact over the dedicated online platform. It will promote sharing of thoughts and data to build mutually productive relationships.

5. Service Provider Apps

If you happen to be a service provider, you can create an app for people to book your services like Uber or Ola. Social media applications needn’t always be about interacting with like-minded people or people of preference. It can also offer a better user experience through specific services.

May it be a cab, food, grocery, laundry, or any other service, there is a need for an online application that will enable people to connect directly with service providers. In this way, people will get easy availability of services, making the digital world more accessible. It is one of the best social media app development ideas to count on!

6. Review Apps

People mainly use these apps to review ratings of different services. Good examples of such apps are TripAdvisor or Community walk. The consumer review network applications let users leave feedback on various services, brands, or products. It allows a vast community of consumers to connect and consider the reviews beforepurchasing.

When a business gets positive reviews over such applications, it acts like social proof, adding credibility to the brand impression. The brands can also refer to the feedback on these platforms and rectify their operational flaws to attain customer satisfaction. At times, customers face grievances that go unsolved. So, they want to speak about it among a larger audience, and you can develop one.

Creating A Social Media App

Here are the steps you need to follow to build a social media app for your business successfully.

1. Find Your Target Demographic

There is no point in developing an app if you don’t know who your target audience is. Since the audience is the driving force for your app and business, make sure you know your target demographic. Moreover, ensure you understand their needs and requirements.

Understanding your demographics also helps you understand the market and the industry better.
Acquiring a perfect market fit and choosing the right product will ensure your startup doesn’t move in the wrong direction. As a startup, you need to be sure that you are catering to the right audience and meeting their needs. You need to take baby steps in pursuit of achieving the same.

As a startup when you are building a social media application, all startups should attain flexibility with all of the approaches. Only then will there be a possibility for the final application to become a success, which will be very different from that of the original idea you had. It is because you researched over time what can penetrate the market well in this competitive era.

WhatsApp is the perfect example, which was a tool earlier but is now a mandatory messenger on all mobile phones.

2. Designing The Workflow

Once you identify the target audience and the product you want to launch in the online market, you should work towards designing it. You need to plan out which approach you would like to take early. Whether you want the application to be available for Android, iOS, or both depends on the audience you want to cater to.

If you start the design and development process from scratch, you will need to spare a lot of funds and time to make the outlines and designs. In this way, the entire team can visualize the workflow, helping you replicate the vision in the face of software.

This is among the key aspects of app development. With a definitive workflow, it is much easier to achieve the set targets. Your app’s users will also have a much more complete experience with a defined workflow. Ensure you focus on an efficient workflow during the social media app development process.

Mentioned below are the many steps that come into play when designing the workflow of an app:

• Sketching

  This refers to the fundamental framework for apps. It is used for the evaluation of projects or to see the number of screens being used.

• Wireframing

  This happens to be among the most critical steps in social media app development. Wireframing can also be referred to as the backbone of your app because it gives your app a basic structural outline/view, which then will be viewed/experienced by the users.

• Prototyping

  It refers to creating a working app model for future application purposes. It helps understand the customers and enables you to fix minor problems in the app before its official release.

• Design App Skins

  The wireframes which provided the app with a structural outline are converted into social media app designs.

3. Social Media App Development Design For iOS and Android

Whenever you’re creating an app, make sure you create it for both iOS and Android . You need to keep this point in mind, especially if you’re building an app from the ground up. But on the other hand, if you opt for a Saas solution, then you’ve nothing to worry about.

You can hire a cross-platform developer to look after utilizing the same code and make it usable for both platforms. This way, you can cater to a larger audience, and more people will rely on your services. You only need to remember to maintain the top-notch quality of the application.

4. Releasing and Marketing The App

Once the application is ready for use, you should get people to notice and use your app. Depending on the business you run, you must come up with marketing strategies that suit your business the best. By doing so, you can increase the number of users, interactions, and traffic on your app.

More Tips To Help You Design A Social Media App

Just creating a social media app isn’t good enough. With the sheer number of prevalent apps, you have to be unique in your approach. Your app must stand out from the rest. It must be easy to navigate and should catch the attention of users.

Here are certain things you can do to improve your social media app:

1. Simplicity is Key

When a simple design is used, it’s easier for the user to navigate through the app. Moreover, people tend to get more familiar with an app when they’re easy to use.

2. Communication Features

Among the best ways to share content is to let people use your app for communication purposes. From a simple messaging feature to video calls, you have a wide array of options to choose from. If you manage to do this effectively, it will keep your users engaged.

3. Connect With Other Social Media Networks

This is probably the essential feature you can add. Regardless of the type of app you build, having the ability to connect to other social media networks helps in creating more engagement. Several apps nowadays use this feature to help users login/register with ease.

4. Newsfeed Arrangement

Customers and content are at the heart of every business. These two variables can either make or break a brand. Social network users generate and share a lot of content. Having features to upload or post content helps in making your apps look more user-friendly. Furthermore, by assessing posts, you can also understand your audience better.

Metrics For Social Media Apps

Having certain metrics in place helps in assessing the performance of your app efficiently. After which, you can implement changes accordingly to improve performance.

Of course, there are several metrics, and some of them are even industry-specific. But we’ll take a look at some of the most common and essential metrics.

1. CAC and CPI: Acquisition

CAC or Customer Acquisition Cost refers to the amount spent on client/audience attraction. It helps in assessing if the business has an actionable business plan.

CPI or Cost Per Install is the cost of application install that came through marketing and advertising.

2. Churn Rate and Retention

Retention rate refers to the number of users who keep coming back to use the app. By keeping an eye on the retention rate, you can understand what the users want. With that information, you can make changes accordingly.

Churn rate refers to the number of people who don’t use your app anymore.

3. User Activation

This refers to the number of people using the app compared to the number of people who’ve only downloaded it.

4. Engagement

It refers to the target actions taken by users while using the app. You can see how long users use your app. You can also assess the interval time in between the app usage.

Making Revenue With A Social Media App

The end goal of every business is to churn out good revenue. Here are a few ways through which you can monetise an app.

1. Paid Content

Like Instagram, users can use the app to share content and then monetise from it. For example, paid sponsorships or ads are a great way to churn out revenue.

Social media marketing is a huge thing nowadays. According to Oberlo, nearly 73% of marketing professionals believe that social media marketing is effective.

2. In-app Purchases

You can let your users buy things directly from ebooks and videos to other products.

3. Paid Subscriptions

This is a great way to retain users. You can give your users a taste of your app with a free trial period. Post that, you can charge them a small fee for a membership with access to several features.

Final Word

Making an isn’t as easy as it sounds. Several variables come into play even before making an app. Make sure you have a unique idea and ensure you keep your target demographic in mind.

Making use of social media to boost your business is a great move. For example, as per Datareportal, 79.9% of Australia’s population uses social media. This means if you effectively market your business there, you can boost your business.

With that being said, if you don’t know how to create an app, you can also contact app developers to help you with the same.