There is still plenty of opportunity for budding entrepreneurs looking to release their first app. Last year, small businesses released over five million new apps.
If you plan your app design, you’ll want to ensure you get the process right. A great design can be the difference between success and failure in this competitive market.
To help you achieve that, we’ve put together our top five mobile app design tips. Read on to learn more.
1. Create a Simple Beta Version
Simplicity is a strength in startup app development. Too much technology fails because it is overcomplicated. To avoid this, develop an early beta version and strip the functionality to bare bones.
Employ beta testers to try your app and provide early feedback. Use that to decide what features you want to add. It’s far easier to take this approach and add features rather than build everything into the app and have to remove things.
2. Focus on Usability Testing
Customers quickly ditch apps if they find them confusing. So usability has to be a top priority when designing your app.
Start by mapping out your user journeys on paper before you begin your app build. This will help you spot any glaring problems. Once you have your beta product, ensure you run a full end-to-end usability test.
This test will help you remove any friction in your app that slows people down or makes them abandon their progress. Doing this well will give you better reviews on the app store, which will ultimately mean more downloads.
3. Research Your Target Audience
Don’t design an app with only a vague idea of who will use it and why. Research your audience before you build to discover their needs and preferences.
That market research will help you focus on an app product more aligned with your end users’ needs. Your reward will be higher sales and more people returning to the app instead of abandoning it (or worse: submitting a negative review).
4. Create Unique Branding
Don’t feel tempted to brand your app similarly to your competition. While you might think you need to create a brand that seems familiar to your audience, you’ll get lost in the noise when people browse the app store.
Instead, be adventurous with your branding. Employ a professional designer to create something that stands out from the competition while still connecting with your target audience.
5. Make It Accessible
Finally, test your app on different phones and tablets during your design phase to ensure all your users get a premium experience, whatever mobile devices they use.
Your app also needs to be accessible. Make it easy to read, make buttons prominent and noticeable, and provide an easy-to-access help feature.
Bookmark These Five Mobile App Design Tips
Before coding, plan your build using these five mobile app design tips. Doing so will help you launch an app people love and customers want. And, of course, one that gets excellent reviews.
For more advice on how to market and launch your app, head to our business section for our latest articles.
