Did you know that over 61% of people are choosing their mobile phones over computers? As this number continues to grow, more businesses are developing mobile apps to create a better user experience for their customers.
But how do you make your app stand out? Continue reading below for five industry tips on creating a killer mobile app icon.
What is a Mobile App Icon?
An app icon is a visual representation of an app and is displayed in the app store. Unlike a logo, an icon should not just showcase your company as a whole, but what the application is. For example, all of the Google apps are separate from one another with different icons to display the specific app, not the company.
On average, smartphone users spend about 2.3 hours per day on mobile apps. If your company wants to be part of that statistic, you'll need an icon that will stand out in the app store.
1. Showcase Your Main App Features
The purpose of a mobile app icon design is to communicate with users visually. In order to do this, you need to take a step back and think about the fundamentals of your app. What does your app do for the consumer?
Try thinking about your app in a tangible way. For example, utility apps, such as a calculator or flashlight, feel realistic to the user because it's right there at their fingertips. Focus on your app's main function and use that as a building step to create a recognizable and memorable icon.
2. Less is More
The best mobile app icons are simple and to the point. It's easy to want to add as much information as you can, however, remember that it is a small-scale icon and too much design can look messy.
Use a max of three colors, avoid using any text phrases like "play" or "click here", and don't use any real photos that could come off blurry and unrecognizable. Keep your design simple!
3. Experiment
Even simplicity can be hard to achieve. This is why it's good to create multiple designs using different colors and shapes.
Try focus group testing with your top three designs to see which resonates with the consumer more. As much as an icon is nice to look at, it is also a great marketing tool for your company.
4. Sizing
Sizing is also extremely important. Remember that your icon could be used in different places such as mobile or a tablet which have bigger screens and therefore bigger icons. Because of this, it's a good rule of thumb to build your design in multiple sizes, including big and small, so there are no pixilated or blurry designs on any screen.
It's also important to remember that Android and iPhone have different size requirements!
5. Look at the Icons of Your Competitors
A great place to start building your icon is by looking at other competitors in your industry space. Go onto the app store and type in keywords related to your business. Choose which ones you gravitate towards the most and notice why. You can then adapt those design elements into your own icon.
Design the Best Mobile App Icon
There are many factors that go into creating a mobile app icon design. Remember to keep your icon simple, recognizable, and informative. The more you can do that, the more your target audience will gravitate towards your app over others.
For more information about mobile app development, visit our website today!
Flynaut produces a variety of high-quality & creative digital applications. In the past 17 years, our team has designed, developed, and launched over 400 successful apps for companies and start-ups around the world.
Flynaut boasts three arenas of expertise:
Strategic Product Consulting — we help companies develop market-tested strategies around their digital products, ranging from revenue models to user acquisition plans. Loyalty-Driving Design — when we design mobile applications for our clients, we laser focus on a use experience that will forge and grow loyalty with their current - and future - customers. Savvy Engineering — our seasoned team builds products for the “real world” - our applications are built to scale and evolve as consumer trends shift.
Our 120-person team is headquartered in Charlotte, NC, and is organized into two divisions serving Enterprise and startup clients.
