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Gohar Aslam
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App Development
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14 March, 2024
Features That Make a Social Media Mobile App Popular
Can you remember the last time you picked up your mobile phone? What was it that you were busy doing on it?
If you take a short walk down memory lane, you’ll realize that you were probably using one or another social media app like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Tinder, etc. Most, if not all of us, spend most of our time on social media apps. This is how integral social media is to us today.
With more than 5.04 billion social media users, social media has evolved into a one-stop solution for global connectivity. However, a pressing question for entrepreneurs like you is, “Can my app win the social media race and come out on top like Instagram or Facebook?”
The answer to this question, albeit uncertain, depends on your social media app’s value proposition. What social media features are you offering users that set you apart and keep users coming back for more?
Features of A Social Media Mobile App
Fair warning: Not all social media applications that hit the market will go viral!
However, you can push your app in the right direction by strategizing and adding social networking features that become your unique selling point to users.
Here, we will discuss the top 15 features of social media you must incorporate in your application to truly stand out.
Let’s dive in!
Basic Features of a Social Media Mobile App
Login/ Sign up
In this fast-paced world, users don’t have the time and energy to go through a lengthy and burdensome login/sign-up process. They want to connect with others and engage seamlessly with a world of content.
A platform that provides them with a smooth login process scores some major brownie points. It also builds confidence and trust in the app. On the other hand, an app that complicates the signup or login process often, if not always, alienates users.
Some ways you can enhance this feature include:
- Social Media App Integration – You can integrate your social media application with popular platforms to provide a familiar app login/signup process.
- Mobile App Integration – You can enable a seamless sign-in process by incorporating facial recognition or fingerprint scans.
- One-Time Password (OTP) Verification – You can also use OTP-based authentication for safe and convenient access to the app.
In-app Messaging and Calls
Users want a one-stop solution for all their needs. Incorporating an in-app messaging and calling feature will provide users a seamless communication experience.
It also adds a competitive edge to your app. With billions of people using messaging applications daily, you can tap this user base, too.
Content Sharing
Content sharing is one of the most integral social networking features. Users want an app that facilitates exchanging text, photos, videos, live streams, and gifs, as it contributes to users feeling closer to one another.
Your app should also provide content creation tools that cater to different storytelling styles and preferences. These advanced features elevate the content creation and sharing process and make your application experience more value-adding.
Appealing News Feed
Users quickly switch from one social media platform to another if it does not engage them aptly. The best way to retain users long-term is to design an appealing newsfeed. The secret behind the success of social media giants like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram is their dynamic newsfeeds. They enhance personal expression and strengthen global connections.
Here’s how you can create an engaging newsfeed:
- Quality First – emphasize content quality to ensure that every post is engaging and relevant and adds value to the overall user experience.
- Build Emotional Connection – The content on the newsfeed should evoke positive emotions in the users.
- Add Diversity but Be Relevant – The news feed should bring users a diverse mix of engaging posts with real-time updates.
- Facilitate Personalization – Customize the newsfeed to individual user preferences based on behavior and social connections.
Search
An easy-to-navigate and highly rewarding search feature improves user experience and adds immense value to your social media mobile app. People like to “Google” things and expect your social media app to provide them with the same seamless search experience as Google does.
Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube have powerful search algorithms in place to facilitate this need. For example, Instagram and Facebook allow users to search content based on music, hashtags, and creator names.
Push Notifications
Push notifications are a great way to hook users to your social media application. It is one of the few social media features that doesn’t require opening the app to engage with. They keep a user feeling involved in what’s happening in their field of interest. Hence, if there are any discounts, new messages, or any activity on their favorite user’s profiles, users can be notified in real time so they can tune in.
They should also be customizable and interest-centric for each user. According to recent statistics, push notification personalization improves reaction rates by 400%!
However, it is essential to use this feature carefully. Users don’t want to be bombarded with notifications. We suggest using push notifications strategically to avoid frustrating users.
Friend Request and Follows
Friend and follow requests are crucial aspects of a social media application. It is essential for user engagement and creating a healthy user community. It helps users connect with like-minded individuals, transcending geographic boundaries. These requests help users expand their reach, find new friends, and discover new perspectives. Moreover, they keep users coming back for interactions.
Gamification Elements
You can add game-like mechanics to your application to motivate users to interact with your application. For example, incentives like badges, rewards, and leaderboards drive engagement and encourage users to participate with one another. TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube have already introduced these features to create a sense of accomplishment.
Simple User-Interface (UI)
A simple user interface (UI) is the most essential feature of apps like Instagram and Facebook. An engaging and accessible design compels users to return to your app. Some great elements to improve your user experience include:
- Accessibility – Your application should include easily legible fonts for everyone and allow auto-generating responses and captions. It would provide an inclusive experience for differently abled people.
