ALPHARETTA, Ga.—When mobile apps became a “must have” just a few years ago, only the largest churches and nonprofits could afford the $30,000-plus price tag to hire a firm to build a custom mobile app. Because the majority of nonprofits can’t afford that kind of price tag, ROAR is now releasing its own app-building content management system to help nonprofits and churches afford their own iPhone and Android apps for a fraction of the cost.
“Our goal is to enable each nonprofit and church we work with to reach into the community and into the pocket of every person to encourage, connect, and retain them as a customer and participant,” comments Matt McKee, president of ROAR. “With our new software, building a custom-looking mobile app for any organization is an affordable reality.”
ROAR’s CMS is built on WordPress. “We customized the admin, plugins, and WordPress sections to meet our needs, so now, every customer we work with gets their own custom WordPress build that powers their own app,” McKee says.
Through ROAR, customers have full control over the app building process through five simple steps:
1. Sign up at ROARapp.com (choose iOS for iPad/iPhone or Android).
2. Access your own CMS (ROAR builds customer WordPress site).
3. Fill in the portions of the CMS that you’d like to see in your app (social media, Web feeds, podcasts, etc.).
4. Hit submit.
5. ROAR builds app and delivers.
“A nonprofit mobile app can help organizations of all kinds communicate with their volunteers and increase donations. A church mobile app can connect members to their churches through sermon podcasts, event updates, and social media all in one place—their phones,” adds McKee. “We encourage churches and nonprofits to give away their apps for free as a way to establish loyalty and goodwill.”
As organizations update content, graphics and audio files in their custom ROAR CMS, the app is automatically updated in real time. This ensures that the app always contains the most relevant information and media.
Additionally, ROAR will soon be releasing its own app that will allow customers to view the app-building process live on their device throughout the creation process. This will help make sure the app meets their expectations.
Through Jan. 31, ROAR is offering half off the set up fee of $250 for the iOS app (iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch) or $500 for both iOS and Android apps. This means that for just $125, churches and nonprofits can begin development of their own mobile app. Monthly hosting for one app is $30 or $50 for both apps.
Launched in January 2010, ROAR has quickly become one of the top app development firms for churches, schools and ministries. ROAR supports app development for every type of mobile device and offers customers custom branding, audio streaming, event calendars, blog/news readers, streaming video and social media integration at realistic prices. ROAR is the official mobile app developer for Group Publishing, Simply Youth Ministry, Orange, and Digital Church by LifeWay and recently purchased MobileSalt to increase its market share in the church app development market.
