How to Create a Social Media Platform: A Comprehensive Guide and Timeline

Today, many people love using social networks, and they can be profitable for their creators. It’s no surprise that many business owners want to reproduce this success by creating their own social network.

However, most of them fail because they just try to copy existing platforms. After all, who really needs another Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram?

But creating a fresh social media app is truly an exciting opportunity. As our dependence on digital communication grows, the idea of building an app for making new connections sounds extremely exciting.

To help you create a successful social media app on the first try, we have prepared a guide that unfolds all the details and traps of social media app development.

Reasons to Pursue Social Media App Development

Creating a social media app can be a smart and profitable decision since you can develop a social network that not only has outstanding features but also listens to what users want and need. Some other reasons include:

• Growing User Numbers: More and more people are getting their hands in social media. Creating an app now gives you a chance to reach a large and expanding audience.
• Social Media Is a Never-Fading Trend: People’s preferences in the online world always change but never disappear. Developing an app that keeps an eye on the latest trends and offers new and interesting features can help your business boom.
• Making Money: Social media platforms can make money through ads, special features, and partnerships. Your app could explore these options to generate revenue as online advertising and digital services continue to offer new options.
• Targeting Specific Groups: Focusing on a particular niche can attract a dedicated user base that appreciates the unique content your app provides.
• Connect Globally: Social media connects people around the world. If you add features that encourage global communication and collaboration, your app can seize the world.

Types of Social Media Platforms

Understanding the nuances of different social media platform types is necessary to shape the app’s unique value and make it stand out from the crowd:

General Social Networks

General networking platforms serve as a virtual space for users to connect with friends, family, and colleagues. These platforms often include user profiles, news feeds, and messaging features.

Examples: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn

Visual Content Platforms

Visual-centric platforms focus on sharing images, videos, and other multimedia content. These apps often prioritize aesthetics and visual storytelling.

Examples: Instagram, Pinterest

Professional Networks

Professional and specialized networks cater to specific industries, interests, or locations. These platforms provide a targeted space for like-minded individuals.

Examples: GitHub, Goodreads

Blogs and Microblogging

Microblogging platforms allow users to share short-form content, often in the format of short posts, images, or links. A key feature of these platforms is real-time engagement.

Examples: Twitter, Tumblr

Messaging Apps

With a focus on one-on-one or group communication, messaging apps provide instant messaging, voice, and video call features. They focus more on real-time, private interactions.

Examples: WhatsApp, Telegram

Video Sharing and Streaming Platforms

Video-sharing platforms are designed to create, share, and discover videos. These apps often stimulate users to generate content and actively engage through comments and likes.

Examples: YouTube, TikTok

Discussion Forums and Community Platforms

Discussions and community platforms ignite discussion and community disputes around hot topics. Users can take part in conversations, share insights, and connect with like-minded people.

Examples: Reddit

Review and Recommendation Platforms

Review and recommendation platforms focus on customer reviews and business, services, and product feedback. They help users make the right decisions based on the experiences of others.

Examples: Yelp, TripAdvisor

Dating Apps

Dating apps cater to individuals seeking romantic or social connections. They use specific algorithms to match users based on preferences and geolocation.

Examples: Tinder, Bumble

Key Features of a Social Media App

Creating a successful social media app requires careful consideration of key features that enhance user engagement and overall experience. Here are essential elements to incorporate into your social media platform:

User Profiles

Allow users to create unique profiles with details such as bio, picture, and interests. Profiles serve as a digital identity and a way for users to express themselves.

Content Discovery

Enable content discovery through trending posts, photos, videos, and updates from users and pages that a user follows. Use intelligent algorithms to tailor content to user preferences.

Social Interaction Features

Allow users to express their appreciation for posts through likes and engage in conversations through comments. Also, permit users to share content within the platform and, when relevant, on external platforms to increase visibility.

