Do you want to create your own social network app? If so, you're in the right place. In this post we'll go over the top things you need to know to get started.

What are the benefits of launching your own social network app?

Let's kick off with WHY you should create a social network app. For starters, it's a game changer. Since it’s your app, you’re the one running things for your community. You never have to worry about other companies stealing the spotlight with their own branding or advertising, or your content getting lost in a sea of cat memes. This means there are fewer distractions for your fans and a much stronger focus on your brand, your passion and your overall mission and goals.  Now that we've touched on the endless benefits that creating your own social network app can open up for you, here’s how to get the most out of social network software.

How to create a social network app

1. Know your community

This is the most time-consuming step before launching your app, but your efforts will pay off in the end. Assuming you’re already using social media to keep in touch with your customers, that’s the best place to start. Look at how people are already engaging with your brand, and brands like yours, on social media. Maybe they’re posting comments, reviews or even sharing tips and guides about your products or services. Or, maybe they’re heading to YouTube to view specific topics of videos. Explore your community's behaviours and keep a note of them, so you can create a social network app that's built around their wants and needs.

2. Find out what’s missing

If you're taking the time to create a social network app, you want it to be a successful one. In order for you to achieve that, you'll need to have something unique to offer people. Salespeople often call this a value proposition. Ask yourself how your social networking app is going to make life better for your audience and, in doing so, help you to supercharge your brand. If, for example, you run a coaching business providing online training sessions, you may have a hard time if you’re relying on YouTube for livestreaming and a different app where your clients have a space to communicate and share their insights. Now, imagine being able to keep everything in one app; one everyone can access using their smartphones wherever they are and not having to worry about sharing sensitive or personal topics. There it is - you’ve found your value proposition!

3. Build your app

By far the most gruelling and costly approach is to create a social network app from scratch. The average price for creating a mobile app is around £140,000 and let's not forget the months of bug testing you have to complete to make sure everything is running smoothly! We're focused on the easiest, fastest and most affordable way, so let’s stick with that. There’s no point starting from ground zero when you don’t have to, so it makes sense to choose a platform which can support your goals. At Disciple, our mission is to support as many passion pioneers as possible, which means we like to keep things simple and affordable without sacrificing on quality. That means, you can launch your app in no time without ever having to worry about writing a single line of code.  Social network software is basically a blank slate. All the foundations and features you need, are already there. All you need to focus on is how you'd like to customise your app with your own branding and loading it up with the features and menu items you need. It really is, that easy.

4. Rally your fans

It can take a couple of days to have your app submitted, reviewed, and published on the app stores, but it’s a good idea to start preparing for your launch in advance. This will give you a chance to generate a buzz and build up excitement. If possible, you might even want to invite a select few customers to test-drive your app before you make it available to everyone, so you can get feedback on the overall look and feel of it. When you’re finally ready for launch, get in touch with everyone on your mailing list. You’ll also want to get your audience off your existing social networks and moving to your app instead. Be sure to promote your new app on any social networks you’re already using and highlight the benefits and exclusivity your audience will gain from your shiny new app.

Final words

It doesn’t take much to create a social network, but it's worth spending a bit of extra time planning ahead and learning about your target audience.

Here’s a recap of what you need to do:

• Learn how your target audience currently engage with your brand
• Find out what’s missing from their experiences
• Choose a platform for building your app
• Build, customise, and test your app
• Promote your app, and build your community