If you want to create a chat application, the best thing to do is to look at other successful apps like WhatsApp. Why is WhatsApp successful? What drives its success? After you are clear about these questions, you can proceed to the question “how to create a chat application”. So, ready to dive into the world of chat technology? Here is what you will learn:
- What drives the success of WhatsApp?’
- Is it a good idea to create a chat app now?
- Messaging app features
- Time and cost to create a chat app.
What Drives the Success of WhatsApp?
Let’s start with simple statistics. Here is the annual revenue of WhatsApp from the year 2018 to 2021.
No wonder Facebook has no regret acquiring WhatsApp for $19 billion. What does WhatsApp have that valued it at US $19 billion and how it can keep its position among the abundance of similar chat applications? Here is the secret behind WhatsApp’s success.
WhatsApp is easy
Want to have success like WhatsApp? Make it simple. The moment you create complications for the users is the moment when you will lose them. People like simplicity. No one wants to sit and figure out how your chat works in this complex age.
WhatsApp is free
Everyone loves free stuff and if it’s also so powerful they will not leave it. You will not be charged if you haven't exceeded your mobile data allowance or are connected to a free Wi-Fi network. There are other options to make money on social media apps so don’t worry about free features.
WhatsApp offers the best features and it did that when no one else was doing it
Features like Last Seen, Display Picture, a double tick, and status are great. For example, the double tick shows a single tick once the message is delivered and a double tick when it is received. But everyone does that nowadays, you may say so! Yes, that’s true. But WhatsApp was among the first to come up with the idea and most customers are already sitting comfortably in the app. Want to create something bigger? Think bigger! Surprise your customers!
Is it a Good Idea to Create a Chat App Now?
The market is flooded with lots of chat applications and you may think that creating a new messaging app is a lost game but that’s not necessarily true. If you are going to copy something without a new say, yes, I would say, it will be very hard to have a say in the market. But think about this. When WhatsApp was launched in January 2010, there were already a lot of messaging apps in the market like BlackBerry Messenger, iMessage, and many others. However, WhatsApp managed to have a firm say in the market and is the favorite app for many users. I would say, yes, it is a good idea to create a chat app today but only if you do what WhatsApp did, i.e., to bring something new and innovative. This takes a lot of research and investigation but if you finally come up with a fabulous idea that can make users’ life easier, then you are on the right way and can think about creating a new app.
Another option is to create an app prototype and sell the idea.
Here are some hints on where to look at.
Make it unique – why would ever people wish to install your app if it is not even better? This is a question to ask before you spend your dollars.
Design – Design is something that catches an eye so thinking about a good design is the first step to attracting customers.
Features – not only your features should be useful but they should add to the available functionalities in the market. If you just take a list and follow steps you face the chance of losing terribly in the field as Hike did.
Forget about ads – think of other ways of making money. Ads are irritating, and if you rely on them as a monetization strategy, you are facing the chance of only having your friends and relatives as users.
Must-have Features for Chat Apps
While it’s up to you to come up with new features that will attract users to your app, some features are a must-have. Here are some.
Easy log in
And here the word “easy” is crucial. It could be by e-mail, mobile number, or social login. Once they log in, they can sign up from any platform or any device at any time.
Storage and backup on cloud
An important feature is a cloud storage and backup. This allows users to free up space on their devices. They don’t need to store a massive amount of data like contact history, message history, audio, video, shared files, images, etc. on their device but can keep these data on the cloud.
Audio and video calling
Live chat, audio chat, and video chat allow users to communicate easily. Most often these options are free but may ask for a charge in case the permissible volume of data transfer is exceeded.
VR and AR technologies
While this is a pretty new feature, it is very promising. A lot of sectors are already using virtual reality and augmented reality technologies and it is getting into the messaging app sector as well.
Chat Bots
Chatbots (AI-based programs) are all over messaging apps. Telegram is one of the first messengers to launch its bot platform. Chatbots on Telegram perform various functions from news reporting to finance managing. So, this is one of the areas that may give you a hint on what to innovate.
Security
As chat applications are becoming more and more popular and take on new functions, the security issue becomes super important. Users need to be sure that the data are safe. To do that you need to have a secure system of encryption. It is a way of communication to secure the communication between two persons and preserve the privacy of the communicating parties. In other words, no one except the communicating parties will be able to read the messages they exchange.
Geolocation
Geolocation is an important feature. It saves a lot of nerves in certain circumstances. Today, almost any instant messaging and chat apps have this feature.
Time and Cost to Build a Chat App
You may think that is super expensive to create a messaging app but that’s not true. A chat app usually costs $25 000 to build. However, the total varies depending on several factors like the number of features or the location of developers.
If you are tight on budget but still care about quality, developers from Eastern Europe can be an option.
Conclusion
In this blog post, we spread light on the misconception that if there are so many apps in the market, it’s useless to think about another app. Many messaging apps entered the market when there were hundreds already available. However, they could have their steady place in the market and became favorites of many. Therefore, the question should not be whether or not to create a messaging app. The question should be how to create one that is better than what the market offers. With a little creativity, you can generate billions as WhatsApp does. And if you are looking for some more inspiration, this social media app guide might be useful.
Top comments (1)
Nice blog, thanks for sharing.
I agree with your point, If product have a unique USP then it create wonder.