Social Assets Creator
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Challenge
Build a web app that can create and post branded social media content from any device, and support paid user accounts.
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Solution
Take an MVP approach — focus on developing the core features of a freemium version of the app before layering on enhancements.
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Results
An HTML5/Ruby on Rails web app that features Photoshop-esque tools, snappy performance, and simultaneous posting to multiple social channels.
A social media feed is always hungry, and for marketing and communication managers, providing social channels with a steady diet of eye-catching content is a must. Startup PostCreator saw opportunity in this 24/7 media demand — why not create a tool that helps users easily design and post branded social images from any device? We used an MVP approach to develop the app’s javascript-based photo editor, provide integration with Stripe for payment processing, and handle simultaneous connections with multiple social media platforms.
Areas of Expertise
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Up and Running
We achieved basic app functionality very quickly, completing the initial phase of the project over a 4-week sprint with minimal design and a few core features: integration with Facebook and Stripe, and basic image editing to add images, text, shapes, and colors.
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Proven Features
We then collected user feedback on the MVP, which helped us focus on refining the features that were most important to our users. We worked iteratively and implemented less-complicated resizing options — including sliders, dropdowns, and inputs — to provide basic functionality as we refined our ideal interaction.
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Knowing What's Socially Acceptable
PostCreator makes it easy for users to simultaneously post to multiple social platforms. Pre-set canvas sizes help users customize their posts to each channel, and the AdMaker grid tool ensures content is compliant with Facebook’s 20% copy rule.
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The Right Tech
PostCreator is a Ruby on Rails application that leverages EaselJS, HTML5, Browserify, Gulp, CoffeeScript, and Backbone. Finding the right tech was key because the photo editing needed to feel just as smooth in the browser as it would on a desktop app.
Summary
The HTML5/Ruby on Rails web app we built for PostCreator now helps users easily design and post branded social images from any device to multiple social media platforms.
