6. App Design Principles Part 3: Usability & Conversions

App Design Principles: Part 3 (Usability & Conversions)

Usability

To ensure you’re providing good user experience, you’ll have to make specific and app-wide design decisions. Follow these app design principles to design and develop a mobile app that gives users exactly what they’re looking for.

16. Speak your user’s language

Many app users get confused when a company uses unfamiliar brand terms or phrases, a language not familiar to them.

For example, calls to action are labeled with brand-specific terms, which general users don’t understand.

Instead of using unfamiliar brand terms, make the brand message of your app clear.

For example, the functionality and communication of your apps have to be clear.

This will help reduce cognitive load for the user, which helps sustain users and provide a great user experience.

17. Interpret visual elements using text labels

In a recent study, it was found that icons (used in app’s menu, store locator, cart, account, and even for actions like sorting and filtering) are not universal, and hence, not well understood across apps.

On the other hand, icons that are labeled are much more likely to be used.

Likewise, visual categorizations on apps that don’t use a key require users to guess what they are.

To reduce confusion and keep users on track, make sure to provide text labels and include a key on iconography and visuals.

18. Provide instant feedback after important actions.

When apps are not responsive, it might lead to guesswork for the user.

For example, when a user adds an item to the cart or orders an item, lack of feedback can lead them to question whether they did perform that action and it has been processed.

On the other hand, apps that provide visual animation or another type of visual element can eliminate confusions for the user.

19. Give user control by letting them zoom as they want

Apps that zooms an image at a predetermined magnification level can frustrate users.

Particularly frustrating is the zoomed-in view that compels users to look at a specific part of the item or cut image partially off the screen.

This may work well on PCs and laptops, but not on mobile devices.

On mobile devices, users want to be in charge of the zoom level when they view an image.

So to reduce frustrations and put them in control, allow your app users to zoom items and images as they prefer.

20. Ask for permissions in context.

Users that deny permissions vital to the app’s proper functioning can get stuck performing a task.

To reduce users abandoning your apps, ask their permission in context and let them know benefits of granting access to your app.

Users are more likely to grant you permission if asked when they’re performing a relevant task.

Conversion

As mobile app use continuously grows, more and more users will expect smooth in-app experiences when finding, learning, reviewing, and purchasing the product.

Here is how you can create great user experiences that boost conversions.

21. Give previous searches and recent purchase information

Many users often make the same searches and similar purchases, particularly in most frequently apps.

You can save their time and effort by making recent purchases and searches available on your app.

22. Allow app users to sort and filter user reviews

Reviews from real customers help boost purchases through your app.

For example, if a user sees a large number of positive reviews about a particular product or service, it will help them become more confident to buy that item.

1. To help your users get the “real story” about an item, allow them to sort and filter through the reviews.
2. Let them browse the most positive, more negative, and most recent reviews to find any common patterns.
3. Users also love when you include verified reviews from users who purchased an item from you. (Think customer review on Amazon).

23. Allow users to compare shopping items.

When people shop through a mobile app, they want an easy way to compare items they’re interested in buying.

If your app lacks this capability, they’ll be forced to put items in the cart and compare. Or, they’ll be forced to remember which items to check out later.

On the website, they could get around this problem by opening new tabs to compare products.

On mobile devices, however, in-app features such as this can prevent your users to do all these additional workouts, which will eventually help drive more purchases.

24. Provide multiple third-party payment options for users.

During checkout or when making a purchase, app users expect to find their favorite payment systems as options.

Apps that offer payment options such as Apple Pay, PayPal and AndroidPay prevent users from filling out additional forms or pointing to new payment option again.

This not only avoids frustrations but also increases a sense of security among users.

25. Make it easy to add new and manage payment options.

App users can quickly become disappointed when payment storage and steps involved are long and complex.

Relief pain from users by simplifying these features.

For example, you can create a simple entry page with options like credit card scanning and number pad entry.

Make sure to include the ability to add more than one card, with a function to toggle between them.