There are nearly ten million mobile apps available for people to download. You need to make an incredible first impression to encourage users to enjoy and stay using your app when they have so many other choices. There are a few common mistakes that app designers make that stem from a lack of testing or user experience reviews. If you want to make a lasting impression, you’ll need to avoid them from the start. Here are some of the mobile app design mistakes.
Too Many Ads
You may want to make some marketing revenue from in-app ads, but be careful. Including annoying pop-ups that are impossible to exit or lengthy interstitial advertisements that interrupt the entire page will quickly discourage audiences from using your app. It may seem like a good idea to make as much ad revenue as possible, but casual and subtle ads will usually win the race. You can even offer incentives for users to play ads, but never significantly and repeatedly interrupt their journey for advertisement purposes.
Lack of Personalization
An app should be customized based on user preferences. If an app never remembers dark mode toggles, login information, usernames, or other accessibility preferences, it can become an instant frustration to use. Remember each customer and what they prefer on the app. Don’t require frequent logins in the same session or forget their font size or color preferences. Include the name the user goes by in appropriate sections to improve their engagement with the app. Add a free weather API to showcase a user’s local temperature to go above and beyond. Don’t force users to give you the same information over and over.
Slow Loading Times
Apps are supposed to be more convenient, but that can quickly fail if your app takes forever to load. If you plug too many images, videos, and other content into the user interface, it will typically backfire and use too much bandwidth. Make designs attractive but subtle. Less is often more when it comes to app design. Test your app for speed on multiple devices and internet connections.
Frequent Bugs
If your app fails to load often, ends up with 404 errors, or doesn’t register touches, users will quickly uninstall your app. There’s not much worse than a bug-filled app, as it shows that you haven’t properly tested and experimented with it. Not only are bugs annoying to deal with, but users won’t have faith in the security and quality of your app.
Asking Too Much Permission
Apps should only ask for permission on a phone or device as needed. If users install your app and are immediately bombarded with permission requests for user information, phone contacts, images, and other secure data, they’ll quickly become suspicious that they’re being spammed. If you need to ask permission to access a certain phone feature, explain why you need it and only ask when it is necessary. Don’t make your users feel intruded upon.
Inappropriate Content
Inappropriate content, like conspiracy theories or adult imagery, is a major problem and shouldn’t be included anywhere in your app, including advertisements. Most app stores, especially Apple, will not approve or include your app if there is inappropriate material in it. Even if the content is only shown on certain advertisements, you’re going to want to properly vet your advertising partners to avoid explicit images in ads. Most users consider unrequested adult material as spam at best, and harassment at worst.
Tiny Touch Targets
You will want to test your app before launch to avoid interaction issues like tiny touch targets. If your buttons or navigation points are too small for the average human touch, they’ll often misclick or fail to click, resulting in a frustrating nightmare. Make sure there is enough space between each clickable object, and ensure the target is large enough for even the widest fingerprints.
No Accessibility
People can interact with apps in different ways. Many users have vision conditions that limit their ability to see certain colors, text sizes, patterns, or anything at all. Other users may have auditory processing disorders. Some users get motion sickness with scrolling or page animations. Epileptic individuals may have seizures when viewing certain imagery, such as flashing lights. You will want to make your app accessible for all. Don’t automatically play flashing GIFs or videos. Allow users to adjust colors and text sizes. Allow screenreader-friendly text and image captions. Make sure videos have subtitles.
Poor In-App Support
Users may be confused if you don’t show them around your app upon a first install. Allow them to view an optional tour so they can get to know your app, its purpose, and its features. If there is an issue, they should be able to know where to go right on the app. Allow for error reporting, chatbot assistants, customer service contacts, and other troubleshooting features.
Mobile App Design Mistakes: Conclusion
When designing your app, opt for a seamless design. Fonts, visuals, and colors should be similar for improved readability. Make sure each page or section isn’t too crowded. Keep advertising subtle to reduce frustration and enhance user experience. Frequently test your app and ask for feedback in order to create the most effective and immersive design. That is to avoid mobile app design mistakes.