- Simplicity – Your design should be simple and easy to navigate. Avoid sensory overload by adding random images or complex fonts. A simple and clean design enables users to focus on interacting with the content of interest.
- Consistency – Offer a consistent theme throughout your app. The colors, logo, fonts, icons, and other design elements should be the same for every page. This minimizes user confusion and improves the perception of the application.
Security
In social media mobile applications, the most important feature of apps is Cybersecurity. It is one of the biggest threats to social media applications. Social media accounts are the most common targets of phishing attacks. Convincing users that their information is safe is nearly impossible.
Hence, security needs to be a critical concern for users of social media mobile apps across the board. Social media users need assurance that their personal information is safe and secure, so social media apps should prioritize robust security features and unique user accounts. This will build a community, share experiences, and create relationships, leading to a thriving platform.
See our latest relevant exploration How To Create A Social Media App
Advanced Features of a Social Media Mobile App
AR-Backed Face Filters
Augmented Reality (AR) and face filters add immense value to your app. Instagram and Snapchat are great examples of AR–face filter integration. They also help users incorporate old photos and videos in different virtual settings to create an optimized experience.
AI and Chatbots
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized communication and content search. You can integrate chatbots to automate tasks and provide a personalized user experience. Chatbots improve customer service efficiency, optimize marketing activities, and boost sales through personalized suggestions.
Text-to-Speech Feature
This feature is an excellent addition to making your app more accessible to differently-abled users. Lengthy texts and emails can be difficult to read, even for average users. Hence, converting them to natural human speech eliminates the hassle of reading them. Facebook Messenger, Twitter, and WhatsApp already have this feature.
Language Translation
Adding language translation to your app is one of the few social network features that can help you expand your user base and convert leads into profitable customers. It is a great way to cater to a global audience and establish a worldwide presence. Integrate affordable translation applications like Google Translate, SayHi Translate, or LingoChamp to improve user experience.
Photo Editors
The photo editor provides various filters, cropping options, and the ability to rotate vertically taken pictures. These features allow users to showcase their photos on their profile pages.
Trends of the Social Media Industry
Social media apps are evolving rapidly. To keep up, you need to be aware of the latest trends and features. Here we’ve listed some of the growing trends of 2024:
AI For Marketing and Customer Service
AI’s integration with customer service and marketing is a trend that will spread this year well into the next. AI is great at optimizing marketing activities. You can use it for scaling content creation and improving personalized customer care responses. However, ensure you use it carefully and ethically – protect your brand and team.
Personalized Customer Service Is Here to Stay
With the addition of chatbots to the customer service segment, the expectations tied to social media customer service will go up. Customers appreciate social media features that add any element of personalization and help reinforce your image as a customer-centric app.
Organic Content That Resonates
Consumers are looking for authentic, non-promotional content from brands on social media. Brands that feature authentic voices, from creators to employees, are more likely to succeed than those that don’t. This trend of featuring authentic voices is here to stay and represents the new era of social media.
The Content Creator Economy Boom
In today’s world, creators and influencers rule social media platforms. They bring an authentic, human touch to the content they post, making it easier for the audience to connect with them. As we move towards an era of authenticity, their role in brand accounts will become even more crucial in building a strong connection with the target audience.
BTS Content to Reimagine Transparency
Users want to see authentic content and know what happens behind the scenes. Hence, adding features that facilitate this trend is a great way to keep users hooked to your social media app and improve consumer traffic for businesses using your app as a marketing tool.
How can Coding Pixel help you build a successful social media mobile app?
At Coding Pixel, we boast over 8 years of experience and hundreds of successful mobile apps. Our team of experienced app developers value your vision and mold it so you can compete with other popular social media applications. Our fundamental goal is to create a scalable and adaptive app with social media features that set you apart in this competitive landscape.
SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
We’ve explored major social media mobile app features in great detail, from simple features like login/signup and push notification to the more complex features like AR-based face filters and text-to-speech.
Now, we want to hear your insights into the evolving landscape of social media applications. What social media features do you think are necessary for an app to win the social media race?
Want to know more about the best features of social media applications? Talk to our experts
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
There are many ways of generating revenue from your social media application. After scaling, you can use in-app advertising, in-app purchases, and premium content.
The cost of a social media app depends on the features and complexity of the application on the whole. This includes app design, development, testing costs, maintenance, and support. Typically, it can cost you anywhere from $55,000 to $200,000.
Social media is a powerful tool for creating and developing a brand. It allows businesses to establish their brand identity, increase brand awareness, interact with customers, advertise their products and services, and create a community around their brand.
Gohar is a seasoned IT writer specializing in leading technologies. He holds a Diploma and Bachelor's degree from the University of London, with professional experience spanning over five years in the IT sector. His expertise involves a keen focus on mobile applications, web apps, blockchain, content management systems, e-commerce, and fintech. Beyond the professional field, Gohar is an avid reader and reads extensively about emerging and innovative technologies.