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TOP 7 SOCIAL FEATURES TO

BOOST YOUR APP’S


ENGAGEMENT

2017
222 W Ontario St, Suite 501
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 888 6497 | devvela.com
TOP 7 SOCIAL FEATURES TO BOOST YOUR
APP’S ENGAGEMENT

The demand for social app development has been constantly growing. You will scarcely find
an industry or a business niche that hasn’t yet turned its eye on the opportunities provided
by social media features and functions. Companies that operate in sports, recreation and
healthcare appear to be most attracted by these opportunities. Previously, we used to get
one request like that per ten, but now our every second mobile app development client sees
social elements as must-have app features — and it makes sense.

Today, with digital dominating our lives, even a child can outline basic elements and
functions of social media, such as user profile, search bar, newsfeed, and feedback given
with likes, emojis, shares, and comments. However, only a small number of such have yet
found their way to the expected mobile app features list.

If your product idea is a social media app, you might use this article as an advanced
checklist. Should your mobile app idea not be built around social media features, we still
recommend taking a look to see how you can gain more user engagement by introducing
such.

Integration with popular social media and instant messengers


Integration with popular social media and instant messengers is among the must-have
features in a mobile app. Introducing it makes interacting with your application easy, further
integrating it in your users’ daily routine. This includes the following app functions:

● Signing in via user profile on one of popular social networks


● Sharing content across popular social platforms
● Inviting friends on social and contacts in messengers to try out your app

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Integration with social platforms can be achieved with the following technologies:

● Facebook libraries (iOS, Android)


● Twitter libraries (iOS, Android)
● Google+ libraries (iOS, Android)

Push notifications
Apparently, push notifications are not a state-of-the-art feature, but it’s safe to say that if
your app doesn’t have push notifications it is missing out on user engagement. But simply
introducing this feature with default settings will not be enough to achieve the engagement
you want, speaking medium and long term. Standard push notifications, with cold,
impersonal messages are very likely to annoy users of your app which could cause your
users to turn the notifications off completely. This is why we insist that customization is
crucial for effective push notifications. It will allow you to tailor your messages based on the
user profile of your app and make the best of this feature to boost user engagement.

Push notifications can be enabled with the following technologies:

● Firebase Cloud Messaging for Android-based applications


● Apple Push Notification Service for iOS-based applications
● Third-party services for iOS and Android, such as OneSignal, Pusher, QuickBlox,
Pushover

Smart content ranking

Newsfeeds on which user publications appear one-by-one, once published, is a simple, clear
and straightforward system. But, it won’t do if you want to increase user engagement for
your app. Introducing machine learning algorithms to your app’s newsfeed helps users
receive relevant content, while content creators are provided with a chance to reach their
target audience. This will result in increased interactions between the two types, expressed
in content views, comments, likes, and shares. Smart content ranking has become one of the
most powerful (and most debated) Facebook features.

Smart content ranking can be enabled with the following technologies:

● Cloud machine learning services provided by Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and IBM
● Machine learning algorithms libraries, such as Microsoft DMTK and Google
TensorFlow

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Location-based experiences

Geographical positioning allows you to locate a smartphone or any other device (and its
current user). You might have come across this feature on many popular apps, such as
Instagram which gives its users an opportunity to geotag their photos, Uber, that shows its
drivers and clients each other’s location, location-based games like Pokemon Go, and a
dating app built upon GPS technology, Tinder. Geographical positioning provides a plethora
of opportunities, each of them a feature by itself, for example:

● comfortable, familiar and easy navigation enabled through integration with Google
Maps
● automatic delivery of content and advertising relevant to user, based on their current
or preferred location
● finding other users nearby (see how we applied this in TownSquare, the networking
app)
● keeping track of a device user and logging relevant metrics, such as spots they have
visited, distance travelled and velocity, for further use

Geographical positioning can be enabled with the following technologies:

● Apple iBeacon
● Core Location Framework
● Google Eddystone + Proximity Beacon API
● Google Location Services API

Variety of content types

Speaking of social features for mobile apps, we need to point out the power of diversity in
content. Industry unicorns demonstrate that the more diverse the types of content allowed
by a social media app, the more goals the app helps its users achieve, thus further engaging
them. Focusing on a single content type makes sense when launching a minimum viable
product (MVP) to the market. In order to turn user-generated content into a powerful growth
instrument in the long term, you will want to enable a variety of content types. Started out as
a photo-focused social media, Instagram features additional types of content today, such as
videos and stories, which have become one of the latest trends in social media.

