Top 15 Features of Social Media to Keep Your App Users Engaged

Updated Time : December 26, 2023

If I ask you what you were doing before reading this blog, you might reply that you were scrolling through popular social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter, or YouTube.

You might be surprised to know that social media is currently used by over 3.78 billion people worldwide.

But do all social networks become popular like Instagram, Twitter or Facebook? No! Numerous social networks went away without even a single peek.

To create a social media platform, know what makes popular social media platforms a need in our daily lives! I researched this and discovered that the answer is in the unique features of social media platforms.

In this blog, I’ll disclose what makes these popular social media platforms user-friendly, highly engaging, and successful.

Let us go on this fascinating adventure together!

A social media app is an online platform that allows users to connect, communicate, and interact.

These programs, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, allow users to share material, messages, and updates.

Users can establish profiles, engage with friends, and communicate in numerous ways, establishing a virtual social network.

If you are among those who wonder why social media apps have been so popular in recent days, checking out the following image might help:

Social media encompasses a diverse array of platforms tailored to specific purposes.

Some platforms cater to professional networking, while others focus on familial connections and entertainment. Some serve as hubs for real-time news updates, while others facilitate instant communication.

Let’s introduce you to the different types of social media applications:

Social Network Apps: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
Media Sharing Networks: Instagram, Snapchat, Vimeo
Community and Discussion Forums: Quora, Reddit
Bookmarking and Content Curation Networks: Pinterest, Mix, Flipboard
Blogging and Publishing Platforms: Tumblr, Medium
Interest-Based Networks: Goodreads, Last.fm
Anonymous Social Networks: Whisper, Ask.fm, After School

Here are some of the key advantages of using social media apps:

1. Connection and Community: Social media fosters connections, breaking geographical barriers and providing a space for sharing thoughts and experiences, creating a sense of community.

2. Information and News: As an information hub, social media keeps us updated on global news, current events, and diverse topics, broadening our knowledge and perspectives.

3. Entertainment and Engagement: Offering a variety of entertainment, from videos to memes, social media allows us to engage with like-minded individuals, providing relaxation and a sense of belonging.

4. Business and Networking: Essential for businesses, social media facilitates customer connections, product promotion, and brand building while also serving as a networking platform for entrepreneurs.

5. Personal Branding and Self-Expression: Social media enables personal branding, self-expression, and creative endeavors, allowing us to showcase our interests and unique perspectives.

6. Education and Learning: A valuable source of educational content, social media offers expert insights, tutorials, and interactive learning experiences, contributing to knowledge expansion.

7. Social Causes and Activism: Empowering activism, social media enables individuals to raise awareness, advocate for causes, and participate in movements for social change.

Let’s go through an image first that represents the recent crucial statistics about the global market of social media apps:

In a landscape marked by a growing user base, the imperative lies in introducing feature-rich social media apps that stand out.

Key statistics underscore the significance:

Global social media app usage is 59%, encompassing over half of the world’s population.
A staggering 4.70 billion individuals worldwide are actively engaging with social media apps.
Over the past year, 227 million new users have joined the online social sphere.
The average time spent on social media apps per user is estimated at 2 hours and 29 minutes.

Let me warn you that not all social media applications created on this day will be a major success or popular among audiences.

If you’re developing a social media app, it’s crucial to consider the features that will keep your users engaged and coming back for more.

Here are some of the top features that can help you achieve this goal:

In the fast-paced world of social media, a smooth login process is essential for optimal user experience. Users eager to connect and engage with content seek an intuitive and effortless login.

Beyond aesthetics, this desire taps into user psychology, where a frictionless login fosters trust and confidence.

Conversely, a complex process can alienate users, leading to abandonment.

To enhance user experience, developers can prioritize streamlined login solutions:

Social Media Integration: Integrate with popular platforms, providing a familiar sign-in method and reducing cognitive load.
One-Time Password (OTP) Authentication: Utilize OTP-based authentication for secure and convenient access without storing device passwords.
Mobile App Integration: Optimize for mobile, enabling seamless sign-ins through fingerprint or facial recognition, streamlining the process.

2. Personalization and Recommendations

The user experience is personalized by tailoring content, recommendations, and interactions based on individual preferences, interests, and past interactions.

Machine learning and AI algorithms are leveraged to analyze user data and provide relevant content suggestions.

Examples

Facebook’s personalized news feed, which prioritizes content from friends, family, and pages that align with the user’s interests
Instagram’s Explore tab, which curates content based on a user’s past interactions and search history
TikTok‘s algorithm, which recommends videos based on the user’s viewing habits, demographics, and interests

3. Audience Interaction

Social media offers a unique platform for direct engagement with potential customers, a departure from the one-way communication of traditional media.

Actively participating in the online discourse by responding to comments places you in the conversation.

