It's no surprise that most brands need an app. With the majority of customer interactions happening through mobile, we are all feeling the pinch to make sure we can deliver a great experience via a custom app.
And having a solid app is about more than simply replicating the features on your website. Apps give you new ways to add value to your customers, to deliver services, and even to make sales.
If you are a brand, business, or creator who needs an app, there's great news. While ten years ago you would need to hire a developer, shell out a bunch of money, and go through a long process to develop an app, the advent of white-label solutions means that you can find a white-label app platform that will do everything you need it to. You can get your app up and running quickly, and it will be totally customized to fit your brand.
In this article, we’ll guide you through white-label app development. We’ll give you the ins and outs of how white-label development works, as well as some things to think about as you look to launch your own app.
((toc))
What is a white label app?
A white label app is a native app, usually for a smartphone or tablet, that has been built by a third party.
You will basically choose a ready-made app option with the features you want, and then you add your own branding to that app. The result is a beautiful app that does what you need it to do for a fraction of the cost of old-school custom app development.
Pros of white-label app development
Customization
One of the best things about white-label app development is that you can bring your own brand to the app. Most good white-label platforms will give you a lot of options for customization, meaning that your customers feel like they're engaging with something that is authentically yours.
This is important. In the early days of white-label apps, you would often end up with something that looked like everyone else’s app, but with your logo pasted onto it.
Not anymore.
The best white-label app development platforms give you tons of control, letting you bring logos, color schemes, and layouts, all for an experience that is totally yours.
Proven solutions
Another huge benefit to a white-label app development platform is that you will probably get a better product. This is counterintuitive because we often think about custom development as the most desirable way to get what you want in a mobile app.
But when you choose a proven white-label app development software, you’re dealing with a company that does this all the time. For example, here at Mighty Networks, we build communities. Nonstop. We're the best in the world at it. We have the research to show what works, and we build that into every Mighty Pro app. It would be almost impossible to get that level of expertise from a third-party developer.
Cheaper
It depends on how you approach building your app, but white label solutions are often cheaper than hiring a developer to build an app from scratch.
No maintenance
One of the biggest advantages of white-label app development is that somebody else will handle the maintenance. Just like when your website goes down, apps can occasionally have issues.
If you’ve hired developers to build your own app, you will need to go find them again to troubleshoot any issues you may have. And you’ll probably need to pay them again. We offer our app development with support built-in.
Ongoing support
This isn't necessarily true of every white-label platform, but we do more than just maintenance. We also walk with you throughout the lifecycle of your app, giving you valuable data and insights, and ultimately help you to succeed.
Cons of white-label app development
No complete customization
There’s a white label solution for the vast majority of needs you’d have. But white-label solutions aren’t completely custom built, and there’s a chance that you might struggle to find one if you need something really unusual or custom. But this won’t be the case for 90% of users.
How to identify white-label app needs
If you are trying to think through what you actually need for white label app development, it's a good idea to consider a mixture of what you already offer to your customers as well as some blue-sky thinking about what you could offer with an app.
List existing services you want to replicate
The first step is usually to take stock of how you serve your customers or members. If you have a customer-facing website, what is working about that website that you'd like to replicate in a custom app?
For example, if you have a forum feature on your website, that's a great thing to carry over into an app. Whether you use that forum as a community, for product support, or to host lively discussions, it's definitely something you could reproduce with a white-label solution.
Figure out unique mobile benefits
The really exciting thing about creating your own app is the new possibilities that the app will give you. So part of your planning and research will probably be some blue-sky thinking about how you could better serve your customers with the app.
There are all sorts of examples of how apps have changed how we do business. Most of us don't go to banks anymore, we use the app. And many banking apps will let you take pictures of checks to deposit them, move money around, buy investments, and make payments. In this case, a mobile app has sparked a total revolution in how banks do business. And it all started with somebody who was creative enough to think about the possibilities an app could bring.
