Being one of the newest yet efficient software solutions for social media apps, no-code became an ultimate choice for this niche. This is because it allows people to easily craft any kind of social media app without even a line of code and with a low budget. This can be especially beneficial for startups who want to get investments without spending a bunch of money.
Creating social network apps has a great pack of benefits for businesses. The social media industry is growing, reaching new heights every day, especially after COVID-19. According to Statista, the global social media market size is suggested to grow from $159.68 billion in 2021 to $223.11 billion this year at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 39.7%.
The reason for the high demand for social networks in today's modern life became more significant after the COVID-19 breakdown. This is because people need more places where they can talk with each other even in different countries. In addition, businesses found out that social media could become an excellent way for them to attract more customers and get higher revenue.
As a result, today, almost all small companies are leveraging social media to boost interaction and stay connected with their users. And this trend became only more valuable and efficient with all the changes in the world. Since most businesses have moved online, social media development is the way to go. And no-code is the best solution for this development as most no-code tools are specially designed for this purpose.
We have crafted a quick guide with features about no-code social media development. Let's start with the benefits for business.
Why Build Your Own Social Media App?
Since COVID-19, people have been looking for ways to interact with their loved ones and use services online. This is why businesses who want to stay in demand for the long term should show services and products online in this modern world. Alongside all obvious benefits, no-code social media development can help businesses with:
Boost Brand Awareness
Even though social media apps ultimately boost your brand awareness, just imagine what a great marketing campaign can bring to you in the long term. This is because people will learn more about your business through the things you show them. Therefore, it also boosts your chances of reaching new customers. Consider your social media app as the place where you can easily connect with any target audience and cater to their needs in a unique way. In addition, the social media app can also increase users' loyalty.
Generate More Traffic
If you already have an online presence, no-code social media development can help you generate more traffic to your services. For example, you could provide a vast list of your products through an app's advertising, offering promo codes, or tagging people. You could also create a special link to your website or other online platforms where users can find more details about your offerings. What is more, all that is posted on social media can be available for connections, their connections, friends, and relativities, creating a word of mouth that generates high traffic for your company.
Increase Customer Loyalty
Without any doubt, consumer loyalty always plays a key role in business success. And having a social media app makes it much easier to build this loyalty within a short time. This is because these apps allow you to stay connected with your consumers 24/7. Social media apps built with no-code also allow you to easily ask questions, share news and also learn more details about your products within one place.
Since you will also respond quickly and accordingly, people will always stay engaged and satisfied with the service you provide. Such a convenient and close level of interaction with users creates a vast community of loyal users. This benefit also leads to boosted sales, promotes your services, as well as saves your time and money for marketing.
How to Build a Social Media App with No-Code?
Create Main Pages of Your App
Let's start with considering the main pages that Facebook has, for instance. These will be the main pages your users will see and use on a daily basis. Lucy Kelly, no-code tools allow you to easily craft these pages, making them convenient and understandable. And the good news is that you don't need to worry about copying someone's app, as the design can be made from scratch with any desire.
For example, Bubble is an excellent choice for social media app development. This is due to its key feature of sending data to a page. Therefore, devs just need to make one generic version of a particular page that can share information regarding users or things from the local database. In the case of a social media app, all you need is to craft one "profile" page for the general consumer and set it up how you would like this page to reflect the User's information.
To guarantee success with your no-code social media app, it is best to start with an MVP. These pages should be included in your MVP for the test trial.
- A home page (for this page, Bubble offers the "index" page by default) that is going to show a news feed of the latest updates from connections once the User is logged in.
- A login page. In case the User is logged out, this page will be used to show a general "Welcome! Log in here" message.
- A profile page is just what the name applies to. It is going to show the main data about the User and any posts they've already made.
Identify Main Data Types
It is worth mentioning that no-code databases, like this Bubble, offer something different from regular ones. This is because they abstracted away most of the technical issues in interacting with information. However, the core concept is common. In regular databases, you will work with "tables." While Bubble offers you a table for each "data type."
In addition, data types in Bubble also have fields that are placed in the form of columns. The key difference is with database joins. Bubble and no-code tools, in general, significantly simplify the process by allowing devs to define a field type as a data type they have directly in the app.
Below you will see core data types used in social media app build with no-code:
- Data Type: User - Bubble app offers this data type by default. Fields: email also comes by default), user name, birthday date, living place, profile picture, any group
- Data Type: Post - posts that users write that are going to be viewed by others in the app. Fields: creator type User also comes by default), date created (included by default), the particular message
- Data Type: Group - any category the particular User belongs to. Fields: name, private (field type yes/no)
List Key Features
Even though each type of social media app has its own key features, let's check are most common ones below:
Profile. Any social media app has to contain a personal profile feature that allows users to check and edit their information as well as see a list of all their posts in one place.
Posts. This feature helps social media stay social media. This is because it allows users to post something (picture, video, or text) on the feed. Others should have a chance to easily check posts and comment on them.
Push notifications. This feature provides you with an excellent opportunity to connect with your users and keep them informed. Push notifications make it easier for consumers to see when someone commented on their post or when the app's update is coming. Push notifications are used in many ways and for many purposes. For instance, you can also let users know about your services and products by using them as well. However, it is vital not to overflow users with notifications and make them engaging for consumers.
A search bar. As the name implies, a search bar helps users to easily find what they came for groups, people, or topics they are interested in.
Connections. Users must have a chance to request and accept connections with their friends.
News feed. Since not everyone wants to check a friend's profile to find their news, you need to provide a news feed for everyone. Once a user creates new connections, the posts of these people have to be shown and updated on a news feed. And this feature is one of the most vital things to include in your social media app. Make sure that all the content is updated timely and is relevant, while users will have a chance to customize it to their liking.
Chat/Messaging. Here we talk about private messaging. It is a special system that allows users to chat in private mode, where they can discuss something without anyone entering the chat.
Groups and subgroups. The opportunity to set up a relevant group should also come with several subgroups. For instance, when the community or network is focused on those who like traveling, you may want to offer sub-groups that focus on camping particularly, etc.
Launch
It is vital to note that the launch is not the last step in the development process. Once the app is done, it has to go through several testing stages to make sure it is stable and works in the way it should. This is why it is vital to hire only a trusted social media no-code development team who knows every minor point of the process.
Once the app is launched, you should also know ways you are going to monetize the app in the future. It could be a subscription plan or in-app purchases. In addition, apply the best marketing campaign with your marketing department to make sure people will see your app and engage with it.
Final Thoughts
Social media is in high demand in 2022. This is because the pandemic caused people to stay at home, and businesses were trying to find the best ways to interact with customers online. This is where social media came into the picture and made it possible for them to provide their services and products online with no hassle and to a vast target audience. We crafted this guide to help you understand what social media app development is with no-code and what features you should consider when producing your application.
