When planning to launch a social networking site, it is necessary to understand that having a mobile application along with a website is a requisite for a successful project. Also, when we discuss the development costs, you should keep in mind that most of the time and expenses are related to the backend (Admin part of the site, what happens in the shadows, and makes the app/web project work).

Social networking site and app development can be implemented from scratch or as an add-on to the existing web version. For this, we can work with either option, since we have experience with coming into the development process at any project lifecycle stage.

How to Create a Social Networking Site

Connecting with existing social media

The several steps separate the user from the full-fledged cooperation with an application, the better. Previously they have willed their details in several other social media apps so it’s not necessary to force them to submit it again. It is better to cut down the way to the new experience to one button “Connect with” or “Login using” one of the existing apps.

Opportunities for self-expression

Every user wants to feel unique and to explicate to the world how imaginative, unusual, and outside-the-box he is. Social media app should incorporate some features that can assist in the customizing of profile pictures, backgrounds, nicknames, etc.

Creating a network

Any social media does sense for the user only if there are his/her friends inviting people. Therefore, social media app developers should work through the comprehensive algorithm of friends graph and the system that lets to send requests with one click.

Arranging the newsfeed

Every social network needs news feeds. Content is the king, and rightly so. Users generate an enormous amount of content themselves: check-ins, statuses, video, audio, and photo uploads. Even more, they share someone else’s content. It makes possible to assert themselves and express their opinion

When we are planning to develop a social networking site we should consider this into account and offer the managing the news feed that best fits the specificity of the site.

Interaction with other services

To get a more rich user experience of interaction with the platform, it is important to develop a system of integration of existing services. Therefore, users do not have to decide among the many services they are already joined to and the new one. Speaking of third-party services we are referring to:

  • Relationship networks

Networks are used to build communication between people. They can be classified into the following categories:  For personal (Facebook), professional (Linkedin), and dating services (Badoo).

  • Media sharing networks

This kind of social media furnishes users the possibility to transfer video and photo content. These include Flickr, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, Vine, Snapchat. A notable feature is the scaling of content. For instance, some offer to publish short videos

  • Online reviews

Social media is a huge base of data that assists users to gather all the required information to make acquiring decisions. For case, Yelp and Urbanspoon are based on geolocation and the facility to give comments and suggestions on local business.

  • Discussion forums

Communities, forums, Q&A-services are some of the first forms of social media. Modern representatives of this type include Quora, Reddit, and Digg. At the center mechanics of the interaction between users is necessary for knowledge sharing.

  • Social publishing platforms

For this type of social media services related to blogging and micro-blogging platforms where users create and publish text and media content. These include such popular platforms as Twitter, Medium, and Tumblr.

  • Bookmarking sites

Mix, Pinterest, Flipboard are services where the user gets the content in the special library, which can be followed by other members of the community. Typically, the social media study powers to offer more relevant content.

  • Interest-based networks

The most charming opportunity that provides social networks is to discover like-minded people with related interests. For example, Goodreads is for lovers of poetry, the Last.fm is a network for music lovers

It should also be acknowledged the option of integrating your service in all present networks so that publications of users in your social media app could be cross-posted to other social networks. It will bring a user’s friends to your social network.

Private communication

Apart from the thrilling experience of public user communication, there are some things that must be discussed personally. Social networking sites should include built-in services for protected private communication. This way, your users will not approach third-party sources and will stay on more time in your site.

when accomplishing on such a high scale project, our developers attempt to start with the MVP or minimum viable product. In fact, MVP is a product with the least core set of functionality that immediately lets to post the product to the market to test the idea. This strategy assists to declare the product rapidly, while dramatically conserving time and money. Once validation is completed, we will finalize the product: add features, and design, improve UI/UX. Subsequent to this, the application is ready in the market for the extra cycle of validation and testing.

Build social Networking site with the help of our experts

In general, the MVP scheme is as follows:

 

Five Steps of Social Media Application Development

At APP Solutions, our professional team follows these critical phases in creating a successful social media app:

Strategy

At the initial stage, one must completely study the idea and the competing field, investigate the requirements, draw up a representation of the target audience and set the key performance indicators that are to be completed. All this accommodates to find a unique niche while acquiring a social site.

Design

The design itself consists of several steps:

Sketching

Very quick basic outlines of future application. They help estimate the future logic of the project, the number of screens, and the communication between them.

Wireframing

It is one of the most essential steps of a design process as it supports the development team to imagine the skeletal structure of social media applications. It provides a fabrication view of the app and the experience that will get the end-user.

Prototyping

A designed prototype is a practical model of the planned application. It gives a solid understanding of the product for both customers and for developers. It is very easier to edit an idea and make changes to it before the coding process is begun.

Design Site Skins

At this step, we transform wireframes in the social site design. We are thoroughly investigating current solutions, viewing the newest trends, and refining UI/UX to implement the best of potential solutions.

Development & Quality Assurance

The development and design process usually run together in the life cycle of a social media mobile app. When the prototyping of the app is done, we build its back-end by setting up servers, databases, APIs and working out perfect storage solutions. We deliver a product that meets all technical requirements, user guidelines, and platform standards. Our iOS and Android engineers recommend our clients the native social media app development to get better performance of the application.

At every step of development, we present standard and automated testing of each part of the program and their correct interaction in the program.

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Publishing & Marketing

Our professional team also assures the method of publishing, authors all promotional substances including screens, video guides, and the powerful representation of the application.

About marketing. When you come up with an idea for a web project, identify that the development costs are only a part of the project cost. You should also take into account basic marketing needs and costs. What way to choose in promoting your site is up to you, but don’t just start thinking about it AFTER your site is on the web.

Support

After the project is released to the application markets, we ensure our clients with all types of support and updates implementation. Also, we provide three months of free bug fixing after the application is published.

How to make a social media app

Social media site development is not a simple task. But we do consider those good ideas, our experience, and the great professional team are sufficient to produce a successful project that would transfer your business objects and bring positively loyal users. for more information click here. 

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