How to Build a News-based Mobile App?

News has evolved over the years to a considerable extent. From print to electronic to digital, the form in which news is presented has changed over the years. There was a time when newspapers ruled our minds. Every morning, we waited for the paper to arrive to read the stories about which we cared deeply. Then television happened and things changed. We were constantly bombarded with images, stories and news coverage on a daily basis. This too has changed today. 24x7 television has changed and morphed into internet news and news consumed through mobile applications, websites, WhatsApp forwards and social media posts.

This is the age of news-based applications or news created and consumed through digital platforms. News apps collect, curate and report stories that people consume on the go. The news today first reaches us through news alerts and notifications on mobile phones. Detailed reportage follows over the day in the form of news updates from the app.

This shift from the print to electronic and, finally, to the digital space makes the existence of an adequate number of news-based apps and websites very important. All news and media houses have their own news apps and websites, that are meant to attract a huge amount of digital traffic. This article looks at the importance of having a dedicated news app and what are the different things that can be done through a news app, apart from selling news.

The importance of having a News app

Having a news app gives your company the chance to present news on the go for your audience. Your readers can be consuming news throughout the day rather than at fixed hours. Needless to say, this unique way of presenting news on the go has its share of advantages:

1. News on the go. Today, the world is moving ahead at a fast pace. It is important that your consumer gets his or her daily dose of news from the app. Having a news app is better than having a print or an electronic presence. In this way, you can reach out to your readers easily.

2. Digital news fetches you greater revenue than print and electronic. Digital advertisements have risen exponentially in recent years. In fact, studies show that digital revenue fetches more money than both print and electronic. In fact, your company can earn more money through digital advertising sales than through selling slots during primetime news shows or front page slots.

3. Apps are more popular with younger audiences. Demographics are important for businesses. While TV is more popular with middle-aged audiences and print for the elderly, digital news has gained ground with the millennial readers who are between the ages of 18 to 45. These readers are constantly hooked on their smartphones, consuming news, entertainment and other sorts of information. As such, cutting the ice with the younger segment is the key to surviving in a competitive world.

4. Apps are an innovative form of presenting the news. A news app, along with a news website and social media, are some of the newer ways of presenting news to the audience. This is different from the traditional ways of presenting news. Editors have to find innovative new ways when it comes to presenting news and app-based news is definitely a legitimate option today.

5. Apps are faster. One thing that is certain about news apps is that they tend to be faster than both print and electronic. Print news takes the longest time to reach us, followed by television. This is because television news takes time to be recorded and transmitted. Digital news, on the other hand, can be instantaneous.

What to feature in a News app?

There are a couple of things that your website and your news app must have such as sections on business, local news, yellow pages and listings. You can also have separate apps for each of these sections.

1. Local News App

Local news is something that is eagerly consumed by people more than other kinds of news. Local news attracts more attention than both international and national news. This is due to the fact that people want to know more about their neighborhood than what’s happening in the rest of the world. You can always opt for developing a separate local news app that focuses on hyper-local news rather than international and national news. The latter goes on the main website or the main app. Companies can now help you to develop a local news app with the help of a local news app builder.

2. Yellow Pages Mobile App 

The yellow pages used to contain contact numbers of all service providers in your area. From AC repair personnel to plumbers, from electricians to gardeners, yellow pages contain the phone numbers of all the local technicians of the area for easy perusal. However, with the shift to digital from print, companies are now turning towards yellow pages mobile apps for promoting their businesses. Therefore, having a yellow pages mobile app is a great business proposition as it is sure to generate a huge amount of traffic.

3. Listing Mobile App

A listing mobile app contains the advertisements for all the new openings, businesses and events happening in your city. Listings are an important part of any newspaper and nowadays most media companies have a separate app for publishing listings.

4. Business Directories

Business directories are the same as yellow pages. They contain contact details of businesses and servicemen operating in a particular area. Earlier telephone directories used to serve the purpose. However, nowadays, business directories have all shifted to the digital space, with online apps promoting local and hyper-local businesses. Having a separate business directory along with a news app is another great way to generate and attract traffic.

5. Business App 

Apart from business directories, companies now have separate business apps. These business apps contain market news and information regarding the latest developments in the world of organized and unorganized businesses. They contain news of mergers, sales and acquisitions. Apart from hyperlocal news apps and online business directories, business apps are a great way to have a greater share of the news market.

Conclusion

We explained in this article that having a news app is the way to go for existing media companies. A news app, along with a website, is a great way to attract traffic and be relevant in a fast-changing world. This should be supported by separate apps for other areas of news, such as business, local news and listings. Having dedicated apps for each is crucial for a media company to survive the cut-throat competition.

Although developing an app is not an easy thing to do, thanks to companies like VirtuBox, people are easily developing news and other kinds of apps. VirtuBox is a leading app developer, which helps you to build apps in an easy way. By providing VirtuApp, a unique mobile app builder, VirtuBox helps businesses to increase their sales and showcase their products to a wider audience. Making a mobile app with VirtuApp is easy and quick. Further, this app builder comes at a very affordable price so that it can give you a quick return on investment.

About the Author

Prakash Rastogi, founder and CEO of VirtuBox, holds B.Tech & M.Tech degree from IIT Kanpur with 14+ yrs of experience. He is a serial entrepreneur, currently working on a Digital experience platform which helps businesses to digitize using mobile technologies. The aim of VirtuBox is to provide digital technology to organisations and individuals at affordable prices and that does not require coding.