A strong mobile presence is key to both maintaining your current customer base as well as attracting new customers. Designing an app is not always the same as designing a ‘good’ app. There are many different factors that contribute to a successful app design, meaning that consumers enjoy using it and will use it again in the future.

Here are four design factors to consider when creating a mobile app for your business:

Simplicity/Ease of Use

Small screens can be tricky to navigate at times which is why an easy to use app with simple design features is ideal. The key is to take as much user input out of the equation as possible. Only the most necessary information should be provided, and the least amount of user action required.

One design feature that successful apps use is the inclusion of larger buttons that aren’t grouped closely together. Remember, your app should be designed for the finger and not the mouse. The inclusion of a home screen return button is also important because it provides the user with easy pathway back to home. Navigating through an app should be as simple as possible, you don’t want users jumping from page to page, not being able to find their way around easily.

Visuals

• Consistency with your brand.
• Contrast is important, especially for users who are trying to see against a glare. Dark text against a light background is a good rule of thumb to follow.
• Less is more when it comes to text. Try to say what you need to in as few words as possible. Consumers on the go may not always have the time or patience to scroll through a lengthy amount of text.
• Enticing visuals does not mean including a large amount of graphics and videos. Excessive picture/video elements on an app can be too much for the eye to take in and can cause your app to operate slowly.
• Keep in mind that not all users are the same. Color-blindness, a fairly common affliction, can prevent users from understanding color coded directions. Using symbols and other cues that are universally understood is the foundation for a successful app.

Speed

Consumers on the go simply don’t have time to wait for an app that loads too slowly and will likely search for a faster one. One effective way to enhance speed is to minimalize clutter (unnecessary icons and text).

If your app has reduced all clutter possible and still takes an extra second to load, opt for a loading icon. Loading icons are an excellent feature to include, they inform users that progress is being made and customers won’t be left thinking that your app is always freezing. This is a great area to be creative in as an interesting load bar/icon will hold your audience’s attention.

Prioritize

The organization of your app should be based on the pathways users are likely to follow and pathways that would lead to sales. Knowing your audience is key here:

• What did they come to your app for?
• What is their likely end goal?
• How can I structure my app to increase conversion rates?

Ask these questions and more when organizing your app and creating the navigational structure. One tip for effectively prioritizing an app is to include a hamburger menu. The mobile world is only increasing in size which is why businesses must adapt with the times to maintain a competitive edge.