The Overlooked Importance of App Icons

All too often the most pivotal aspect of a product is overlooked, in this case we explore how brands often forget how crucial the icon of their app can be.

Mobile media use is now significantly higher at 51% of use compared to 42% of desktop use. These figures establish the importance of perfecting a brand’s mobile strategy in order to acquire and retain more consumers. With mobile app downloads amounted to 2.52 billion in 2016 it is clear that brands must invest in mobile app strategy. Most brands have understood the importance of mobile strategy meaning that an overwhelming amount of mobile apps now exist and have created an aggressively competitive space for brands.

With over 2.2 million Apps currently on the market, your brand will be up against millions of other apps in an overcrowded app store. In order to make any kind of impression on your consumer you must ensure your app stands out, to do so it is crucial to refine your consumers’ first brand interaction: your icon.

To perfect your app icon you need to understand the main function this little icon serves for your service. In order to easily communicate your app’s service you can communicate the essence of your app through your icon. Keep in mind that a hint of creativity in this process can take you a long way as demonstrated with the above image, there is only so many camera shaped icons you can create whilst remaining original.

Here are 6 design tips from M&C Saatchi's digital design team to get your creative juices flowing in the right direction:

1. Minimizing your logo doesn’t always work. Although it would be ideal to have an app icon that has your brand logo on it, unfortunately it’s not always that easy. If you have a very simple logo like Facebook then go for it, otherwise come up with an image that encapsulates your brand or service
2. Your icon must be attractive and refined to avoid looking cheap, as that reflects poorly on the brand and only drives the consumer away. Honestly how many times have you swiped past an app because the icon looked shabby.
3. Keep it simple! I can’t emphasize this point strongly enough, an app icon is such a small space and it can quickly look overcrowded so avoid cramming texts and colors. Keep in mind that your icon needs to be instantly recognizable so if someone needs to squint to make out the details of your app you loose a consumer in a matter of seconds.
4. Make a bold color statement as your app needs to as recognizable and stand out as much as possible. I would recommend using bold colors to stand out.
5. Make sure your app stands out within the app store as much as on a standard phone background. More often than not people download an app then delete it shortly after because they never use it. The best way to encourage people to use your app is to make it stand out on a phone as much as in the app store so I would recommend trying out the app icon on various phone backgrounds.
6. If you wish to portray real objects, do it accurately to convey the object’s weight and feel.

In short to succeed in the crowded mobile app space you will have to become an app icon specialist, otherwise known as an “iconist”.