Tips To Design Better Mobile App Usability

Tips To Design Better Mobile App Usability by techugo , Business Head, Techugo Pvt Ltd.  Available from <https://www.businesszone.co.uk/community/blogs/techugo/tips-to-design-better-mobile-app-usability> [July 19, 2017]


This app is nothing, but a heap of trash, do not download it…this review made me reach to cross the download process, and I thought myself great, since I was saved from a wrong app. I feel we all fall into such situation now and then, when we cancels the download, because it has the worst reviews about its usability, since we all want a perfect app, which fulfills our scale of expectation and requirement basket. Is it too much to ask for? I think no, because mobile apps are developed for a reason, and that reason only revolves around our convenience, and if we are not going to get it, then what purpose the mobile app is created for?….this is a perspective of users, who only look for the convenience and availability of different services at their mere click, but they find it disturbing if the mobile app is a burden than being a source of usability for them.

Continue reading “Tips To Design Better Mobile App Usability”

Tips For Better Mobile App Security

Tips For Better Mobile App Security by Melissa Crooks.  Available from <http://www.businesszone.co.uk/community/blogs/melissacrooks/tips-for-better-mobile-app-security> [Feb 24, 2017]

Mobile devices let us do almost everything online—from anywhere, and at any time. We can now do our banking, control all internet of things devices, track our fitness, shop, and work remotely. Driving this productivity are various mobile apps—software that links to servers and APIs around the world and delivers services, data, and, ultimately, convenience and value to users.

Continue reading “Tips For Better Mobile App Security”

Four Best Practices For Successfully Onboarding Mobile App Users

Four Best Practices For Successfully Onboarding Mobile App Users by Michael Essany.  Available from <https://mobilemarketingwatch.com/four-best-practices-for-successfully-onboarding-mobile-app-users-70498/> [January 23, 2017]

The following is a guest contributed post from Amy Abascal, Head of Marketing, Americas, FollowAnalytics.

In the old days of software design, onboarding campaigns were considered a crutch to compensate for bad UX.  In some cases, the on-boarding workflow even interfered with your ability to use the application.  Anyone remember that talking paperclip in MS Office that always seemed to get in the way?  But mobile apps are a different beast.  Well thought out onboarding flows can be an essential tool to ensure user retention.

It’s fairly well established that most apps are deleted after their first use – over 80% to be clear.  And comscore reports that users spend more than 75% of their time in their three favorite apps. So unless you want your app to be deleted or forgotten about, it’s critical to ensure that users find immediate value.  Coaching screens and in-app messages that introduce key features can make a huge difference

In addition, many mobile apps are useless or crippled without permission to use external features provided by the smartphone.  Think of Instagram without camera permissions or Waze without GPS.  Unfortunately, smartphones don’t allow apps to access these by default.  The user must agree and onboarding campaigns can get them to do so.

Here are five tips to creating successful onboarding that will ensure your users love your app and keep using it.

I. Take the Pain Out of Logging In

Typing passwords on a desktop computer can be tough, but typing them on a mobile device can be downright maddening.  If your user opens your device, is immediately prompted to create an account and cannot get through the login process, it’s pretty much guaranteed you’ll lose them.

Instead, don’t require users to create an account until it’s really necessary.  How much can they explore before a login is required?  Once they see the value of your app, they’re more likely to go to the trouble.

Next, provide as many options to login as possible.  Social media sign-ins through Facebook and LinkedIn are great, but if users store their passwords keychain tools and don’t remember them, you’ve added more complexity to the process than they may be willing to put up with.  Furthermore, ask your team if it’s really necessary to have strict password requirements?  Can you let them log in with a numeric pin?  My bank lets me login with my fingerprint.  I love them for it!

II.  Think About Context When Asking Permission

If you are going to request permission to send push notifications, use the camera or GPS, or access other external functions, then explain what the user is getting out of it.  When they sees the app is more useful by clicking “allow”, they’re much more likely to do so.

Likewise, the timing of your requests is just as important as explaining why you’re asking.  I’ve used apps that asked for everything from my social media profile to my location before I was even certain what the app did.  Let your user get addicted to your app first.  You might not need to ask for permission to use the camera until someone is ready to scan a barcode or take a picture.  If they understand that denying access will create an obstacle to whatever they are trying to do right at that moment, they are far more likely to agree.

III.  Segment and Personalize the Journey

Different users users are likely follow different paths through your app.  When you consider context as part of your on-boarding journey, you find out that there are now many journeys and not just one.

