No-code tools are opening up the world of software development to everyone. Instead of relying on coding ability, teams can build applications using simple drag-and-drop or point-and-click interfaces.
Some of the things you can build with no-code tools are:
Websites
Mobile and web apps
Interactive product demos
Task automation
Databases
Chatbots
eCommerce stores
Onboarding walkthrough
The area is snowballing because no-code tools make development quicker, cheaper, and more accessible.
Why are no-code tools important?
No-code tools are vital because they do what any good product should do: solve paint points and problems. Let's explore some of the significant issues that no-code addresses.
Developer shortages
The world of coding moves quickly as new coding languages come in and out of fashion. However, one problem resulting from this high pace of change is that developers struggle to keep up.
This situation adds to the fact that development is hard to learn. It takes a specific type of mind to master this deeply technical skill. Despite high salaries and often low barriers to entry, there is a shortage of developers worldwide.
This supply and demand problem means that salaries and development costs have increased.
No-code tools address some of these problems because they allow non-technical staff to build web applications. It reduces reliance on an in-demand commodity and enables businesses to achieve digital transformation goals.
Better use of developers' time
If you can already code or employ coders, a no-code solution allows them to use their work hours for more sophisticated projects. Instead of writing code from scratch, they can oversee and design powerful applications utilizing various methods.
Experimentation and prototypes
No-code tools are perfect for experimentation and prototypes. Instead of drawing up an idea and explaining it to a developer, users can build what they want.
Additionally, it allows teams to build MVPs, prototypes, and other early-stage versions of apps.
Automation
No-code tools support a general trend toward workflow automation and efficiency. Automating workflows and processes allow you to free up your staff for more value-driven, less mundane work. It will enable humans and computers to work together and become more than the sum of their parts.
Easy maintenance
One of the best features of no-code solutions is their easy maintenance. It's a significant problem to solve because, depending on the build, code can be laborious and even expensive to maintain.
They're democratic
Another great point is that no-code tools are democratic. You don't need to have access to education to produce excellent products. Novice developers with good ideas can get up to speed quickly, which makes the tech space a bit more democratic, which is never a bad thing.
Tech has been trying to diversify the industry with various degrees of success. No-code solutions will tangibly help that process.
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| Image by KamranAydinov on Freepik |
How are no-code tools changing the business world?
A recent report by Zapier looked at how no-code tools are shaping the world of software development. While these applications have been around for a while, they've gained adoption over the last few years.
Indeed, according to the report, over 4 in 5 no-code users started using them during the pandemic. This data supports the thesis that digital adoption bloomed during the pandemic, with many people using time indoors to upskill or try new things.
However, the same report suggests that 90% of current no-code users have a technical background already. This statistic shows that the no-code sector has much space to move into and high growth potential as less technical users begin to get comfortable with these tools.
What sort of projects can you build with no code tools?
No-code solutions can drive all sorts of projects, from building standalone applications for web or mobile, websites, eCommerce stores, interactive product demos, and walkthroughs.
There is a broad mix of no-code solutions on the market. Some are flexible and allow you to build a wide range of applications, while others are more specialist and focused on, for example, design.
You can find no-code tools within existing SaaS applications like Usetiful. These solutions allow you to quickly and easily build otherwise complex applications like interactive product tours or onboarding walkthroughs for existing apps and websites.
Let's explore a few different no-code applications and use cases.
#1. Usetiful Product Tours with Intercom
Intercom is a popular customer engagement tool. It shows businesses what users engage with their website and how they use it. It also facilitates communications through messaging.
Customers have a lot of choices these days. They can afford to be picky about what solutions they use. Unless your website is easy to use and delivers value quickly, modern customers will be off exploring other solutions that deliver what they want.
As a result, positive user onboarding and adoption experiences have become a commercial imperative.
If your users are on your website and using Intercom to find help, you can send Usetiful Product Tour URLs. These URLs can show your users how to perform various tasks to get value from your website.
Here is a technical guide to adding product tours to Intercom. The same principle applies to your other communication channels, too, like:
Knowledge bases
Help articles
Chatbot
Email Help
Wherever your customers are looking for help or assistance, you can offer a URL which means they are one click away from a product tour that boosts adoption and onboarding.
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| Enable customer self-service by adding Usetiful Product Tours to your Intercom messenger. |
#2. Interactive walkthroughs for your WordPress site
Interactive walkthroughs are popular in the modern software space. They allow users to get to grips with websites and apps because they learn by doing. Instead of dumping a load of information on your users, you can engage them and show them how to get value for your website. Following this process ups the chances of user activation.
WordPress is one of the more popular website builders and content management systems (CMS). Almost half of all websites use WordPress.
Usetiful allows you to build sophisticated walkthroughs for your WordPress site. In a world where user acquisition and retention are hyper-competitive, you must find quick and engaging ways to onboard users.
Here is a step-by-step guide for designing an interactive walkthrough on your WordPress website.
If your website has a precise Aha moment, you can set up a walkthrough that guides users through the steps they need to realize how your website will bring them value. This moment depends on what your site was set up to solve, but here are some excellent examples you've probably already experienced:
Canva: when users realize they can build professional-looking designs quickly, efficiently, and with no design experience
Uber: when users realize their cab will be with them in a few minutes after a relatively straightforward process
Airbnb: When users realize how easy it is to book a stay in a new city
So find your WordPress sites aha moment and use Usetiful to build an interactive walkthrough that guides your users to that point.
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| Publish interactive walkthroughs on your WordPress with the Usetiful plugin. |
#3. Zapier Integrations with Usetiful
Because Zapier now integrates with Usetiful, it opens up a whole range of different possibilities.
Zapier allows you to send information between around 5000 apps. It's one of the most popular and well-known no-code solutions around. Zapier allows you to connect third-party apps and communicate instructions between them. It's a great way to build automation that makes your workflow more efficient.
Building integrations between third-party applications would require extensive coding knowledge in most situations. However, Zapier was constructed to allow non-technical teams to assemble complex, interdependent workflows.
You can use Zapier to send data from Usetiful to any of your third-party applications. Some of the things you can do are:
Send new registered user information from Usetiful to your CRM
Direct users to supporting documentation, videos, etc.
Send onboarding progress updates to management
Send user interface (UI) data to your analytics software or no code database builders like AirTable
Share user feedback with relevant teams
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| Automate data and user information with Zapier and Usetiful integration. |
Are no-code and low-code the same thing?
While no-code and low-code have similarities, they aren't quite the same. As you might guess:
No-code tools allow users to build apps with no-code
Low-code tools allow users to build apps using a mix of coding skills and the drag-and-drop interfaces that no-code tools provide.
The plus side of low-code tools is that they are:
Quicker than full coding
Easy to maintain
Offer more customization than no-code
However, these advantages are only relevant if you already have some software development ability.
No-code solutions are the future
Digital transformation has happened across almost every industry. Even very traditional pen and paper and technology-resistant sectors have adopted digital tools because they're quicker, cheaper, and allow for more output.
No-code tools enable more businesses to benefit from technology. Similarly, digital adoption platforms (DAPs) like Usetiful allow companies to guide users and employees toward learning how to get value from this explosion of new tech.
While no-code tools won't replace traditional developers, they will augment their work and allow them to achieve higher productivity.
For non-technical teams, no-code tools open up the world of software development. They will enable them to build more sophisticated workflows and integrations tailored to their unique business goals and objectives.