There’s one superb thing that connects most of the urban and sub-urban population across the world- a messaging app like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Kik, Google Hangouts, Skype, BBM, WeChat and alike. Mobile messenger apps have brought many things to many people, but the key chatting feature that’s free-of-cost is something unique these instant-messaging apps offer. It’s something that put the users first- and users love it when you give them free services.
If there’s one thing that you’d like to do with your new idea of building a messaging app, it should be how to provide services in a way that are loved by the audience worldwide. Building an app is like burning the candle at both ends, and founders have to make difficult decisions every day with imperfect and incomplete technical information. In our experience, the best way is to approach an established mobile app development company that’ll take charge of all the technical elements while you can focus on the money-making and traffic-generating facets of app development.
So, who should continue reading this post
This post is for all sorts of business groups. For those totally new to the app world, for those looking to get to know it and for those who’ve decided the blueprint of their messaging app and think they know all, but possibly make quite a few false assumptions.
Before you actually dive into messaging app development, we’d like you to read and learn some vital strategies to move ahead with your messenger app. Besides the common attributes like voice calling, image and video sharing that almost every messaging app offers today, few messaging app giants have tapped on some phenomenal gimmicks that got them worldwide acceptance.
Also read: Popular Messaging App Trends That’ll Rule for the Rest of 2018
Here’re the secrets to success if you’re planning to develop a messaging app startup. You can learn the best tricks from each of the below behemoths:
Enjoying the biggest market in the world, WhatsApp has been recently purchased by Facebook. So, it’s like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp belong to a single owner. It all started in 2009 and the user base has gone beyond half a billion on the market.
- Wide-ranging cross-platform support– WhatsApp is available for iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows and even Symbian. It also works perfectly on your desktop and laptop.
- No Ads: WhatsApp has been very clear with its ‘no ads’ policy from the start. And thus, no interruptions for users. But this doesn’t mean WhatsApp isn’t making money. Then how? Remember, when there is no advertising in a business model, user is the product. And this is how the app is designed and developed. With its $1/ year model, the company has a reasonable source of potential revenue because the number of users is huge.
- Video Calling for free: This model is a ‘bang on.’ When people can talk with their relatives and friends abroad or in other countries without having to pay for the extra dollars, they can’t really miss that chance. Again, the company is earning through user data.
- Continuous Updates: WhatsApp keep coming up with novel and attractive themes, fonts, emojis after every few months. And this keeps the users engaged- they love to explore new, innovative elements in the app they’re already using. Regular updates give WhatsApp an upper edge.
Tip #1 So, as you start up, the prime focus is to amass a huge user base, rather than focusing on making money from the start. Because user data in itself is a big source of minting money. Also, make sure you are regularly updating and upgrading your existing model with pioneering functionality that’ll interest more users.
Also read: What’s the Cost of Building an App like WhatsApp?
Facebook Messenger
Acquiring the top position with WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, this company is the best example to learn from.
- Getting everyone on board: One of the most intelligent decisions while deploying an app is to launch it on all app stores, across all OSes and all platforms. Soon after its launch, Facebook Messenger was accessed by all iPhone, Android, BB and Windows users, gathering people from every corner of the globe.
- Lite app: If you aren’t aware of it, talk to your mobile app developer. App development companies in India and all over the world are trying to develop as liter apps as possible. Users abandon apps that eat up a lot of their phone’s memory, which is why Facebook has originally made its debut with a Lite version, not hogging carrier data each month.
- More than just a messaging app: No, no, no, I am not going to highlight any ordinary features like image and video sharing but the intuitive use of bots and group video calling that’s making the news. 1.3 Billion people are not using Messenger not just for its basics but for the extraordinary filters in video chats and for the voice-based intelligent agents (bots).
Tip#2 Come up with a blueprint that will introduce a paradigm shift in how the messenger apps work. Replace the text-based messaging with more interactive, contextual and conversational interfaces. Clearly, build an app that’s not using much of user’s phone storage.
If you belong to a nation where WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are blocked, you have an advantage as a business owner. You have a scope to make a wonderful version of your own messaging app that’ll become the only app for the people to communicate, only if you give them exclusivity.
- Group Chat Outdoes Others: Taking advantage of being the monopoly in countries like China and Saudi Arabia that have banned use of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, WeChat differentiates itself by providing brilliant group chat facilities. While Group messaging is restricted to 30 members in WhatsApp, WeChat has the option of adding up to 40 members.
- Offers brands to reach over 600 million users: Taking place of several other apps, WeChat allows users to send and receive money, book a cab, read news, post to social channels, order food, pay bills, book a doctor’s appointment and other on-demand services from one platform. It also offers brands to reach up to 600 million users in China by allowing them to send out service messages and run service ads in the form of ‘WeChat moments.’
Tip#3 If you can translate the idea of bringing forth one major platform for both users and brands to connect with each other, you win half the battle. But remember, the app has to be smooth and seamless. Don’t try your hands on the technical stuff if you’re not an expert. Give it in the hands of reliable and experienced app development company; you can find many in India. We’re one among the top-performing app development companies India.
You can contact us, we have expertise in working on startup app development projects and our team is ready to work on your ingenious idea. We have the potential to translate it into a pixel-perfect, unique concept app.