The key to a successful mobile application is having the users want to try it and go back for more. To accomplish this goal, it is necessary to learn more about the mobile app best practices. Begin with well-defined goals in mind while planning and designing the app. The designer needs to have a first-hand user experience to gain insight into what it’s like to interact with the interface. Indeed, any app developer should aim toward having an app that is both useful and engaging to the end-user.
There are gold standards that need to be implemented to improve the mobile app user experience. Here are 6 ways that you might want to try as you develop your next app.
Do not make log-in and registration obligatory.
App abandonment is a real issue for mobile app developers, and among the top reasons why users tend to uninstall apps after their first use is obligatory registration. Interested and satisfied app users will register without being bugged about it – avoid frequently reminding them to fill out your registration for the sake of visitor data and business leads. This can be a big turn-off and drive your users away.
Top Tips:
- Indeed, such data will float your business boat, but you have to optimize the process to seamlessly lead the users to create their accounts on your app. Data collection should not be done in a manner that will frustrate and irritate your users.
- There are several ways to make them log in. You can ask them to link via their email, telephone or mobile number, or even their social media. Many apps have one-click login procedures that are very easy for users. Less complexity = more success in user registration.
Choose well in running app optimization and compatibility tests
Services related to web automation testing are available to make it easier for the developers to optimize the app, but be mindful that running all possible tests in all browsers you are targeting is unnecessary. There is a misconception that all tests should be run to fix all bugs, but what’s important is to determine if your app would run on all browsers by simply verifying if there are compatibility issues.
By subscribing to automated web testing services for your app, you have the privilege of skipping doing the tests one by one. It helps you save time and money in the long run. Always keep in mind that your app is a dynamic creation. It needs to be re-engineered from time to time, but definitely, you won’t be able to do all possible tests now on your own.
Social media integration is definitely the way to go
Social media linking is not just an easy way to lure potential users into logging in – there is more to it. The ability to use social media accounts enables the customers to help with your marketing efforts – their testimonies and social media shares are the best way to expand your reach. Their friends and followers get to see the value of our app, and a wider audience gets to appreciate your product and your brand offerings.
Many users get to download apps daily, only to delete them a few minutes after. Permissions are the top reason for this. For example, if you are asked by the app for your payment preference upfront or asked for permission to access your photos, then you, as a user, will think twice about the true intentions and motivations of the app. Trust brings about loyalty, and loyalty brings a constant stream of business. But first, you need to win your customers’ trust. One-click social media log-in overwrites all of these complexities.
Animate functions where it makes sense
Especially when the user is navigating from one app page to another, it makes sense to make the transitions more interesting by animating them. This serves as a marker that an action was completed from the user’s side. Here are some tips that prove to be effective in putting transitions into place in your app:
- An action done by the user should prompt animations
- The animation should aid the user in understanding how an action can be completed in the application
- Animations should be seamless and not counterintuitive. Meaningful animations help enhance the mobile app user experience, and at the same time, avoid a transition overload scenario.
The user interface design should be clean and practical
A good mobile user interface design can be easily understood by just looking at it. All the elements are logically sequenced and can be processed in the user’s brain at one glance. Several factors like choice of color, font styles and sizes, and other elements play varying roles in achieving a seamless flow of visual blocks without compromising useability and logic. If the visual aspects tie up nicely with the intended functions, then the user interface’s goals, which are mainly to inspire loyalty and increase engagement, are already achieved.
When it comes to the user interface, less is more. Here are some tips that can help you achieve a cleaner and more practical design that can level up the overall mobile app user experience:
- Think hard before introducing new elements: A great design is meant to convey, not confuse. If you have done your job well choosing and filtering the features to introduce, your users will no longer need to think about what to do next. They will be naturally led by their instincts while navigating through your app.
- Eliminate elements that do not belong. All parts should have a purpose to serve. Otherwise, they have no business being in your app’s interface.
- Make the color scheme as simple as possible. Your choice of colors plays an important role in determining whether or not your app is pleasing to the users’ eyes. A wrong color combination also complicates the design and gives an inconsistent feel. When it comes to color, never resort to experimentation. Stick with schemes that traditionally go well together.
Make your users your top consideration
It is important to have an established channel to keep in touch with your users to gauge their true opinion about their mobile app experience. While it is easy to download a report and act on the data you have analyzed, nothing can surpass the value of actual interaction with users to understand better what makes them happy and what changes can be done to make them more comfortable. If you are wondering how to effectively connect with users, there are platforms where you can directly collect valuable feedback.
These are just some of the ways to further improve your mobile user experience. By constantly reminding yourself of your priorities, you’ll be on track towards achieving both your tactical and strategic goals.
