Tag Archive for: Social media app

How to Create a Social Media App & How Much It Costs

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Social media apps have changed how we convey information and communicate with each other. Now more than ever, people spend much time online, scrolling news feeds on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. That is not to mention other social media apps that target a specific niche of users and can even motivate users to develop something similar.

The popularity of most social media apps is the freedom they extend to users. Users can share their thoughts, dreams, goals, and achievements with the whole world. Therefore, that is precisely why the social media app development market is one of the leading trends in IT today. People want to exchange ideas, share, and chat with other like-minded users.

So, if you want to know how to create a social media app, continue reading this post.

Types of Social Media Apps

If you’re thinking of starting a social media app, it’s first important to know what type of social media your idea belongs to. First, you need to define your target audience, identify competitors, and offer your targeted users more appropriate functionality in their overall user experience.

Let’s define the specific types of social media apps:

1. Social Networks

The primary aim of this type is to connect people with shared interests and who pursue different goals. For example, LinkedIn helps users find professional opportunities and build professional connections. Facebook offers a lot of thematic groups and more than 2 billion users to connect and befriend.

 

2. Media Sharing Networks

From its name, you can tell that these networks allow users to share different content. Users can share live videos, photos, and images. These days, the margin between social networks and media sharing networks is narrowing because such apps as Facebook are allowing users to share live videos and images.

 

3. Discussion Forums

These social media networks are gaining popularity because they allow users to learn from experts and share opinions on different topics. For example, discussion forums allow users to find the right information on specific topics. In addition, it’s possible to start a discussion, ask questions, and get responses from experts and knowledgeable users. The leading discussion forums include Quora and Reddit.

 

4. Consumer Review Networks

The primary objective of these social networking sites is to let users share reviews, opinions, and thoughts about products, locations, services, brands, and more. Consumer review networks can bring customers to the brand in case of positive reviews. In addition, company owners and stakeholders can get genuine client feedback and improve their products. Examples; Yelp and TripAdvisor.

 

5. Content Sharing Networks

Also called bookmarking apps, content sharing networks allow users to save and organize links to various online resources or websites. Users can save links in different folders according to topics. These platforms host more exciting features. For instance, Pinterest lets users upload their photos. In other content-sharing networks, users can download pictures they like. Most users choose these content-sharing networks to look through creative images and draw inspiration. Examples include Flipboard and Pinterest.

 

6. Blogging and Publishing Networks

Blogging is not as easy as it sounds. First, you must possess creative writing skills to keep your users engaged on a topic. Bloggers need applications that will enable them to pen their ideas from any device. It’s generally not difficult for you to build a social media app like this. YouTube and Facebook are the market leaders in this domain. But over the last few years, several other platforms have gained popularity like WhatsApp, Wix, Bubble, Squarespace, Microsoft Expression Web, and Medium.

Social Media App Development Cost

There are many websites offering clones of the Instagram app. These are templates with a few options for customization. So, it can be tempting to choose one of these and try to save money. However, utilizing them can breach privacy and security. In addition, you will still be required to develop a backend.

The truth is that a social media application development from scratch stands out because of its compelling brand, design, and functionality. But just like any other functional application, it takes time and money to develop. So, how long does it take, and how much will it cost you?

Let’s take a closer look.

Social Media App Development Timeframe

The one-platform version of a social media app may take upwards of 2000 hours to develop, including UI and UX design, app development (client-side and server-side), and accompanying activities like deployment, testing, and project management. In addition, if you want to create a promotional landing page for your app, it may require another 100-200 hours.

Social Media App Development Costs

The cost of a social media app depends on how much you choose to pay your developers. You usually have three main options as outlined below:

  • Freelancers – From $15 per hour.
  • In-house development team – From $90 per hour.
  • Outsourced development team – From $50 per hour.

The problem with freelancers is the difficulty and necessity to coordinate their efforts and the possible lack of expertise which is especially difficult to notice if you’re unaware of the complexities and intricacies of web development. On the other hand, hiring a local development team is way too expensive – it means spending far too much on simple fixtures.

Therefore, the way to go is to outsource a development team. The outsourcing option is a great way to tap into the expertise of a local in-house development team at just a fraction of the cost. For an Instagram-like social media application, you can take the below rough calculations:

Application development: Android/IOS – $25,000

Client-side app development – $13,000

Server-side app development – $25,000

UX/UI design – $9,000

Total Cost: $72,000

Social Media App Features and Their Costs

So, to calculate the cost of a social media app, you need to consider the required features since they affect the cost significantly. In addition, these features must perfectly fulfill the expectations of your target users and seek to solve their problems. There are two main features you must consider: the minimum viable product MVP and advanced features.

Must-have or minimum viable product features stand for basic functionality to satisfy users’ needs and offer them the appropriate user experience. It’s common for developers to launch the MVP version of the social media app, then gain feedback before investing more money in the idea itself. The MVP allows understanding what specific features need improvement. It’s only after this basic understanding that you can add more features.

