This Is How To Build Real-Time Chat Quickly And Effectively

• By Ashley Kimler
• 22-06-2021
• Technology

Real-time chat apps are very much in-vogue at the moment, especially in the wake of WhatsApp—a stunningly successful chat app that changed the chat game.

But while building real-time chat has lots of benefits (which we’ll learn more about very soon), it’s also not the easiest thing to accomplish unless you know what you’re doing.

In this article, we’re going to show you how you can build your very own real-time chat app quickly - and effectively.

But first…

Why Build a Real-Time Chat App?

Real-time chat apps currently include the likes of WhatsApp and Telegram. These are forms of instant messaging that allow users to connect with each other rapidly. They’re super popular for a variety of reasons, and not least because they let people chat in real-time.

Here are a few reasons why you might build your own chat app:
Save time

Got a message that needs to be actioned ASAP?

While email or phone can work, nothing saves you time quite like a chat app. It allows deadlines to be kept and ensures important tasks are prioritized.

Build bonds and relationships

If you run a business where it’s imperative that your employees get along with each other, a real-time chat app allows for easy, instant communication. Your employees can shoot the breeze, share ideas, send GIFs and ultimately form lasting bonds and relationships.
Smoother communication with customers

Customers want instant answers, and your very own chat app allows you to deliver on this front.

Moreover, you can connect with them anytime 24/7, which means that your brand is “always on.”

Further, 67% of customers used chatbots in 2019 and 64% of internet users say 24-hour service is the best feature of chatbots.
How To Build a Real-Time Chat App
Create a Budget

Before you begin properly developing your real-time chat app, you first of all need to understand the cost.

How much will it cost you to make your app?

There are different ways you can break down the cost of any app, but it’s a good idea to start by understanding what your planned return on investment will be.

To find out your projected ROI, you can develop a business strategy that covers your possible monetization options (subscription-based model, advertising, in-app purchases and so on).

As well as revenue streams, you need to understand your cost structure (software licensing fees, product development and maintenance.

The nature of your app - how simple or how complex it is - will also help to determine its cost.

And to help determine the simplicity or complexity of your app, you need to understand your audience and what they want from your app, as well as what features you’ll be adding to your app (more on this below).

Define a USP

What advantage will your app have over other competitors?

What problems are you solving that others haven’t yet solved?

Maybe it’s that chat apps are still too expensive for people to simply stay in touch with their nearest and dearest, or maybe you’ve got a technology solution that’s not been done before.

Either way, it’s important that you identify your USP (Unique Selling Proposition) before developing your app.

Decide On Your Features

User Interface

The last thing that the end user wants is a clunky user interface that just causes them problems, and ultimately causes them to quit the app. Your aim should be to create a simple, clean UX.
Data storage

One of the reasons WhatsApp is so immensely popular is because it works just as well as a storage device as it does a chat app.

When developing your app, consider if you want it to double up as a file storage service, and then weigh up your options. For example, Amazon S3 is a solid file storage service that’s compatible with chat apps.

Push notifications

Push notifications tie into the overall user experience in that they let a user know whenever they’ve got a new message. They’re a great way of encouraging usage and you can use them to notify the end user of new messages, but also whenever you’ve got new offers/promotions for them.

Security

You’ll struggle to attract and especially retain users if your chat app lacks security. It’s a good idea to install end-to-end encryption to keep users’ data secure.
Quick Search

One of the best features people like about apps such as Messenger and WhatsApp is that they make it easy for them to quickly search for past messages using keywords. This is a feature you could consider adding to your own real-time chat app to again boost the overall UX.

Voice and Video Calls

Another popular feature of other chat apps is their ability to allow users to have voice and video calls with each other. It broadens the scope of a communication tool, and especially when access is granted with just one-touch, again encourages usage.
Work With Developers

As a business owner who’s looking to create a chat app, you’ll need to commit to the chat development process.

In other words, you’ll need to personally become deeply involved in it, and this means working alongside developers for the next few months to plan, develop and make tweaks.

That all said, if you’re looking to automate the process, and if your company is already well-established, you could in theory develop the app in-house using a chat API.

But if you’re a startup company, it might be a better idea to hire an experienced app developer who works quickly, efficiently and who is generally affordable (this is typically the case of freelance developers).

However, if you go down the route of working with a developer, be prepared to not only go the distance with them, but to also treat this as a full project that you need to manage, and where good communication is imperative.

Conclusion

Building a real-time chat app quickly and effectively might have seemed impossible a few years ago. But with the right tools and the right developers, as well as a USP that allows you to stand out from the crowd, there’s no reason you can’t develop an app that is highly sucessful.