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How to Test Social Media Apps Like Instagram

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Testscenario Testing Team

07/02/2022
How to Test Social Media Apps Like Instagram

Social media apps like Instagram have reshaped our daily lives in the past decade. As an entrepreneur or creator, it is indeed an amazing proposition for you to create a social media app. Of course, your idea needs to be cool or useful.

But even when you have a brilliant idea and a cool app, there is one element that can spell disaster – Bugs!

So, knowing how to test social media apps properly is essential for your app’s success too. Once a user takes the chance of trying a new app, providing a bug-free environment is your responsibility.

Intensive test cases need to be prepared and tests should be performed periodically or every time a new feature is introduced. Taking a chance may result in losing users.

So, let us dive deeper into social media app testing

Why is Testing Important in Social Media Apps?

Any social media app developed should be compatible with the user’s system with ease of use. With millions of users using social media for their daily operations, penetration of a hacker or a code resulting in a security breach is completely unacceptable.

At times, there might be an increase in the stress and load on user actions on certain days which should not lead to performance degradation. This may lead to congestion of the network traffic as well.

Furthermore, proper testing on analytics must be done, for marketers to envision their product’s reach on the platform. Improper testing on SEO and online ads may hinder the growth of the social media app itself.

To avoid all these troubles, vigorous mobile app testing has to be made on social media apps.

Ensure your social media app is performing awesome by employing testscenario software testing services. Get in touch with us to set up a meeting

How Does Software Testing Life Cycle Enhance the Testing Process of a Social Media App?

Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) is the sequence of specific activities conducted to ensure the quality of the software developed. The testing process of a social media app involves the following phases of a test cycle.

1 Analyze testing requirements:

The requirement of the social media app is thoroughly analyzed

  • For its features and functions
  • Type of tests to be conducted
  • Testing priorities
  • Test environment, whether the testing needs to be taken place in-house or any other third party team needs to be involved in it
  • Type of browsers and OS
  • Feasibility for automation

2 Test Planning:

The test plan creation involves the different strategies that need to be followed along with

  • Cost and estimation for testing
  • Allocating the resources and the training required for testers
  • Decide on the test environment
  • Analyze the test limitations
  • Schedule the tests to provide reasonable time for reiterations and release of the beta version of the app.

3 Test case development phase:

The actual testing begins at this phase. Testers document all the features and functions of the social media app and create test cases for all the scenarios.

  • Testers need to create separate script documents and test cases for both manual and automated testing.
  • Create test data necessary for every test scenario.

4 Test environment setup phase:

Understanding the social media app requirement and setting up the test environment takes place at this phase.

  • Assigning different OS, virtual machines, manual and automated tools
  • Perform a smoke test – to determine if the built social media app is testable or not.

5 Test execution phase:

  • Tests are carried out as per the test plan and test cases. Failed cases are logged and reported to the development team.
  • All the bugs found in the app are documented. It will assist the testers in future references.
  • The development team reworks on the issues, and the retesting takes place.
  • Test cases are executed on physical devices, software testing tools, and in the cloud.

6 Test closure:

Testing is completed, and all bugs are removed at this phase. Test metrics are prepared based on

  • Time
  • Test coverage
  • Cost
  • Objectives

Parameters to be Considered for Social Media App Testing:

A social media app runs on various browsers, operating on different platforms, and is subject to various security revisions. With the increase of cyber attacks, the app should be concurrently tested with the below-discussed parameters to ensure that the app works well in any situation.

Security Testing

  • Used to determine if the social media app data is safeguarded from hackers, spyware, etc.
  • Data must be encrypted well.
  • Data must be completely deleted if it is not used by the client.
  • Many APIs will be connected with the social media app. Hence data privacy and security need to be ensured.

Functionality Testing

  • This parameter has to be checked to maintain consistent functionality for a good user experience.
  • Should integrate correctly with other applications.
  • Determine if the social media app works well in multiple environments and different platforms.
  • Ensure each part of the application works as expected.

Usability

  • Should provide a user-friendly user interface for the users.
  • The developed design should meet the intended workflow.
  • This is a good way to test the separate function and the application as a whole.