Basic MVP Features to Build a Social Media App

With an MVP, you have better chances to get investments since a working app earns more trust from stakeholders. To give you a hint, we’ve singled out some MVP features.

  • Search
  • User profile
  • Sign-up feature
  • Chat
  • Newsfeed
  • Push notifications
  • Add post

Advanced Features

  • AR filters
  • Editing
  • Location-based content
  • Post-release marketing

Social Media App Development Trends

Social media is changeable. New app designs come and go. Therefore, the following elements can prove to be a game-changer in the coming years and something to add to your next social media app development project.

  • Interactive content. 91% of social media users are striving for interactive media content. Key aspects of interactive content include 360-degree video, AR/VR, games, quizzes, and many more.
  • Video content. Video is one of the most interactive content forms, and it’s gaining more popularity. Whether it’s short videos like on TikTok and Instagram Live or long videos like on YouTube, the social media video apps are defining the future.
  • Social commerce. Social commerce is becoming the primary way of retailing, whether online or offline. Shortly, this trend will intensify with the advent of an increasing number of social networks offering new sales features.
  • Leveraging social networks to serve customers. This change took place slowly as brands began noticing customers were contacting them through social networks. It’s simply the easiest way to get in touch with some social media users.

Contact NS804 for more inquiries about social media app development costs.

How to Create A Social Media App: Complete Guide

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Nowadays, it’s impossible to comprehend a world without social media and how it has impacted us. For better or worse, platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have changed the way we interact with each other online. Perhaps they eat up more of our time than we’d like to admit. But on the other hand, they’ve revolutionized the way we consume and share content. Furthermore, these platforms are opening up many invaluable opportunities for creatives, developers, and businesses.

1. Why You Should Develop A Social Media App

Whether you’re an appreneur or running a large organization, it’s time to take a serious look at social media. And there are many good reasons why you’d want to do this, considering the current online landscape. Chances are you’re already active on one or more social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Moreover, you probably have family members, friends, and work colleagues that are plugged into their favorite social channels too. 

If we briefly look at numbers, consider the juggernaut Facebook, which boasts 2.89 billion monthly active users by the 2nd quarter of 2021. With such extensive reach, Facebook has become the leading platform among relationship networks. Many people love engaging with friends and loved ones here, given the platform’s powerful features that facilitate user retention. 

Of course, it would be a Herculean task to develop a social media app to compete with the likes of Facebook, especially for a startup. But it’s not necessary to copy Facebook to find success with a social channel. It’s best to find a niche that serves a need, which appeals to a sizable audience. For example, a corporate social channel could serve as an effective tool for connecting all workers within the organization. And users outside the organization won’t be able to access this channel, making it a manageable project for a smaller developer.

2. Determine The Type Of Social Media App You Want To Create

As we mentioned earlier, your social channel must serve a need. Otherwise, you’ll waste resources on a project that won’t attract users and ROI. So, carefully consider what type of social media app will find its place with today’s users. Here’s a quick rundown of the types of apps you can create moving forward:

  • Bookmarking Sites – Users that enjoy consuming or curating online content make use of bookmarking sites regularly. These include services such as Flipboard, Mix, and Pinterest. 
  • Discussion Forums – The granddaddy of social media platforms that have a proven track record for attracting enthusiastic users. A few key examples include Digg, Quora, and Reddit.
  • Media Sharing Platforms – Content creators, graphic designers, and photographers love to share their work online using media sharing platforms. A few popular services that can handle image and video sharing include Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. 
  • Microblogging Services – Bloggers and content creators enjoy the convenience of sharing their thoughts and content on these platforms. Popular services include Medium, Tumblr, and Twitter.
  • Relationship Networks – These are among the most popular social media platforms due to their high user engagement. Users love to socialize and connect with others on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Tinder.
  • Review Sites – Users have become accustomed to rating businesses, products, or travel destinations and leaving comments about their experiences. Review sites that facilitate this include Tripadvisor, Trustpilot, and Yelp.

3. Understanding Your Target Audience

When developing and releasing an app, it’s crucial to understand your audience as intimately as possible. Thus, it’s always a good idea to have target audience templates and examples handy. These templates will detail your potential users’ age, gender, demographics, education, income, hobbies, and interests. By conducting a detailed target audience analysis, you’ll likely craft a social media app that hits the mark.

4. Plan Your App’s Workflow In Detail 

Social media apps are complex, which means that you shouldn’t skimp on any of the details. Furthermore, you’re aiming at creating an app with user retention in mind, so plan carefully! 

Start by sketching a basic outline of your app, and determine the number of screens and subsequent user interaction. Then, wireframe your app so that your development team can accurately visualize how it will look and feel on mobile devices. If necessary, develop a prototype so that all stakeholders will know how the app will be like when released. And these stakeholders can then request changes and tweaks to improve the app further.

