Social media is everywhere and everyone’s using it in some form or another! This is a fact and we’ve seen new networks appear in the recent years. The reason for the popularity of social network apps is rather simple – they provide us a convenient way to communicate with other people. 

Making your own social network is an excellent way to dive deep into the app development process, its technicalities, business specifics, and so on. Furthermore, it’s direction with quite a potential as social media app development is one of the leading areas in the IT industry.

Experts at DuoKnows compiled a guide that will be useful if you decide to create a social network application. You’ll find out what things it’s important to consider and how to proceed with the idea to make it work.

Start with the idea of your social network app

Let’s start simple – it is crucial to begin with the idea of what kind of application you want to develop. The easiest way is to ask yourself some basic questions such as what will be the purpose of your solution? What problem will it solve? 

There are numerous answers to these questions as you may want an app that fulfills a specific type function. Here are some of the major categories of social network apps and their prime examples:

• Traditional social network – Facebook, Twitter (X), LinkedIn;
• Media sharing network – Instagram, TikTok, Youtube, Pinterest;
• Messaging app – WhatsApp, Telegram;
• Dating social network – Tinder, Grindr.

As it is possible to see, you have access to numerous types of social network apps (there are more) and it usually comes down to your preferences. However, defining one’s niche is one of the most important activities a future tech entrepreneur can do to make their product go off! 

Target audience

Consider conducting market research to determine your target market audience’s preferences in terms of social network features they prefer and what they usually do on social media platforms. This information can become crucial for the next steps of creating your own social network application.

Features for the win

Features are these little but important things that distinguish various social networks and make them unique. However, there are some must-have basic ones that you’ll need to implement in your application. These include:

• User profile – an essential element of any social network for logging in, logging out, etc.;
• Post creation – people go on social networks to share content. It can be text, images, videos, or something else, but the ability to make posts is pretty much mandatory;
• News feed – your application’s main hub where users will spend the majority of their time;
• React to posts – think of likes, shares, and comments. These things are tools that engage users with applications;
• Notifications – another engagement driver in your arsenal! If a person can subscribe to receive notifications from some content creator or their friend, they’ll be much more likely to return to the app;
• Chat – if you are truly aiming for a social network, the ability to chat is the “social” part of the equation;
• Search – the ability to search for people or accounts is just required for any complete social media platform.

With the core idea of the app covered, let’s move to other important matters.

The actual app development process

You’re likely a student interested in software development or there’s a passion project? Regardless of reasons, development of a social network app requires a structured approach. You’ll find major points of interest below.

Plan and design

If you’re heading for a unique product, it is important to visualize your idea. One of the best ways to do so is by creating a project plan that highlights your future app’s features, functionality, and design. Don’t forget wireframes to set up a future interface for the application.

Pick your approach and go for it

Now comes the technical part. You need to decide on your development approach. Do you want a native application or a cross-platform one? This is an important step because it determines technologies you’ll need to use. 

A native app for Android will require knowledge of Java or Kotlin, while iOS apps are developed using Swift. As for cross-platform options, React Native, Flutter, and Unity are some of the most popular frameworks. The choice should depend on your current knowledge of the technologies and desire to learn more about them!

If you’re not familiar with coding using a particular language or have some sort of troubles, DuoKnows specialists can help you out!

Test and secure your app

Testing is a mandatory part of any software development process and you’ll need to perform it to identify any bugs or usability issues that require fixing. It is smart to test your social network app on various devices to ensure its compatibility to reach a broader target audience!

Security is a key concern for any application. Your users will create profiles with their personal information, send content via private messages, and so on. You’ll need to make sure that their private data is protected and they aren’t exposed to any cyberthreats.

Beta testing and launching

Beta testing is an excellent way to try your social network in a controlled environment. Usually, it is easier to invite a group of friends of people to participate in beta testing. This way, you’ll be able to gather feedback and make adjustments to the app and its UI to prepare for a grand launch!

After all these steps, it’s time to launch your marvel. Find out about terms and conditions in popular app stores such as Apple Store and Google Play and actually bring your social network to the world. Active marketing will surely help your application gain momentum and gather more audience!

Final thoughts

Creating a social network application is not as easy as some assignments. It requires a logical approach, knowledge, and wits. However, tips and tricks covered in this article will serve you as a roadmap with the most important things you need to do in order to make your own social network app!

If you need to perform some research into a topic or require assistance with your code, DuoKnows experts are here to help you out. Contact us, describe your problem, and we’ll solve it!