Not all users will respond to the same things the same way?  By leveraging a  best in class mobile analytics tool, you can understand your segments (down to segments of one!) and know quantitatively what messages and content appeals to each.  This allows you to tailor your onboarding campaigns, sending the right message to the right person at the right time.

Not only should you use your segments for demographics, but you can also use them to see where people are in the onboarding process.  If you have a group of users that have all opted out of push notifications at a certain point, then by experimenting with the process, you may be able to change their minds on down the road.  Or perhaps you learn that it’s appropriate to show coaching screens to certain subsets of users and not others – or at different points.

IV.  Analyze, Test and Optimize

Onboarding paths are no different than any other engagement campaign.  Be sure you test and optimize your messages.  First, use funnels and event flow analytics to understand where certain segments are dropping off.  Then split test your mobile messaging to improve results.  Perhaps calls to action can be written differently to appeal to different segments.  What can you test and optimize to boost successful adoption of your app?

The Takeaway

Well designed onboarding flows can be powerful tools that improve retention and help users get value from your app.  Put yourself in the shoes of your user.  Think of times that a login process was so cumbersome that you gave up.  When considering when and how to ask permission for external resources, be sure your timing makes sense and that the user perceives value in allowing the request.  Understand that not all users will follow the same hard coded path and use segments and personalization to be sure each person gets the best experience for them.  And finally, test your messages and calls to action.  By observing these practices, you can improve retention and be sure users get the most out of your app.

Four Best Practices For Successfully Onboarding Mobile App Users by Michael Essany.  Available from <https://mobilemarketingwatch.com/four-best-practices-for-successfully-onboarding-mobile-app-users-70498/> [January 23, 2017]

Mobile marketing tools and tips for 2017

Mobile marketing tools and tips for 2017 by Margie Kupfer.  Available from <https://www.luxurydaily.com/mobile-marketing-tools-and-tips-for-2017/> [January 03, 2017]

As the New Year begins, marketers are carefully planning their strategies for their campaigns in 2017. Sure, there are plenty of tools, tips and tricks to choose from, but selecting the right ones for your brand’s objectives is crucial.

Here is a crash course in the mobile marketing tools that brands should use in 2017:

Location-based marketing
As futuristic as it sounds, location-based marketing is sweeping the nation as one of the most popular marketing tools with both consumers and businesses.

What makes location-based marketing so popular is that it eliminates irrelevant ads by presenting the consumer with promotions based on their current location.

Location-based marketing can be accomplished through the use of geofencing, beacons, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Tip: Think outside of the box when it comes to selecting your location to send customers promotions.

Instead of just sending customers notification when they are near a store, send them promotions when they are near locations in which the brand’s products or services would be useful.

For example, a pet supply store could send customers promotions when they are near the dog park.

Developing an app-plus strategy
It is obvious that mobile marketing is a major factor in the success of any marketing strategy.

According to British publication The Guardian, 91 percent of top brands have applications. But simply having an app is not enough to satisfy mobile customers anymore.

A recent survey by us shows that more than 25 percent of apps end up abandoned after the first use. By developing an app-plus strategy, brands can help keep customers engaged.

Tip: Create additional capabilities for brand apps such as messaging, mobile wallet and an integrated loyalty program.

Businesses are increasing the longevity of the app by creating one that does more than just deliver information about the brand and lets customers browse product offerings.

Social media messaging is the new SMS
Messaging alternatives to text messages are quickly becoming a preferred method of communication.

Adweek cites that 49 percent of mobile users in the United States use messaging apps monthly.

One of the most popular examples of these messaging apps is Facebook Messenger. This kind of messaging seamlessly integrates with already popular social media networks and allows users to send information back and forth quickly over the Internet as opposed to traditional text messaging.

For these reasons, these apps are ideal for communication between brands and customers.

Tip: After a customer has reached out to a brand via Facebook Messenger, the brand has a 24-hour window in which it is allowed to send that customer promotional content.

Take advantage of this opportunity to offer customers personalized and exclusive deals. This will build the relationship between the customer and brand, increasing the chances of repeat business.

Mobile marketing tools and tips for 2017 by Margie Kupfer.  Available from <https://www.luxurydaily.com/mobile-marketing-tools-and-tips-for-2017/> [January 03, 2017]

15 Tips for Ensuring Top-Quality Mobile Apps

15 Tips for Ensuring Top-Quality Mobile Apps by John Barnett.  Available from <http://www.business.com/mobile-apps-and-tools/john-barnett-app-making-tips/> [December 30, 2016]

When developing an app for your business, one of the top priorities is creating one that people actually want to use. Unfortunately, there is often a significant disconnect between what a target audience needs and what a mobile app offers. Keep the following mobile app development tips in mind to ensure the utmost quality.