Notifications and Alerts

Allow users to stay informed about new interactions, friend requests, and relevant updates to maintain engagement and retention. Provide real-time alerts for user activity, such as when someone likes their post or mentions them in a comment.

Multimedia Integration

Support easy uploading and sharing of photos and videos with features like filters, editing tools, and captions to enhance creativity. Include live streaming capabilities to help users launch live content and engage with their followers in real time.

Analytics and Insights

Provide users with data into their activity, including post reach, engagement metrics, and follower demographics. Also, let administrators track overall platform performance, user behavior, and popular content to make better decisions for future updates and improvements.

How to Create a Social Media App: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating a social media app requires following clear steps for a successful development process and an experienced development team. Here are some tips to help you through the process of building a social app:

Planning and Pre-Development Phase

Before diving into actual coding, take your time to develop a well-thought-out plan. Define the app’s objectives, features, requirements, and target audience. Conduct thorough research and viability analysis to confirm your app can shine among thousands of others and give users something that they do not have yet.

The depth of planning at this stage significantly impacts the overall timeline. For example, deploying advanced features like secure access, notifications, geo-location, and social sharing may take extra time. Think whether you need any third-party integrations, such as APIs for social media logins, etc.

Development Phases

The development process itself includes key phases.: UI/UX design, front-end development, back-end development, testing, and database integration. Each has its unique role and time limits.

Post-Development Activities

This phase includes app submission to app stores and compliance with review guidelines. It takes time for app approval and potential revisions.

Finally, the app should be maintained and constantly updated.

Factors Impacting Social Media App Development Cost and Timeline

The development of an app involves various factors that contribute to the overall cost and timeline. Consider the following:

Platform Selection

Decide whether you want to develop for iOS, Android, or both. Developing native platforms will generally cost more and take longer than initially targeting a single platform.

Features and Complexity

The more features you incorporate, the longer it will take to develop and the higher the cost. Start your app with basic features like user profiles, feeds, and messaging, and then implement advanced features such as real-time analytics, augmented reality, or AI-driven content recommendations.

Design and User Experience

The level of customization and complexity in the app’s design will impact both development time and cost. A highly polished and intuitive user interface may require more resources but can impact user retention.

Testing and Quality Assurance

Comprehensive testing is a must for a social media app. It goes without saying that testing takes time and requires extra investments. But the more extensive the testing process, the better the app’s stability and user experience.

Marketing and Launch

In a highly dense app market, it’s vital to put enough resources to help people find you. Therefore, budget for marketing activities before and after the app launch. This includes promotional materials, advertising, and community engagement.

Post-Launch Support and Updates

Never save money on post-launch activities and support. Ongoing costs will allow you to promptly address user feedback, fix bugs, and release updates to keep the app fresh and competitive.

Our Experience in Social Media App Development ​​

Successful case studies can provide valuable insights into the nuances of app development. Here, we explore three examples that showcase how different approaches can lead to success.

Compenet

Compenet is a global social network where anyone can take part in various competitions and win rewards. It has a user-friendly interface and supports various formats such as video, audio, banner, poster, and concept ideas.

Compenet example shows how adding interactive elements into an application can level up the community activity and boost the engagement rate.

Funzoo

Funzoo is a custom social network for everyone who likes animals and wants to help zookeepers. It provides a place to connect with fellow animal lovers, exchange pictures, send messages, and coordinate efforts in order to help the zoos in the area.

Zuppers

Zuppers is a social network for corporations that focuses on users’ anonymity and high data security. It features the opportunity to work with third-party applications, API Console, and the custom MVC framework.

Though not a typical social media app, Zuppers highlights the versatility of social media app development by addressing specific business needs.

Conclusion

Creating a social media app requires careful planning, a good understanding of user psychology, and a commitment to delivering a fresh user experience.

By following tips provided in this guide, you’ll be well-equipped to start an exciting journey of social app development and deliver your social media platform successfully.

The SCAND team is happy to help you with the development, deployment, and support of your social network platform. Get in touch with us to start a new project together!