According to Statista, 2.7 billion people busy gliding their fingers across their smartphones, add in 1.35 billion homo-sapiens clicking away on their tablets; the result?
A whopping 4.05 billion people are digitally engrossed!
A number surely marketers would be interested in.
The magnetic pull of applications today!
Oh great, you just looked up from your mobile screen, do us a favor and have a look around.
So how many people do you notice glued to their mobiles?
Let’s bombard you with another surprising fact; on average, a person tends to check their phone every 12 minutes. So technically, we are spending more than half of our day on mobile. Well, wait, are you reading the article from your mobile?
Keeping in mind the figures, you must be wondering where this time is spent?
Surely not on calls and messages alone. 90% of mobile time is spent on applications.
As technology took over the reins of improvements, people became super comfortable giving time to their cellphone. But it was not just that the user experience of cellphones that improved, the applications had become immersive and engaging.
You could spend hours playing Temple run, 8 ball-pool or PubG, and connecting with people on Skype. Or browse and keep up with social gossips on Instagram and Facebook. Whatever app you would be using, it probably is a vital activity of your day!
Adding the buzz to the app’s user experience
The number of applications available on app stores today is so high that you cannot even imagine competing with a sub-par application. You must create an application that offers a mobile user experience worth much more than their time. Just the look at the stats ought to push you the right way.
Here is how to do this:
- Less is more
Most new app developers believe that the key to success is loading it with as many features as possible; it is not. But some might argue that the most used social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter offer multitudes of features and are still unbeaten. In this case, it is crucial to recognize that:
- All the features on the application have not always been there. They were eventually incorporated.
- The number of features on any one screen is very neatly organized to show only limited features at one time.
The very first rule for improving the mobile user experience of an application is that it must have a design that does not overwhelm the user. This must begin from the very beginning of application development.
Using a log analyzer can help clear out all the coding mess in this context.
When it comes to design, less is always more. So, do not overwhelm the users with several functions that they will not even use. Set a target market and incorporate features in the application based on the needs of that target market.
- Does Your Mobile Application Need a Sign-up?
When it comes to an application, one of the most important questions is if your application needs signup. Users are very skeptical of their data, and if you add the sign-up feature to an application that does not necessarily need it, users would not be very willing to use it.
On the other hand, if you do decide that your application does indeed need a sign-up, it will be the very first page that users come in contact with.
A sign-up page that is not optimized well will send a mediocre first impression of your application and may lead to high rates of abandonment for your application.
To optimize the sign-up screen, you must ensure that the sign-up does not ask for unnecessary information that the user may not be comfortable in giving. Furthermore, the response rate of the application must be rapid.
Given the small attention spans of users today, it is crucial that the application processes all their requests rapidly to retain them.
Captchas, in this context, can also be very annoying sets of procedures to complete the sign-up process. It is better to verify the email addresses by sending an email to the user’s id.
- Security
Security is one of the most essential segments of today’s information-driven world. Users can be alarmed with the minutest sets of information that an application provides them.
For instance, you are exploring around Times Square as a tourist, and your phone application sends you a prompt to check out one of the best tourist attractions at Times Square. This creates extreme paranoia for the user.
Although this is a simple instance of an application optimizing location-based permission (that the user gave himself/herself) to create a better experience for the user, it can create confusion. When users become paranoid, they look out for the tiniest inconsistencies in an application.
So, if your application asks for camera permission, without it being involved in the camera function or location permission without providing geographical orientation services, the user will be put off and abandon your application.
In case you want the user to accept your permissions because there is a specific need for it, try informing the user of why the permission is needed. Put in small prompts to explain your business policies and procedures to establish credibility and help the user trust your application.
- Personalization
Personalization is one of your strongest yet most underrated tools to improve the mobile user experience of your application. Personalizing the user experience involves making the content of your application relevant to the user.
For instance, if you have asked for location permission, provide the user with specific deals on their current location, address them with their name rather than “dear user,” give them special discounts to their preferred retailers, and so on.
- Analyze
While creating an optimized application is essential, it is not a one-time deal. The application that you create must be continuously updated and improved to keep providing a great user experience for all its users.
If you continue to analyze the use of your application by your existing users and understand the analysis to optimize the experience further. This will help you capitalize on trends and make changes that are relevant for your target audience.
Partying thoughts
Armed with the secret ingredients that you need for your recipe of entirely “happening” application. You can now whip it up and rule the hearts of your consumers and be the industry boss!
Author Bio:
About Michelle Joe: Michelle Joe is a blogger by choice. She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences, and express herself through her blogs. You can find her on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook.
