When choosing an app, you'll likely feel lost in a sea of options. Even before you see an app's features, you'll be made to determine which appeals to the eye. You'll look at its visuals: icons, screenshots, and graphics. Thus, you need to plan carefully how you will design your app. Here are the top design tools and services to ensure your app's success:
Understanding App Store Graphics
People usually go to the App Store or Google Play to search for apps and hopefully download what they need. But often enough, they'll be bombarded with dozens of choices, and most likely will go for one that catches their eye. To design the best image for your app, you need to understand app store graphics. Here are the key assets that you should focus on:
- App icons: These are the small squares that represent your brand. Make it simple, recognizable, and scalable, no matter the device.
- Screenshots: People would want to see what's inside, thus screenshots. These will highlight the interface and main features of your app, sort of a quick demo to convince them to try it out.
- Feature graphics: On Google Play, users will see a banner image that sets the tone for your app listing. This is an excellent chance for your app to catch attention.
- App preview videos: These are the short clips that show how your app works. Give them a dynamic look that entices.
Below are core design principles your app design should adhere to if you want it to succeed:
- Clarity: Your graphics should communicate your app's purpose from the get-go.
- Consistency: Use colors, fonts, and styles that align with your brand identity and maintain them throughout.
- Testing: Run A/B tests to explore which icons or screenshots drive the most downloads.
- Localization: Make sure your visuals can adapt to different regions to resonate with local users.
DIY Design Tools
Photo credit: Fabian Wiktor on PexelsStartups and small businesses may not have the finances to create jaw-dropping visuals, but there are plenty of options available to them. Below are some of the few that enable them to get amazing designs for their apps:
- Canva: With ready-made templates for app icons and screenshots.
- Figma: Lets you and your team collaborate and co-design in real time, wherever you are.
- Sketch: A vector-based design tool, known for its clean UI design.
- Adobe Creative Cloud: Photoshop and Illustrator are two industry-standard software for app designs and more.
Specialized ASO (App Store Optimization) Tools and Services
Many business and app owners may never know about it, but there are specialized ASO tools and services you can use to design your app. They produce not only graphics, but they also measure how these graphics perform. This makes them ideal for those who want data-driven insights when designing their apps. Below are a few key platforms to check out:
- AppRadar: This blends creative design with ASO features. It allows you to test app elements and see which versions drive the most downloads and installs.
- Gummicube: Uses real market data to help you refine your app visuals to make it convert better.
- SplitMetrics: This allows you to experiment with creatives while measuring user response.
General design tools are excellent for designing your app, but the above let you go beyond having appealing aesthetics. They are focused on performance by tracking metrics such as click-through rates and conversions. They encourage testing and refinement to help you evolve over time.
Professional Design Services
If DIYing isn't your cup of tea, you can get the help of the big guns: professional design services. They can help you connect with an app designer or get you access to a team of professionals for flat monthly rates:
- Penji: Offering unlimited graphic design services, Penji is the cost-effective option. For a fixed rate, you'll get as many app designs as you can, revisions included. Pricing starts at $499 per month.
- Upwork: A freelance online marketplace, you can find an app designer on the platform, based on your preferences on rates, expertise, and experience.
- Kimp: Also on an unlimited design model, it can create app designs for your brand for a flat rate. Pricing starts at $698.50 per month.
How to Choose the Right Design Tool or Service
Photo credit: Abdulkadir Emiroğlu on PexelsThere is no one-size-fits-all tool or service for app store graphics. Finding the right approach depends on the following factors:
- Budget vs. quality needs: While DIY tools are inexpensive, sometimes free, professional design services provide polished and consistent visuals.
- Speed vs. scalability: Templates that are quickly editable can allow you to launch fast, however, ongoing design support can make your brand grow sustainably.
- DIY vs. outsourcing: When you handle the designs yourself, you get full control and flexibility. On the other hand, outsourcing gives you more time to strategize while gaining specialized expertise.
Best Practices for the Success of Your App Store Graphics:
While strong visuals draw users in, they must also be impactful. You should see app store graphics as living assets that evolve with market demands and user behavior. Here are a few best practices you can follow:
- Test Before Committing: Run A/B tests on your icons and other design elements to find out which drives the highest click-throughs and install rates.
- Use Data to Iterate: Use analytics and user feedback when refining your visuals. Your app store graphics are not a one-time project but a continuous, dynamic marketing platform.
- Follow Rules: Apple and Google have guidelines for app store assets. Make sure you follow these rules by ensuring that your graphics comply with their requirements. This helps you avoid rejection or delays on submission.
You can choose which to use, but you can always experiment by using DIY tools, then refining your visuals using professional design services. You can then improve your app with services that help it perform its very best.
Conclusion
App store graphics need to do more than look good. There are several design tools and services that can help you achieve your app's very best, make use of them. They can aid you in getting an app that has a competitive edge and successfully boost downloads and installs.
Cover photo credit: Pixabay on Pexels