Be Proficient with All Target Platforms

All too often, developers favor one mobile app platform over another, and it shows in the quality of their work. Ideally, mobile apps should be developed by professionals who understand the unique aspects of all of the platforms that they are targeting. Read user interface guidelines carefully to understand the available features for each platform. Being familiar with the visual and behavioral differences and similarities of various platforms allows you to put them to use more effectively.

Don’t Be Biased

Make an effort to learn to appreciate all of the most popular mobile app platforms. Sure, you probably prefer one or two over others, but all platforms have their strengths. By embracing differences between app platforms, you will get enthusiastic about designing for each. This enthusiasm will result in products that are truly out of this world.

Don’t Sacrifice Performance for Analytics

For many businesses, mobile apps are more about collecting useful information than about providing services to customers. Still, resist the temptation to bog down your app with too many SDKs (software development kits). Apps that are bloated with excessive SDKs tend to run slowly, crash often and drain battery life at a remarkable speed. No one likes apps like these.

Keep Scale in Mind

There is no telling how popular any given app will be. It pays to design apps with the assumption that they will go viral. That way, there’s a minimal risk that your app will fail due to thousands of concurrent users. Always develop apps with a huge scale data distribution in mind.

Build Native User Interfaces Last for Cross-Platform Apps

The vast majority of apps are cross-platform ones, which makes sense if you want yours to be accessible to the largest number of people. Save yourself time and effort by modeling the programming logic off as local web services and building native user interfaces last.

Avoid Redundant Tracking

Going overboard with tracking can be highly problematic. Repetitive, redundant tracking makes it more difficult to maintain the underlying code as your company expands and evolves and as developers update their APIs.

Use It Yourself

If you’re not already comfortable with all of the platforms that you are targeting, try your hand at all of them to get a feel for how they work. The same applies to your app. Try to put yourself in users’ shoes. Would this app address your needs? Would you keep it on your smartphone and use it, or is it a waste of time?

Enable Easy App Integration

Don’t assume that users won’t be interested in sharing information from your app through other apps like Facebook or Gmail. Make it easy for users to do this by enabling app integration in your mobile app. A little extra work is involved, but it will make your app more useful and help you avoid going back and doing it later.

Accommodate for Different Design Styles Across Platforms

What looks amazing on an iOS device may look anything but that on an Android or Windows OS device. Different platforms have different aesthetic qualities, and it pays to understand these parameters before developing a cross-platform app. Carefully consider how your branding will translate across platforms and design your app accordingly.

Make it Simple

The best apps are easy for just about anyone to use. It’s easy to lose sight of how people with varying degrees of technical prowess will interact with an app, so make sure to include non-tech-savvy people during the testing phase. Is the design intuitive enough for newbies? Is the written content easy to understand? Where do users seem to get stuck?

Take Advantage of the Latest Features

Your new app shouldn’t be outdated. Avoid this issue by always using the latest client device SDKs. It also pays to stay up to date regarding the latest changes and advances in various platforms. By including cutting-edge features in your app, you’re more likely to attract a wider audience.

Test Often

Apps are often rushed, and testing is the step that developers are most likely to speed through. What’s worse is they complete a single round of tests and call it good. It pays to test early and often — especially when it comes to cross-platform apps, which can quickly cause issues.

Plan for Offline Use

A mobile app isn’t truly “mobile” if it ceases to function when the device is offline. The best apps boast a decent offline functionality, so be sure to include it in yours. Data should be saved to local storage so that it can be restored when the app is opened again. Any changes can then be synced, for the user to have a seamless online/offline experience.

Have One Purpose

As tempting as it may be to cram a ton of features into your app, it’s far better to focus on one and to really make it shine. Make it something that you’re truly good at and that users will actually benefit from. That way, they are less likely to get tripped up on unhelpful, confusing features that never belonged there in the first place.

Embrace Analytics

While you shouldn’t overdo it with the analytics, you should monitor them regularly to see how people are faring with your app. How are they using it? Which devices are they accessing it from? Are there features that seem to trip users up and make them abandon the app? By keeping an eye on your analytics, you can respond swiftly when issues arise.

If you find yourself going for custom app development versus out-of-the-box one, keep these tips in mind to create a product that your audience will rely on and become loyal to.

15 Tips for Ensuring Top-Quality Mobile Apps by John Barnett.  Available from <http://www.business.com/mobile-apps-and-tools/john-barnett-app-making-tips/> [December 30, 2016]