The 10 Commandments of Mobile App Design

When the mighty mobile app god stood on the mountain, he scribbled ten commandments onto the slabs.

Er, it probably would have been written in an email, but you get the point. Ten commandments are often made for companies, organizations, best practices and of course religion.

So, why are there not a set of ten must-follow rules for mobile apps?

It’s easy to forget about your mobile app and neglect your customers, so here’s a list of the ten commandments you must follow if setting out on a mobile app journey.

You Should Focus on Content More Than Anything

Yes, customers are important, but the customers won’t come, or stick around, unless you have solid content in a mobile app. Therefore, the content is far more important than your customer with a mobile app.

The goal is to structure a strategy that guides users to places of value, from reservation pages to galleries. If they can’t see any value, the delete button isn’t far away.

Thou Shalt Think About How People Get to Your App

Do you have any idea how people are landing on your app? Do you have a QR code at the cash register? Are they getting download links from friends in emails? Do you have some impressive counts from iTunes and the Android stores?

It’s essential to understand where these downloads come from, otherwise you won’t know where to put your focus in the future.

Thou Shalt Help Users Navigate Easily

Users haven’t a clue about the navigation in your mobile app. They don’t know how to get to a booking page or the information about your coupons. Therefore, the homepage is your best friend, and it should include only a few large, prominent buttons for where you want them to go.

Thou Shalt Get the Right Colors

Far too often we see mobile app color schemes that don’t match those of logos. There’s nothing more amatuer looking than poorly branded mobile apps, and it’s a surefire way to get people to delete your app.

Thou Shalt Not Forget About Fonts

Fonts aren’t as versatile on mobile apps as they are on websites, but you can still adjust some of the settings. Think about whether your current font reflects the professional, or playful, tone you’re trying to let off.

Thou Shalt Consistently Beautify

That button looks to large. The fonts are too silly looking. The gallery needs more updated pictures. Considering a mobile app is an ongoing job, beautification should take a front row seat when you’re trying to update your app. It’s also not a bad idea to look at new iBuildApp features that you may have missed.

Thou Shalt Use Calls to Action

The whole point of a mobile app is to sell more products, services or to get people to look at your content. If you don’t get more conversions, the mobile app isn’t doing the job. That’s why calls to action must be prominent and used frequently.

Thou Shalt Not Leave Marketing to Chance

From emails to QR codes to the coveted app store, your marketing options through a system like iBuildApp are rather impressive. There’s no reason that your VIP customers don’t have the mobile app on their phones, considering there’s a good chance they go to your website and come into your business consistently.

Thou Shalt Engage with Users

One of the primary benefits of having a business mobile app is the social aspects. You can have Facebook walls, discussion forums, chat boxes and more. The only problem is that many companies forget to interact with their customers. If a user decides to post on your Facebook wall, this is a big deal. You responding could mean the difference between them being a customer for life and moving onto a different company.

Thou Shalt Clear Out Clutter

This ties into beautification, but it focuses more on the idea of cutting out features and designs you don’t need. Users crave simplicity nowadays, so it’s wise to check-in with your app on a monthly basis to see if anything can be cut out.

Thou Shalt Return

The final step involves making a schedule for returning to your app for modifications, improvements and interaction. Too many companies make mobile apps and never return. Don’t let that be you.

If you have any other commandments that might work for a mobile app, drop a line in the comments section below.