This engagement reveals content resonance and brand perception and unveils your customers’ prevalent concerns and desired features.

Key features for audience interaction include:

Comments and reactions on posts
Direct messages
Live videos

4. In-App Messaging and Video Calls

Incorporating an in-app chat and video calling feature streamlines user communication, eliminating the need for a separate application.

Robust in-app messaging and calling capabilities enhance competitiveness against other communication-enabled apps.

The rising trend of messaging app usage is evident, with an anticipated 3.51 billion mobile messaging app users globally by 2025.

According to Stream, 70% of Chat API users experienced a minimum two-fold increase in user engagement after integration.

5. Appealing News Feed

In the dynamic world of social media, the news feed is the key to user engagement. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram have turned feeds into dynamic spaces for personal expression and global connections.

The appeal lies in curating a personalized stream that aligns with individual interests, offering value beyond mere entertainment.

To craft an engaging news feed, you should:

Comprehensive Personalization: Use advanced algorithms to tailor the feed to individual preferences based on user behavior and social connections.
Variety and Relevance: Blend real-time updates with curated content, ensuring a diverse mix of engaging posts that cater to diverse interests.
Emotional Connection: Prioritize content evoking positive emotions, fostering a sense of connection and belonging.
Quality over Quantity: Emphasize content quality, ensuring each piece is relevant, engaging, and adds value to the user’s experience.

6. Content Creation Tools

The platform’s content creation capabilities are enhanced by providing a comprehensive suite of tools catering to various storytelling styles and preferences.

Users can express themselves through various mediums, including text posts, images, videos, and live streams.

The creative process is elevated by leveraging advanced features, encompassing filters, stickers, editing tools, and animation capabilities.

Examples

Instagram’s extensive photo and video editing tools, including filters, collages, and text overlays
TikTok’s diverse range of video effects, transitions, and AI-powered tools for creative storytelling
YouTube‘s integrated video editing suite and live streaming capabilities

Most social networking app users desire to exchange information with their network.

Sharing content is one of the top social media features of apps since it enhances communication and makes users feel closer to one another regardless of whether they are physically separated.

The capacity to post and share photographs or videos, in addition to the capacity to enable users to remark on what is shared, are examples of content sharing.

8. Gamification Elements

Incorporating game-like mechanics aims to motivate users and drive engagement within the platform.

Incentives such as rewards, badges, and leaderboards are introduced to encourage participation and foster a sense of accomplishment.

Gamification finds applications across various platform aspects, including content creation, profile customization, and community engagement.

Examples

Snapchat‘s daily streaks, which reward users for maintaining consistent communication with friends
TikTok’s challenges, which encourage users to create content based on specific themes or trends
YouTube’s subscriber milestones and monetization options, which incentivize content creators to produce high-quality content

9. Easier Search and Filtering

The ubiquity of “Google It” emphasizes the integral role of search functions. Regular app users expect the convenience of search features akin to Google’s impact on web searches.

Platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok have evolved into standalone search engines, employing autocomplete predictions for user convenience.

These apps enable searches across diverse content types—sounds, hashtags, creators—enhancing the overall user experience.

In 2021, TikTok surpassed Google.com in visits, underscoring the evolving significance of intuitive search functions.

10. Real-Time Analytics and Insights

Real-time data and insights into user behavior, preferences, and engagement patterns are gathered. Analytics tools identify trends, optimize features, and improve the user experience.

This data informs product development, marketing strategies, and content creation decisions.

Examples

Google Analytics, which offers detailed data on website traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates
Adobe Analytics, which tracks user behavior across multiple platforms and devices

11. Personalized Push Notifications

With personalized push notifications, engagement in your app can be heightened.

Tailored to individual behaviors and interests, these notifications offer users control over the influx of information on their phones, ensuring relevance and timing.

Personalized notifications have proven highly effective, leading to a substantial 400% increase in reaction rates.

This encourages users to engage meaningfully instead of dismissing notifications outright.

12. Follow or Send Frequent Requests

In social media, the ability to follow or send friend requests is crucial for user engagement, fostering community, and personalized content delivery.

These features connect users with like-minded individuals, transcending boundaries.

You should prioritize a streamlined interface, personalized recommendations, and contextual content delivery for a vibrant ecosystem that enhances user engagement and ensures app success.

Incorporating dynamic features that allow users to create and join groups can transform your app into a thriving community.

Users are more likely to engage when they discover a community aligning with their interests, providing a platform for expression and connection with like-minded individuals.

Within your app, facilitate community building through customizable groups or message boards.

Examples

On Facebook, nearly two billion users engage with Groups monthly, spanning many interests.
Twitter Communities offer structured discussions, with access contingent on a public account and open membership.
Reddit embraces subreddits as thematic hubs, enabling Redditors to easily gather and discuss specific topics.