You can browse some of the solutions below to get some ideas. For example, if you had a white-label app software that comes with the ability to sell courses, what could you do with that? What would you do with one that gave you the capabilities to live stream? How about the option to easily charge for access to the app itself?
White-label app development: common features
- Courses or training
- Membership and/or loyalty programs
- Live streaming and/or video
- Forums
- Location-based features (e.g. find a store, track my run)
- Activities & games
- FAQs or customer service
- Remote account access (e.g. banks, utilities)
- Digital storefronts
- Unique industry needs (ie. tracking operations or supply chains)
White-label app development process
Once you’re ready to start the white-label app development process, it can actually be pretty simple. These are the steps that our Mighty Pro customers typically go through as we work together to build their apps.
Here’s how it works:
1. Schedule a meeting and demo
The first point on your journey of white-label app development is to meet us! We’d love to show you the amazing apps our customers are building. We’ll walk you through the possibilities for your own app, and help you decide whether Mighty Pro is right for you.
You can schedule a call with us and we’ll walk you through the ropes.
2. Kickoff call
Once you’ve decided to build your white-label app with us, we’ll have a kickoff call to create a shared vision for your app. We’ll figure out who your ideal user is and identify the app features they’ll love.
At this stage of the process, we’ll create a gameplan for our work together and support your team on any technical tasks that need to be done.
3. Strategic coaching
You’re not going to go through this journey alone. We’ll help you succeed based on what we’ve learned from launching over 300 white-label apps. Together, we’ll figure out how your community should be structured, the process for you to acquire new members, and what sort of membership plans you’ll offer.
4. Design studio work
We’ll take care of designing your app. Once we’ve worked together to identify what you need, you’ll leave the hard work to us. We’ll build it from the ground up, creating things like splash screens, and adding in logos and custom design to give you a totally branded feel. We’ll also build in marketing images so that you have a product that looks amazing in App Store and Google Play Store.
5. Product training
We’ll train you and/or your team while the app is being designed. We’ll show you everything you need to be successful with your Mighty Pro app, including things like migrating your members from an existing platform, building courses, planning your membership model, and understanding your data and insights. We’ll work with any team members so that they can handle the backend of your app.
6. Apps built
Once we’ve built the app framework, we’ll help you move your content in. For example, if you’re a creator whose platform includes an online course or other training, we’ll help you build it.
We’ll also make sure the app is customized around YOUR business model so that it will give you and your members the very best experience they can have.
7. Plan a launch strategy
While we’re building your app, you can spend some time planning an amazing launch strategy! This might include building hype across your social media channels, emailing your list about it, or even hosting some sort of launch event. You’ll get your audience excited about your new app and the opportunity to come along on an amazing journey with you.
8. Launch your app
After this comes your app launch! We’ve taken care of the technical details, so you get the fun of enjoying the launch itself. Watch as your apps go live in the iOS and Android stores and as your first members sign up to use them. It’s a great feeling.
9. Monthly strategy calls
Our relationship doesn’t end after the app launch. We keep working with you to build and grow your success with the app, checking in and helping you understand your analytics. We’re your partners to make sure you hit the goals you’ve set, and we’ll walk with you through this journey.
10. VIP support
Last, but DEFINITELY not least, all Mighty Pro customers get VIP support, troubleshooting any issues, and proactive guidance for Android or iOS policy changes, integration and CRM technical services, and ongoing product training. We’ll take care of any issues you might have, meaning you can focus on what you do best: building your community.
Ready to build?
If you're ready to build an awesome white label app, come build with us! Mighty's cultural software lets you bring together community, content, courses, and commerce. And our flexible Spaces mix in live streaming, live events, discussion forums, chat and messaging, and more!
You can sell app memberships to community, courses, events, or bundle any of these in 135 different currencies, or even monetize with token-gating. You get YOUR app under YOUR brand in the App Store and Google Play Store.
Schedule a call with us to get started!