Finally, finetune the user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) of your app so that it complies with current standards. Also, consider your target audience and what type of UX/UI best fits their needs and expectations. If you’re targeting a younger audience, they’ll appreciate a bolder and more colorful design language. And an older audience will prefer a more utilitarian approach to your app’s design.

5. Consider All The Functionality That Your App Requires

Earlier, we mentioned that social media apps are complex, and we weren’t kidding about this matter. To make your app palatable to today’s users, you’ll need to implement several essential features. And while it may not be necessary to integrate all these features listed below, you’ll probably need most of them:

  • App Management – Establishing a web portal for managing users and data via the app.
  • Customization – Allow users the ability to customize backgrounds, colors, profile pictures, and nicknames to improve user retention.
  • Data Sources Integration – Implementing data from existing and multiple sources.
  • Data Types – May include audio, video, and photo content, including data, lists, and text. 
  • Geolocation – Acquire location data based on a user’s device location by integrating Apple’s and Google’s geolocation APIs.
  • In-App Communication – Allows a user to communicate with other users, comment on posts, and share content on social media.
  • Network Building – Implementing an algorithm and search features that make it easy for users to connect with friends, family, and like-minded people.
  • News Feed – Users can update their status and upload content on their news feed to share with others.
  • Payment Systems – If your app has a payment component, you’ll need to integrate various payment APIs. These may include Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal, to name a few. 
  • Security – Enabling encryption to protect user data while complying with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
  • Social Media Integrations – Make it easy for users to login into your app using their preferred platforms and to share content. 
  • User Interaction – The various ways your app will communicate with the user: email, push notifications, or SMS.
  • User Management – Initiating the basic registration process by requesting a user’s email or social media account.

6. Implementing Analytics To Monitor User Retention And Engagement

Ensure that you’ve implemented analytics in your app to monitor its performance and user engagement. You’ll want to keep track of how many active users you have compared to your overall downloads. Also,  keep tabs on your user retention and churn rates, especially when rolling out new features and updates. And determine user engagement by analyzing all the actions they take during each session.

In Conclusion

Creating a compelling social media app requires careful planning and extensive knowledge of the numerous platform-specific APIs and integrations. Contact us today to learn how NS804 can help you develop fantastic mobile apps and social experiences.

How Much Does It Cost To Develop A Social Media App?

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One of the most asked questions by businesses is how much does it cost to create a social media app. So, the average cost of designing an application like LinkedIn, Tumblr, and Facebook, can range from $15,000 to 50,000+ depending on app types, elements, features, design, complexity, and software development.

From Twitter to LinkedIn and Facebook to Instagram, all have become a social sensation that is booming the internet these days. Furthermore, with the projection that social media users will reach 4.6 billion by 2025 from 3.6 billion in 2020, it is fair enough to surmise that social media applications will take the world by storm. So, the existing social media platforms have revolutionized the way people communicate these days. And they are becoming an integral part of everyday life.

Cost of A Social Media App

In calculating the cost of a social media app, it is important to factor in three fundamental elements. These elements include; the complexity of the app, features, and the operating platform. The first level of complexity is the simple social media app. This level has embedded app features such as sign-in, text messages, profile editing, and push notifications. In addition, it provides access to in-device features like camera and storage. The simple social media app uses a single-platform operating system and costs $15,000+.

The medium app entails the following features: profile editing, sign-in, push notification, user profile, sharing stories, and video sharing, and costs $20,000+. The advanced social media app entails superior app features like text chat, voice notes, video sharing, push notifications, and more. The advanced app utilizes a cross-platform operating system and because of this, it costs $25,500+ on average.

Minimum Viable Product Cost

According to the best practices of mobile app development, it is important to start your project with a minimum viable product. The MVP will help you see whether your product meets the market demand because users interact with the minimum viable product. It provides an overview of how effective your marketing strategy is. The minimum viable product provides much output from the least input. As a result, developers and app owners can see the potential benefits, costs, and expenses of the social media app long before it is developed.

After determining the cost of the MVP, you can proceed to coordinate your marketing and development efforts with the results obtained from the MVP study. Essentially, an app MVP is a great tool for reaching out and keeping in touch with your intended audience.

This leads us to the question: So, if you build a minimum viable product for a social media app, how much will it cost?

Well, the cost will depend on a combination of factors like the set of features you want to implement. These features include; technology stack, deadline, project design, and the operating system. A simple ten-screen app is likely to be cheaper than a ten-screen application with a complex design.

Features of a Minimum Viable Product

Research shows that a minimum viable product with a basic feature set could feature the following functionalities:

  • Sign up
  • Private messages
  • Post feature
  • Personal profile
  • Feed
  • Search
  • Comment feature
  • Group

So, as you embark on your journey, remember that creating a successful app is not easy. Luckily with app development experts like NS804, you can take your shot. The world has witnessed small ideas materialize into great apps, your story could be similar. Visit NS804, your app development partner, to know how much it costs to create a social media app.