14. Simple User-Friendly Interface

A successful social media app must boast a straightforward navigation system and user-friendly interface and sport an engaging and accessible design.

When you’re developing your social media app, consider these vital elements to ensure a compelling user experience:

Top 15 Features of Social Media to Keep Your App Users Engaged

i. Consistency: Maintain a uniform look with consistent colors, fonts, logos/icons, and design elements across all app pages. Avoid abrupt layout changes to prevent user confusion or the perception of a different application.

ii. Simplicity: Aim for a streamlined design to avoid overwhelming users with random images or diverse fonts. A clean design lets users focus on social aspects like viewing friends’ photos or reading family posts.

iii. Accessibility: Prioritize accessibility for a broad user base. Include legible fonts for those with poor vision, and consider auto-generating captions for videos to accommodate individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.

A design that accommodates diverse needs enhances the overall usability of your social media app.

15. Strong Security

In the initial months of 2020 alone, the average web app faced a staggering 20,000 attacks, underscoring the pervasive threat landscape.

So you already understand that security remains a critical concern for users of mobile apps across the board, with particular emphasis on social media applications.

Users of social media apps demand assurance that their personal information is safeguarded. Failure to instill trust in the security measures can prompt users to abandon an app, reverting to previously used alternatives.

When developing a social media app, it is crucial to incorporate robust security features, including the provision for creating unique user accounts.

Remember, social media fosters community, shares experiences, and builds relationships. By prioritizing these elements, apps can create a thriving and successful platform.

Social Media Space with Game Changing Features

If you’re eager to make your social media app a trendsetter in 2024, focus on incorporating these cutting-edge features. Achieving app success might involve some upfront investment, but the rewards are worth it.

Let’s dive in:

1. Text-to-Speech Feature

Tired of reading lengthy texts in emails or tweets?

The text-to-speech feature eliminates this hassle by having the app read content aloud in a natural, human voice.

Popular apps like WhatsApp, Twitter, Google Drive, and Facebook Messenger (with limited support) already embrace this functionality.

Offering a premium subscription for users seeking enhanced convenience through this feature is a viable strategy.

2. AR-Based Face Filters

Embrace augmented reality and face filters to distinguish your app. These features allow users to incorporate photos from their cameras or platforms like Instagram and Snapchat into various virtual settings.

Experiment with different settings to unleash creative and captivating results.

Note that altered photos may not be saved as stand-alone files, but the visual impact on shared content remains impressive.

3. Artificial Intelligence and Chatbots

Leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize content search and communication. Integrate chatbots for automating tasks and providing personalized user experiences.

As AI evolves through machine learning, streamline interactions between users and bots, enhancing both human-to-bot and bot-to-human conversations.

Chatbots serve various purposes, from improving customer service efficiency to boosting sales through personalized product suggestions based on user history.

Focus on incorporating these features to elevate your social media app’s user experience and stay ahead of trends in 2024.

Amidst the familiar functionalities, some hidden treasures are worth exploring to benefit your brand.

Here are a few lesser-known features:

i. Instagram Guides

These are curated collections of posts showcased separately on your profile.

Like Story highlights, Guides help your audience discover specific content long after the initial post.

There are three types:

Post Guides
Product Guides
Place Guides.

ii. LinkedIn Showcase Pages

This underrated feature on LinkedIn is valuable for brands catering to diverse segments or offering various products.

Showcase Pages lets you target audience segments based on criteria like interests, preferences, and professions.

iii. YouTube Cards

These link cards appear during a video to direct viewers to related content.

You can use cards to promote other videos, playlists, channels, or external links, ensuring your viewers stay engaged with your content.

iv. Facebook Watch Party

This feature allows you to schedule a pre-recorded stream in a Facebook group, providing a different experience from Facebook LIVE.

It enables engagement during the video, and you can use it to repurpose successful video content or host watch parties for videos from partner accounts.

The cost of developing a social media app typically falls within the range of $10,000 to $50,000 or more.

Leading app development companies employ pricing models based on app complexity and popularity. While some costs are negotiable, others are fixed, determined by the company’s expertise in your app’s niche.

As an app gains popularity, its creation cost increases.

For individuals seeking accessibility for personal or business use, free or cost-effective social media apps are available.

However, these options may lack advanced features and growth potential compared to paid alternatives.

It’s crucial to thoroughly evaluate your options to select the mobile app that best aligns with your current and future business requirements.

There are various strategies to generate revenue from your app, ranging from in-app purchases to advertising. The effectiveness of these methods depends on the features your app provides.

Advertising may prove less impactful for apps lacking in-app purchases or external purchasable content.

Options for monetization include:

In-App Advertising: Display various ads within the app, such as banners and video ads.
In-App Purchases: Offer virtual goods for purchase directly within the app.
Premium Content: Charge users a fee to unlock exclusive additional content.

