There are around 3.5 billion active social media users today, which is almost 50% of the global population. It makes it safe to say that the social media market is huge. But, with behemoths like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, it’s also a fiercely competitive one.
However, with the constant development of technology, new opportunities arise for those who want to tap into this niche and build their own social media apps. Social media app features are make-it-or-break-it factors when it comes to the success of your product, which is why you need to think them through carefully.
Let’s go through the most essential tips for creating a social app that your users will love.
1. Allow Integration with the Existing Social Media Platforms
Making the onboarding process as easy as possible should be among your priorities. People like it when they don’t have to provide the same information numerous times, so why not allow them to connect or log into your application with the credentials they use for an already existing app?
This functionality will reduce your bounce rate as many potential users will appreciate the fact that they can create a profile with a simple click on the button.
2. Enable a Greater Level of Personalization
People don’t want to blend in when they’re using social media. They want to express their unique personalities, so make sure that your app has enough profile personalization options.
Customization of profile images, cover photos, background images, and similar elements should be a must if you want to attract the right, engaged crowd.
3. Ensure Connectivity
People won’t be too willing to use your app unless they can invite their friends to join it. By allowing your users to let their friends know about your social network and easily send them invitations to register, you can be sure that they will stick around in your app longer, as well as that they’ll use it more frequently. This feature will help you too as you’ll grow your base of users.
Think about developing an algorithm that will offer your users different recommendations to connect with people who share similar values and interests, or follow pages that they might find interesting. The power of quality data might be helpful in improving the recommendations of your app.
4. Pick the Right Platform
Nowadays more than 50% of people use their mobile devices to browse the internet, and it’s expected that this trend will grow – by 2025, almost 73% of the population will use their smartphones to access the web. In other words, if you want your social media to gain traction and popularity, you’d better opt for a mobile version.
Now, there are two big players that dominate this landscape – Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS. It would be best to have an app for each of these two platforms, but it can be expensive. That’s why it’s a good idea to think through your options and make a detailed Android vs iOS comparison to identify which one to pick first. Once you’ve decided on the platform, the next important decision to make is to hire a top iOS or Android App Development Company to get a flawless app on either of the app stores. To have a bit of a background on how to make an app and to make sure you’re getting what you paid for, you can learn Swift or Kotlin online.
5. Structure the Newsfeed
People use social media to interact with their friends and acquaintances, and if you want to keep them engaged, you need a properly structured newsfeed. Stats say that 75% of social media users read new posts or watch stories on their apps. This shows that they’re highly interested in what their friends and connections share.
For example, if you’re building a social app for people who are into fitness and sports activities, make it possible for them to share their progress such as the distance they cover when going for a run, or how long it takes them to cover it. Such an app can show the daily activities of your users and other important pieces of information they would like to share with their followers. By adding a commenting and liking option, you can additionally encourage interaction.
6. Add Push Notifications
This feature is particularly useful as it allows your app to stay on your users’ radar even when they’re not using it. It’s great for boosting your retention rates and prompts your users to engage with your brand.
For example, Ali Express, a popular online retailer, uses push notifications to inform its users about the latest discounts, sales, and new releases. These messages appear in the notification bar and people click on them to read more about these deals.
Similarly, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn do something similar to inform their users that somebody commented or shared their post.
7. Implement a Secure Private Chat Option
No matter how interesting it is to interact with different people on social media, people still want to share certain things with one or more persons privately. A built-in secure chat option can allow this, so make sure to offer it to your users. That way you’ll keep them in your app even longer, as they won’t have to resort to some third-party apps in order to get in touch directly with their closest friends.
Wrapping Up
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but if you want to keep pace with your competitors and succeed in creating your next great product, try implementing the social media app features mentioned in this article. Good luck!
