We are facing the times, when printed newspapers may disappear once and for all. According to the latest statistics, the circulation of print newspapers has declined by 7% in 2015. In the world of mobile and web, we prefer going online rather than to the nearest newsstand.
Social media and news streaming websites that appear to be more and more popular have replaced printed sources. News apps for mobile devices showcase a growing demand. Here are some more precise figures to prove the statement:
- Users spend approximately 2 hours using their mobile devices to keep in touch with the latest news through their apps;
- 70% of all Facebook users visit the network to learn the latest news.
On the one hand, the mobile market may be pleased with such stats while having a huge potential in the nearest future. On the other hand, publishing houses can eventually disappear and will forget what it is like to read a real printed newspaper or magazine.
However, this is a matter of another discussion. Let’s have a look what this situation means for us. As a content owner or publisher, you will have a chance to benefit from some positive conclusions if you decide to develop a mobile app for news magazine.
More Subscriptions, Higher Conversion Rate
Whenever you decide to develop a newspaper application that features a “pay wall”, you need to be rather careful. Modern users may not have the foggiest idea how to turn on a coffee maker, but they are aware of the anonymous browsing mode. They can get a full access to the content free without any efforts.
On the other hand, some users are ready to pay for subscription in your app “treats” them with a personalized newsfeed every morning the same way as printed versions do. They are always ready to pay several bucks. For example, each iPhone user spends approximately $40 annually for new apps. You can follow the example of NY Times application and provide 10 news free with a further subscription fee.
Mobile Ads Revival
The field of mobile advertising is certainly on the rise today. According to the latest reports, businesses and startups around the globe are going to spend up to $100 billion on mobile ads by the end of 2016. The increase is overwhelming if compared with the rates in 2013. You can also get a piece of that pie and build a magazine app featuring video campaigns, interactive sections within the application, targeted push messages and other ad tools that will let you break the edge of native ads and move far beyond.
Additional Sponsors’ Campaigns
The ability to create a magazine application will deliver some additional promotional opportunities. You can establish an efficient collaboration with companies and sell tickets for their events. You are the one to choose a sponsor as well as target audience. Cooperate with organizers and publishing companies to select from additional promotional campaigns.
Extended Distribution and Increased Reach
Having a mobile app for your newspaper or magazine may eventually turn out to be the only way to keep up with the readership. The world has gone mobile while mobile application is the best bet whenever you need to increase your reader base and attract new audience from other related segments.
When you decide to get into the newspaper app development choosing the niche and thinking of some new features to implement will be the first stage of the process. Keep in mind that your particular product should refer to a specific content. Never try to cover all areas at the same time, as it will be nothing but a waste of time.
Whether you want to build a newspaper app like NYTimes and deliver the latest deals and financial updates or simply describe some of your favorite recipes featuring detailed instructions, the structure of the magazine app development process will be the same.
How to Create a Magazine App?
You may think that creating a hybrid app similar to NYTimes may be a good and less expensive idea. However, a native app is the best bet in case you want to deliver the best user’s’ experience. Here are some key advantages in favor of native app development:
- Low level of security hazard – native applications are less prone to various security hazards and frauds. You will be protected from your account hacks, SQL injections and other problems that may spoil users’ experience or result in bigger struggles;
- Native apps feature adaptive design – your application will never look like an “alien” among other award-winning products. It will have its own face and recognition in accordance with the latest mobile trends.
iOS or Android
Choosing the right mobile platform has always been the matter for endless argues among developers. Of course, developing native applications for both of them would be the best solution letting you deliver your product to more users. However, a few of us can afford doubled development costs. If you have a limited budget, choosing the platform should depend on the region you are going to target. On the other hand, we are discussing the cost.
For this reason, you should know that Android development is totally different from iOS development. On the other hand, both processes can come with additional obstacles and difficulties. It all depends on the complexity of a particular project, a number of features you want to see on your app and some other issues.
What Features to Include?
If compared with websites, mobile apps come as more flexible solutions. They deliver more interactive experience to users. In other words, you can think of some original features that will attract more attention and boost users’ engagement with your particular app. Here is what you can actually do:
- Craft Unique Feeds – A personalized app means a successful app. You are supposed to provide an instant access to all subjects that are the most pressing for your target audience. People do not have time to browse through the piles of news in search of the topic they are interested in. Give them a chance to subscribe to their favorite author, topic or area or create specific libraries featuring titles they look for;
- Efficient Navigation – This issue is similar to the previous one with some slight differences. The idea is the same. Users are looking for the slightest chance to save time. For this reason, they turn to mobile apps. Let them avoid looking through the endless list of headlines and concentrate on the key topic of area. Dividing all your content into different categories will be a brilliant idea. You can create a number of sections that may range from Breaking News and Favs to Hot Topics and Saved News;
- Create Podcasts – Audio stories may also be a good option for users who are always on the go and do not have some free minutes to read the news. They can listen to it while driving the car, for example. Creating a database of podcasts will also be a good plus in favor of your app;
- Geo – Create push notifications and send related news linked to the location of your users. Let them keep in touch with everything happening in the borough.
These are only a few ideas you can implement in your newspaper or magazine app. It does not really matter what you choose. The key to success is to build an application that will stand out from tons of others available on the mobile market.
So, What is the Cost of Building Such App?
The cost will depend on different issues like a number of features, their complexity, type of mobile platform and others. If you decide to opt for an outsource development team, you should be prepared to pay from $8,000 to $15,000 for a single-platform native application with an attractive UX design. The same application will cost you from $20,000 when it comes to local companies.
If you are eager to create a more action-packaged product with extra features and extended functionality, it will cost you from $20,000 to $40,000 if opting for outsource or local companies respectively.
Those who look for a balance between affordable prices, better ideas and exceptional quality, should turn to our specialists. We can boast a huge track record of successfully completed projects in spite of complexity. Dedicated designers and programmers will bring your most dare idea to life. Contact us and launch a successful development process for your project.