How to build a Directory App
Would like to see your own directory app published in the Appstore and Google Play?
With Scoreapps you can build your App without any technical or programming knowledge and also save thousands of euros in development and infrastructure.
Create all types of directories:
- Business directories for clients
- Business directories for companies
- Directories for professionals or freelancers
And offer those businesses the ultimate technology and the smartest features to foster new clients and retain the ones they already have.
First Steps
Once inside, from the main dashboard you will find a series of icons on the left hand side menu.
Just click on 'Apps'.
Then click on 'Create App' and give it a name.
Then you'll get to a screen where you choose the templates.
The library contains predesigned templates so that you don´t have to start from zero, even though, later on you could change everything.
In fact, you could change the template you choose now. And if you don't find one that fits, just click on 'Blank Template' to start designing your App from scratch.
For this example we have used a blank template.
The process of creating Apps with Scoreapps is very simple. You just have to follow the different steps that the builder offers you.
These steps are represented in the progress bar you´ll find at the top of the builder and easily allow you to go through all the different pages.
First step. Designing the App
From here you can choose another kind of template or edit the style of the layout (see below).
The Home Screen Options section shows the options available depending on the kind of layout you have chosen.
For this app, we have chosen layout 90.
This navigation design allows to have a clickable slider on the home page, and in the top header, a menu that opens from the left, showing the rest of the functions that make up the app.
This is how you configure the images of the home page slider.
In order to be able to display the slider images in the previewer, some features must be added to the app.
The section below helps you to choose an image that looks great on all devices and screen ratios.
Use the overlay tool to check if the important information in your design falls within the recommended safe zones depending on the screen orientation your App is designed for.
To learn how to design the images properly you can download the template with the measurements, available in both .png and .psd format.
To see how to do this correctly click here.Then choose your language region and also the currency you´ll be using with app.
To change the text fonts of your app you can select one from here or import a new font from Google Fonts.
To do so, it is as simple as writing the font name.
Let's now watch a short 5 minute video to learn how to design the App Home Screen:
Second step. Colors
Choose the main colors of the app.
- General: applies to the background (if there is no specific image) and general text.
- Home: applies to the navigation menu and its elements.
- Header: applies to the navigation header of the app.
- Card: applies to the elements displayed in card format.
- List: applies to items displayed in list format.
In addition, if you already have web programming knowledge, at the bottom of the dashboard you can add CSS code and customize your app even more if you wish.
Third step. Features
Once the home screen has been designed and the main colors of the App have been chosen, let's check out the features.
For this application we have designed the following sections: Places, Hotels, Restaurants, "Discover Dubai" (which will be a promotional page of the city), Social Wall, My Account, Share the App, Subscription Topics and Push Messages.
If you choose a starter template, these incorporate by default some features that we find interesting for each sector. You can see them in the features carousel. For this design we have started from a blank template, so the functions have been added manually. However, if at any time you want to remove a function, just click on the "X".
To see how simple it is to add new features to the App, let's delete and re-add the Folder feature that we have named PLACES (to showcase the directory of places).
Folders / Custom Page
Places
In this section of the App we want to show places of interest.
To build this section we will use 2 functions (Folders and Places).
The first thing we will do is to add the "Folders" feature. This feature is intended to contain other functions.
We give it the name "Places" and then choose the icon we want by clicking on the icon.
Custom page
For this App, we wanted to create a section that will allow us to present promotional videos, present promotional videos, talk about local trends, etc.
This functionality gives you several options for creating an information page.
You can write an article with an image, you can publish a photo gallery, you can post a video directly on this page and you can add call buttons or a link to any external website.
Here is a video that shows you how to configure the custom page feature.
Hotels
This feature has the same objective as the previous one. In this case we will show the different hotels located in the city.
The formula is the same: a "Folders" function containing a "Places" function.
Restaurants
Finally, using the same formula (Folder + Places), we created a section to show the most recommended restaurants, the most fashionable ones, etc.
Remember that the layout we are using (layout 90) shows three clickable sliders on the home page. Each slider would correspond to the position of the first three functions. Therefore, when you click on the first slider, the application would lead you to the first function you set up on the menu.
Discover Dubai
In this section of the App we will show news, promotional videos, talk about local trends... through images, text, video, etc.
For this section we will add a "Custom Page" function and we will call it "Discover Dubai".
and call it "Discover Dubai". As with the other functions we will click on the function icon to choose the icon we like from the library.
This feature gives you multiple options to create an informative page.
You can write an article with an image, you can publish a photo gallery, you can publish a video directly on this page and you can add call buttons or a link to any external website.
Social Wall (Social Wall)
Encourage your community with a social network inside your App!
Users will be able to send posts and photos, geolocate other users' photos and comment on their posts.
Share (Share app)
This would allow your customers to share the app by pressing a button.
This is a key feature in generating virality for the business.
Topics (Topics)
Create topic subscription lists to offer content of interest based on users' interests.
You will be able to segment your user base and then send notifications and messages specific to the interests of your users.
Push Messages
Push messages represent the most efficient marketing system today.
They have a 99% opening rate. And adding this powerful tool to your App is very simple:
All you have to do is publish the app in a native Android or iOS version.
Then, once the app is published on the App Store and/or Google Play, you can send messages to you users directly form this feature.
Step 4. App icon and settings
From here you can choose the icon to be displayed on the user's device screen, as well as the design of the "back" button.
If you want to send push messages, from here you can customize things like the icon or the background color.
This tool will help you choose a startup image that is fully compatible with all the screen sizes of different devices.
This image will be displayed while the app is loading.
Step 5. Advanced
If you wish, you can monetize your app by adding banner ads or interstitial ads that will be shown to the users of your app.
To do this you will need to configure the Admob advertising system.
Publishing your App
Depending on the Plan (Starter, Business, Growth or Reseller) you will have different types of Publication:
- Native Android version.
- Native iOS version.
- Web app HTML5.
- PWA (Progressive Web App).
To publish the native version of your App on Appstore or Google Play, you need a Business, Growth or Reseller plan, while the Web App and PWA version can be published with a Starter plan or even during the free 14-day Trial.
Promoting and launching your App
If you have followed the guide up to this point you should already have a first version of your Application ready. Remember that if you have any queries you can contact our Help Center or our Support team (soporte@scoreapps.com)
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