When determining the pricing structure, it’s crucial to carefully consider both your target audience and the nature of your app.

This thoughtful approach ensures that your chosen monetization strategy aligns with the preferences and expectations of your user base.

Social media has become an indispensable tool for businesses of all sizes, providing a platform to connect with potential customers, build brand awareness, and generate leads.

Here are some key ways social media contributes to business success:

Brand Visibility Boost: Use social media to introduce your brand widely, establishing leadership through engaging content and interactions for enhanced recognition.
Customer Connection Hub: Foster strong customer relationships on social media through direct, real-time communication and prompt responses, showcasing commitment to satisfaction.
Sales-Driving Platform: Drive sales with social media’s targeted approach, featuring products, special offers, and ads to attract potential customers effectively.
Insights Hub: Gain valuable audience insights by monitoring online conversations and responding to feedback, informing marketing strategies and product development.
Community Cultivation: Build a passionate brand community on social media through engaging content, user-generated material, contests, and group participation.
Cost-Efficient Marketing: Optimize marketing resources with social media’s cost-effective reach, offering targeted and tailored campaigns compared to traditional methods.

Not sure how to leverage social media for your SaaS business? Wondering which platforms are the best fit? Find answers in our blog on SaaS social media marketing essentials!

In today’s digital landscape, your social media app isn’t just a branding tool – it’s a dynamic bridge connecting you with your audience.

But crafting that bridge takes more than paint and nails; it requires expert architects who understand the ever-shifting terrain of user engagement.

That’s where Core Devs come in.

We’re not just coders – we’re social media savants, translating your vision into pixels that captivate, clicks that convert, and communities that thrive.

We Craft Experiences

We design intuitive, visually stunning interfaces and tailor-made for your target audience.

We don’t just build apps – we build ecosystems where users feel heard, connected, and part of something bigger.

We’re Growth Hackers

We can code a masterpiece, but that’s just the canvas. We’re the Picassos who know how to bring it to life.

Our marketing ninjas strategize data-driven campaigns that launch your app into the stratosphere, attracting users and fostering organic growth that leaves competitors in the dust.

We’re Your Long-Term Partners

We don’t just build and disappear.

We’re invested in your app’s success, providing ongoing support & maintenance and updates to ensure it stays fresh, relevant, and ahead of the game.

Think of us as your digital Sherpas, guiding you through the ever-changing social media landscape.

Your App, Your Canvas, Your Masterpiece

Ultimately, your social media app is your canvas; we’re the color palette that brings your vision to life.

We collaborate closely with you, translating your ideas into a digital masterpiece that resonates with your audience and catapults your brand to new heights.

So, are you ready to build something truly groundbreaking? Choose Core Devs, and let’s paint the social media landscape with your unique brand of brilliance.

Together, we’ll build an app that’s not just popular; it’s legendary!

Final Thoughts

In wrapping up this exploration of the dynamic features of social media, I encourage you to share your insights.

What’s the standout feature that resonates with you the most?

Your feedback matters, whether it’s the impact of AI-driven chatbots, the creative possibilities of AR-based face filters, or the convenience of text-to-speech functionality.

Are you ready to leverage these cutting-edge features to enhance your social media experience?

Dive in, experiment, and let the transformative features of social media propel your online presence!

Common features of social media apps include:

Profile Pages: Users can create profiles that share information about themselves, including their interests, hobbies, and activities.
News Feeds: Users can see a stream of updates from their friends, followers, and groups.
Messaging: Users can send private messages to each other.
Sharing Content: Users can share photos, videos, links, and other content with their networks.

Protect your privacy by adjusting privacy settings, using strong passwords, and being cautious about the information you share. Regularly review and update your security settings.

Social media can be a great way to connect with friends and family, but it can also be a waste of time.

If you want to use social media to be more productive, try the following tips:

Limit the amount of time you spend on social media each day
Use social media apps designed for productivity
Use a social media app blocker

Social media apps typically operate on a user-generated content model, where users create and share content that is then distributed to their network of friends, followers, or subscribers.

The apps use algorithms to determine what content to show each user based on their interests, past interactions, and demographic information.

This personalized approach helps users to stay engaged and find content that is relevant to them.

According to Statista, the most popular social media apps in the world as of July 2023 are:

Facebook: 2.91 billion monthly active users
WhatsApp: 2.20 billion monthly active users
YouTube: 2.20 billion monthly active users
Instagram: 2.19 billion monthly active users
TikTok: 1.91 billion monthly active users

Social media can be a powerful tool for businesses to promote their products and services.

Here are a few tips for using social media to promote your business:

Build a Following: Create valuable content to attract people to your social media pages.
Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments and messages from your followers.
Run Social Media Ads: Use social media advertising to reach a wider audience.
Track Your Results: Use social media analytics to track your progress and see what’s working.

Mahbub Shuvo

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