Editor’s Note: This post originally appeared on PunNode, TechNode’s partner in Taiwan.
We (PunNode) recently attend InstALL S event by PunApp and FETnet, and here’s what developers behind Taipei Food app share with us.
As founders of the well-acknowledged mobile app Taipei Food, Eric and Sean believe it’s easier to download and experience directly, than listen to their introduction. It’s an app that help users find tasty food nearby. This popular app actually comes from a group of engineers and their desire to eat.
Many apps are inspired by inconveniences encountered in life. The team behind Taipei Food is a group of engineers in the same company. As they are bored by the daily question about where to eat, they decide to build an app as solution. After reading thousands of blog posts online about food, they notice:
- Reputation matters when people look for dinner options online.
- Bloggers control a lot of online resources with their comments on food and restaurants. Bloggers in Taiwan produce some of the best and most helpful contents.
- Since we are looking for restaurants nearby, it’s reasonable to compare smartphone and restaurant locations.
Taipei Food v 1.0 was born after combining all data mentioned above. Our friends as initial users responded positively.
Since everyone enjoyed the help, we decided to go bigger. With feedback from friends, we included more categories, analyzed user behaviors, and got approvals from app stores to serve more consumers.
The team also shares their promotion approaches on social networks.
After launched on App Store, Taipei Food was well-received with about 1,000 downloads per day for its functionality and sleek design. The speed won’t last forever, so the team explores ads opportunities on other platforms.
Facebook: New downloads from Facebook ads increase along with investments. It’s the most direct and effective channel.
Comparison between App Store and Google: With same amount of investment, iOS lasts longer in effect than Google Play.
Facebook page: It’s brutal on Facebook. Even if the team recommends lots of great information and posts, hot girl selfies still attract more likes.
Tools such as Crashlytics and Google Analytics are utilized to evaluate performances.
Taipei Food is still on the popularity list. If you translate it into numbers:
- DAU: 5,000 people per day
- Simultaneously online: 60-80 people
- Total users: 80,000
- Bloggers: 40 people
- Articles: over 7,000 posts
Engineer team works smoothly for initial development, but copyright issue becomes thorny in the process. It forces the team to spend significant time communicating with bloggers, sometimes more than coding.
The experience also teaches them how app development is human-centered. These efforts will be meaningless if irrelevant to users and their needs.
Success doesn’t come by coincidence. Designers enhance the touch and feel, and location-based services also distinguish Taipei Food from other gourmet apps.
Their future objectives include:
- Add more social to attract gourmet aficionado.
- Instead of heads-on competition with other apps, Taipei Food offers different contents that are selected, recommended and helpful.
- Expand the range to every part of Taiwan.