In a digital world, news and media platforms fit into the digital mould quite seamlessly. And since the digital media platforms have only grown, there have been many digital media platforms that have made a significant difference. This brings us to the subject of developing a Flipboard Clone.
Like any digital news media platform, Flipboard features an enormous collection of news stories from all around the world. It has different genres and categories to select from. So, the reader can indulge in any subject that they prefer. The publisher also gets a diverse option for publishing news articles and blogs.
As an application for reading and posting news content, the reader gets their bid while the publisher also gets their reach. With this win-win situation at hand, it is quite understandable why it is important to develop a Flipboard Clone. And we will get to the how of it, starting with a possible workflow of such an application.
- Any user of the platform, whether the reader or the publisher, will have to register themselves to the platform.
- The registration process surpasses via a verification process, where the user must include their credentials. Usually, it is an email, social media handle or a phone number. The admin verifies this account or number by sending an OTP to that exact address. The user will have to enter the OTP back in the Flipboard Clone and complete the verification process.
- Once the user gets verified, they will be allotted a profile. The user treats it as a personal profile, adding some info and data about themselves. While average readers’ accounts may not be that interesting, the publisher accounts may contain a little glitz. The publisher account thrives on followers; hence, it has to be at least presentable, going towards appealing.
- Readers of the platform can like, comment, share stories with publishers. They can also follow them on the platform, adding their popularity and visibility. The user may share articles across platforms, switching seamlessly between apps.
- Users of a Flipboard Clone can also apply for newsletters. Similar to the registration process, for the newsletter, they will have entered some sort of account credential, where the newsletters will be sent as per the company guidelines.
Apart from the general workflow, a digital news application can do much more than keep the audiences updated. But, it helps start an active conversation and concern about certain subjects that need our notice. And as a platform that shares a sense of community, this social communion is palpable for both the readers and the publishers.
Features On A Flipboard Clone
So, now that we have covered the general workflow let us move forward towards the features of such a platform. The features of a Flipboard Clone are a combination of the readers and publishers requirements. Everything that these two types of users are supposed to engage over the platform is materialised by the features and functions. Here are a few of the features that make Flipboard stand apart from its peers in the game.
Verification & Sign-Up
A Flipboard-like app asks its users to register to the platform first for using further services. For registration, the user initially has to enter their email, mobile number or social media i.d for verification. This info gets verified by sending a secret OTP to the entered i.d or number. The user has to enter the OTP on the verification page confirming their identity.
Social Media Log-In
While email is probably the traditional way of logging into an application or web platform, social media log-in has been the new trend. In both cases, though, the user enters their i.d and the correct password to enter their profile. Social media integration can also be quite useful to certain users as a social new media platform.
Search Bar
A Flipboard Clone must include a search bar. For a digital media platform like this, the requirement is to let users find their way into the correct posts articles that intrigue them and feed their interests. Hence, with the search bar, you give them the authority to find for themselves whatever they want to be reading on the platform.
Category
Apart from the search bar, it should also contain a category. Under this category, users can look at the list of genres or subjects upon which the platform features their news articles and blogs. They can choose any category, and they will instantly be shown with all the results from that particular news category.
Like, Share & Flip
If a reader happens to like an article or blog posted by any publisher over the platform, they can place a like and Users on a Flipboard Clone also has the permission to share news content with friends over other app platforms. The likes and shares are important for the publisher to recognise and name for themselves. With the flip feature, the reader can also save a story for reading in the future.
Read More
A registered user of a digital news platform has access to read full articles and blogs from the platform. In contrast, unregistered users can only view a certain part of a snippet of the whole thing. Registered users have to click on read more to read the full article plus get recommendations on similar stories or a continuation of a periodical broadcast.
Refresh News
All the latest news over the user feed or under certain categories are catered in a list. This list gets updated with every new story posted by publishers. To see the new stories over the platform and read them eventually, the reader has to refresh the feed. From a mobile device, this is done by swiping the device’s screen from top to button.
Publish
Apart from readers, a Flipboard Clone is also home to publishers in different news and media reporting fields. The publisher will be required to post the story on the platform, which will go through certain authentication before posting. Once the story is up on the platform, users can view it, like it, save it, comment on it or share it whenever they like.
Follow
Naturally, when a publisher posts out stories for the public to read, they unintentionally create a following of their own. This follower count has been made real and holds a certain value for the publisher’s professional gains. Hence when a publisher officially posts on a digital platform, they are also given a follower count, which increases with their likability.
Discover
Users are also allowed to find new stories on their own. They can search keywords from the category itself or their feed. However, the discover section is specifically embedded for users to find out stories that are not present in your feed, which might pique your interest.
Newsletters
As a digital news media platform providing news content, newsletters are the best way to get to readers. A Flipboard Clone can also monetise the newsletters option to earn some revenue in the process. It is quite simple. The user just has to put their email and select a newsletter plan.
Privacy Settings
The reader and the publisher both are provided with a few privacy options. For the publisher, it mostly concerns their profile and content, the visibility of the content and other similar things. While for the reader, it is more about the reading choices and notification settings.
Payment Options
If the platform contains subscription plans, donations, or monetisation policies such as advertisement, it should include payment options. For these instances specifically, you will require cross-platform accessibility. So, you will have to make sure that the payment options are not just aligned but functioning at times of need.
Push Notifications
In today’s app culture, push notifications to allow apps to communicate with users and keep them engaged and involved in the app activities. For a Flipboard Clone, the readers are notified now and then with new posts, especially from the publishers they are following. The publisher, however, gets notifications whenever there is any activity on their posts, such as a like or a comment. There are other reasons for such an application to send push notifications to its users.
Reset Or Change Password
Users should be allowed to reset or change passwords of their accounts if they feel there is a threat to security. This option can be found under the account setting feature. They can also change it during sign-up.
Multiple Log-In
Along with that, users should also be given access to multiple log-in. This is especially important when people become more prone to using multiple devices daily.
Delete Account
The user signs up to the platform of their own will. So, it is only fitting that they can leave the platform whenever they want to. However, it is important to remember that once an account gets deleted, the account’s data also gets lost.
Conclusion
Now that you know a few things required for developing a Flipboard Clone, you can start working on the next development process steps. You will need to curate a revenue model and put it together into a user-friendly UI/UX Design.