Icon Optimization – App Store Optimization

ICON Optimization - ASO

ICON ASO Matters

How much thought have you given to the icon that is about to represent your app? Sadly, many app makers fail to give this little icon the attention that it so deserves, and this is a crucial mistake.

This little app icon isn’t just what people will see on the mobile device, it is the first impression that people will take from your brand and the image that will remain with them whenever your brand is mentioned.

An app icon is key in organic searches to grabbing the app users attention. Think about it. You are in the mall, walking along, and suddenly you spot something in the window of a shop. Your icon is that item in the shop that you want your app users to notice. If you fail to grab their attention, then no matter how great your app is, it simply will get lost in the midst of the busy App Store (Apple and Google)

Getting your App icon created is not as difficult as you may think. You first need to know how the icon is going to fit in with your current branding in terms of style and colors. You then need to creatively work the app subject into the icon so it is clear to the potential app audience what the app represents, without losing your personal branding style.

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What to think about when creating your app icon

Quality – You need your app icon to be clear and concise. When creating the icon, make sure you make it to a size that will suit mobile devices, can be downloaded and will look good. Test your app icon on a number of devices in different sizes to check before publicly launching the app.
Simplicity – Keep your icon simple to avoid issues. This will help you in terms of quality. After all, a busy icon reduced in size can often become unrecognizable. But also, simplicity will convey your message loud and clear. You can create your own icon using Photoshop or another such program, or you can use a template such as Appicontemplate.com
Unique – You want to be different from the rest, not only because you differ from other brands, but because you want to be immediately recognized by your app audience, and not confused with another brand. Your icon should not be your brand’s logo. The reason for this is because you will be creating more than one app. You should be creating a minimum of 7 apps to have any chance of app success, and you want your icon to represent not only your company but also the content within the app. Keep to your brand’s style, colors, shapes, lines, font and so forth and finally….

Don’t use text on your icon if possible. We often see a tag line of a brand written on an icon, but due to the resizing of the icon, the writing is impossible to read. Steer clear of this by keeping away from text.

Don’t forget, your icon is the window to your app’s discovery…

Icon ptimization Videos Videos

Split Testing Your Icon

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Why You Need Great App Icons & Screenshots

Tabasco Interactive did some investigating recently to determine which icon is the best for their app Kickerinho. Based on their A/B testing, the icon with sunglasses were better than those without them.

Why You Need Great App Icons & Screenshots

With over a million apps on the App Store & Google Play, it’s very important than ever to make sure that the icon for your app stands out as well as your screenshots. These two elements contribute to the number of downloads and the popularity of your app. Your app’s icon is the first thing that people see in the App Store, and it’s your first chance to convince users to check your app and everything it has to offer. The adage “Do not judge a book by its cover” does not apply in mobile app marketing. Competition is extremely tough and you have to play your cards right as everyone is vying for a spot in the limelight. It’s more of like choosing a burger; people would normally go for the most tempting, with most toppings and visually appealing. I know I would.

Still not fully convinced, they made another test. This time, they used two app icons with sunglasses, wherein A has a different scarf color.

The other icon, E, on the other hand, had the scarf removed, because the current (at that time) version was also without a scarf and it performed better than any of the three test icons. The results:

It’s clear that E appeared to be the winner. Just so you know, in this case, study, they used a smaller in the last test (hence the ranges are wider compared to the previous test) but despite these changes, it was clear which version should be chosen.

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Shows about Icon Optimization

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