Even if your app targets a specific audience, such as, for example, private practitioners and
their clients, providing the first with a content marketing platform and giving the second

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a space for sharing about their problems with others will work out great as an engagement
booster. Your choice of content types and functions should simply be based on those
featured in social media, which have been around long enough to shape up the expectations
of today’s users.

Content types variety can be enabled with the following technologies:

● ImageMagick - free cross-platform software to create, edit, compose, or convert


bitmap images.
● Ffmpeg - cross-platform software to record, convert and stream audio and video.
● AVFoundation framework - a framework for capturing, processing, synthesizing,
controlling, importing and exporting audiovisual media on Apple platforms.
● Camera API - a framework for capturing audiovisual media on Android platforms.

Chatbot

Instant messaging belongs to common social media features which can also be found in
many applications. Today, it can be taken to the next level by introducing chatbots capable
of replying to popular questions with preset messages, and further, learning to
independently hold a conversation with users. Chatbots can help:

● tutor new users about an application


● cover for a user who has lost Internet connection in the middle of a conversation
● collect user feedback
● automate the first line of technical support

Chatbots can be introduced with the following technologies:

● Third-party platforms with natural language processing algorythms (wit.ai, Dialogflow,


MS Bot Framework, bottr)
● Bot builder software and development environment, such as Meya.ai, Pandorabots,
Chatfuel, ManyChat, Robochat)
● Library based custom chatbot algorithms (MS Luis, IBM)

AR/VR-elements

The technologies of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are relatively new to the
social network features list, but some platforms have already taken advantage of them. First

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introduced by Snapchat, puppy face filter has been a surprisingly huge trend lately, which
expanded far beyond the popular social networking app -- and demonstrated how VR
technology can contribute to user engagement. AR/VR will allow you to make long-familiar
real-life experiences part of your mobile app functionality. This means highly detailed
interaction with a physical product sold via your application, or services delivered in an
advanced, more engaging way — not to mention the great entertainment potential of this
feature.

Augmented reality and virtual reality elements can be introduced with the following
technologies:

● Third-party AR SDK for iOS and Android, such as Vuforia, EasyAR, Wikitude, ARToolkit,
Kudan, Maxst)
● AR SDK for iOS
● Google VR SDK for iOS
● Google VR SDK for Android

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About
Devvela is a web and mobile development In 2016 and 2017 Devvela was named as one
agency with headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. of the top mobile app development agencies
Established in 2007, the core team has grown in Chicago according to Clutch, a research
to over 30 people across two continents, with firm that is located in Washington, DC.
offices in Chicago, Tallinn and Yekaterinburg.
Devvela engineers are highly experienced in
responsive web design and development,
mobile development, and
eCommerce/mCommerce development. Year
by year, we’ve been gathering experience to
deliver top-notch quality work on your custom
digital product.

We provide the full range of services for all


platforms including the Web, iOS and Android,
and master stack of emerging technologies
such as Big Data, Machine Learning, Predictive
Analytics, IoT, VR and AR. Our main competitive
advantages are true adherence to Agile
principles and competence in delivering a
working product in a short time frame and
within minimal budget.

Among our clients, you can find a true variety


of firms ranging from world famous artists
(Dale Chihuly’s Workshop) to startups (Player’s https://clutch.co/profile/devvela
Health) and social projects (Bunker In A Box). In
2016 Player’s Health, an athletic injury
management app won Google Demo Day and
got in sight of the most prominent VCs.
Looking forward
to hearing from you!

hello@devvela.com
(312) 888 6497

222 W Ontario, #501


Chicago, IL 60654

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