Performance

  • The social media app should behave the same at any peak loads.
  • Failure for one user on the cloud for any reason should not affect other users.
  • Manual and automatic scaling should not produce any disturbance.
  • Perform availability testing for a zero downtime recovery.

Load and stress

  • Should work seamlessly when a high number of users are using concurrently.
  • By providing realistic and unrealistic load scenarios, the failure point of the social media app can be found.

Interoperability and compatibility

  • The app should work well on different browsers and different platforms on the cloud.
  • Any incomplete data should not be transferred to the cloud.

Network

  • The network connectivity and data integrity should be consistent while transferring data.

Database

  • Front-end fields should be correctly mapped with the database tables.
  • The data should be the same on all screens.
  • There will be a need for making complex queries using components like relational constraints, triggers, and stored procedures to ascertain the functionalities of the social media app.

SEO

  • Determine the clicks, click-through rates, impressions, positions of the social media app.
  • Track results for individual pages or a group of pages and find if the developed social media app is yielding.
  • Helps in optimizing new features.
  • Over some time it helps to visualize an exponential growth curve.

Online Ads –

  • Aids to test ad concepts in the target market to reduce risk, help in-market success for new campaigns, and help provide good ROI.

Content management –

  • Ensure all pages are displayed correctly.
  • Links are pointed to specified addresses.
  • Images are not broken.
  • Ensure the developed social media app complies with the W3C standards.

A bug-free experience will help your users to love your social media app. Get testscenario testing services and ensure quality. Talk to us

Checklist for Social Media App Testing:

Keep these checklists handy while you test your social media app.

1) Analyze the test requirement

  • Define the scope and the objectives of the social media app.
  • Investigate the time and resources required.
  • List down the scenarios to be tested.

2) Create the test plan

  • Obtain a clear understanding of the requirement.
  • Consider all the frontend and backend activities and dissect them.

3) Allocate the resource

  • Allocate resources for all types of testing considering all the parameters.
  • Assign the OS, device platform and determine the network involved.

4) Document the test cases

  • Document all the features of the social media app.
  • Create test cases considering all the test scenarios, features, and functions.

5) Define the manual and automation testing scope

  • Both testing methods are required.
  • Prepare separate test documents for both the test methods.

6) Execute the test

  • Carry out the test on physical devices, software testing tools, and in the cloud.
  • Make sure that the code change should not affect the functionalities.

7) Report the defect and analyze them

  • Make a note of all the issues and analyze them.
  • Move it to the development team to resolve the issues.

8) Document the test summary

  • Do not miss even a single bug that was reported. Make note of all. It will assist the testers for future reference.

9) Complete the test

  • Testers and developers should work hand in hand for the completion of the test.
  • Check if the bugs are properly removed if not reiterate the test process.
  • Repeat the test process whenever a code change takes place.
  • Real-time users can be involved to obtain the feedback and quality of the application.

Example Login Scenarios in Social Media Apps like Instagram

  1. Minimum and Maximum lengths should be fixed for the text boxes.
  2. Passwords should be displayed in masked format instead of text.
  3. Login credentials should be stored in the database in an encrypted format.
  4. Users should not be allowed to copy and paste Passwords to and from the text box.
  5. After logout, when the back button is clicked, it should redirect the user to the login page.
  6. SSL certificates should be installed for social media apps.

Sample Test Case Scenarios for Share Functionality in Instagram and Other Social Media Apps

  1. Verify if the share button is clickable or not.
  2. Check if the page redirects to the expected page or not when the user chooses the share option.
  3. Check if the button name is showing as per requirement or not.
  4. Check if all options of sharing are available like share now, share to your story, share to the news feed, share to friends profile, etc.
  5. Check if all the available share options are working correctly.
  6. When the share to friends profile is clicked, the friends available should be listed with the check box. Check if the check-box and submit button are working correctly.

Conclusion

The demand for social media app testing is increasing extensively as people are using it for their day-to-day activities like communication, shopping, learning, job search, etc. Lack of time, verifying all license factors, performance testing, and data confidentiality are some factors that make testing complicated. Beginning the testing process as early enables a social media app to go live earlier with as few bugs as possible.

Are you looking for an able testing partner to ensure your app is flawless? If you are, get in touch with us. We would love to hear from you.

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