How to Create a Social Media App?

The power of social media apps like Facebook and Instagram isn’t new to anyone. If you have pondered upon making an app, it should most definitely be a social media one.

Social media apps are easy to create because there are multiple software and app builders on the internet that you can use for free. Or, you can also go for app developers, but that would be very costly. It is the very reason why we are going to give you a sneak peek at how to create a social media app. So, let’s dive into it and spill the beans.

Do Social Media Apps Have Any Scope?

Currently, the apps that have maximum scope are social media apps. People are embracing technology as a part of their life which is why Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are now worth billions of dollars.

If you manage to make one such app, you can change the world, but make sure that you have a vision behind that app. When it comes to scope, social media apps have a lot of scopes. 

So, the environment these apps have created is pretty advanced. Now that we are entering into a world of Metaverse, social media apps could be an integral part of this digital world and help us make our own identity.

Not only are social media apps full of scope, but they are far more profitable than any other kind of app, so it wouldn’t be wise to go for any other option when social media apps have so much potential.

Options for Building Social Media Apps

The times when you had to specifically learn coding to make any kind of app are gone. Now you can just make it with a few clicks. The no-code methods of creating these apps are a little more famous these days because they are rapid and do not require you to learn any specific computer language.

So, let’s find out what options you have for building your social media app.

Open-source software

Open-source software is quite famous these days, and they come in different forms, either free or paid. If you install software, you will have options for more customization, and you can make your software the way you want.

But in this type of app development, you would need to bear the price of hosting and a developer. Open-source software is rather lousy in customer support too. So, if you have the matters of hosting and development sorted, only then go for open-source software.

Complete development

When you are going for complete development, it means that you are building the app from scratch. You won’t be putting a lot of effort into it because all you need to do is hire a professional app developer. It might be a little costly but will help you make the app just the way you want. 

SaaS platforms

SaaS solutions are the most famous ones for building an app. You don’t need to have a lot of coding knowledge, and you would still be able to make a reliable social media app. You can also use SaaS solutions for the digital marketing of your app.

CMS platforms

CMS platforms are a very economical option for you if you want to know how to build a social media app on a budget. You can get free plugins, but CMS platforms can have a lot of bugs and errors, so they should be your last option.

Important Features for a Social Media App

Now that you know the ways using which you can build a social media app. It is also important to know all the things that are necessary for that app. Make sure to add all these features, and there is nothing that could stop your app from being on top.

Notifications

The feature of getting a notification whenever someone likes your post or photo is significant. Make sure that the users get a notification on their phone even when they are not using the app, just like Facebook and Instagram do.

Newsfeed

There is nothing more satisfying than scrolling through your news feed. If your app doesn’t have a newsfeed, it will look incomplete. People can see exactly what their friends and relatives are posting in their newsfeed, so it is an important feature.

Profile

A profile is the most important thing that should be present in your app. A proper and customizable profile will usually have the user’s name, picture, and bio. Make sure that you give them options for making it more personalized if they want.

Navigation tab

A navigation tab is something that should be present in all social media apps because it makes it easier for users to look for their friends. They can also look for groups and topics they are interested in, which is integral for a social media community.

Chat

Some apps weren’t providing the options of chat initially, but with the popularity of messaging, people started integrating chat options in their social media apps too. So, make sure that you either have a different chat page or a chat pop up right on the home screen.

Posts

The whole point of social media apps is sharing the information which became possible with the most advanced posting options. The users of your app should be able to post pictures, videos, or plain texts, and it will make it even easier for your app to gain popularity. The posts should be able to integrate:

• Images
• Links
• Attachments
• Lists
• Text
• Videos
• Stickers
• Emojis

Build a Social Media App with Owlab

If you wonder how to create a social media app, Owlab is ready to help you with this challenge. We are a software development company originally founded in Ukraine, but we have expanded since then and now we are carrying out our operations in Estonia as well. 

We have expertise in app building and specialize in blockchain, retail, healthcare, and more. Make sure to ping us with your requirements to make your app development hassle-free.