7 Key Tips for Giving Your App Icon Creative Boost

App Icon is the foremost visual element that boosts the presence of your app in the app marketplace. While the most popular platforms like Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store is very crowded and competitive to the brim, for making your app discoverable you have optimize an array of aspects related to visible elements and app icon is the foremost among them. The app design actually begins from a great powerful app icon. It is the first thing that catches the attention of the app store traffic before even taking a look at the app description and it is the icon that takes the onlookers attention on the mobile screen and thus boosts user engagement. Lastly app icon is the visual extension of your brand identity and by making an impression with it you give your business a boost.

But obviously, making an eye catchy and profoundly impressive app icon does not involve a rocket science. There are several delicate aspects and rational considerations pertaining to the creation of a great app icon. Let us introduce below 7 helpful tips for creating impressive app icon.

Considering Business Message

Any app icon must have coherent element related to the business it represents and the product it delivers. Moreover, the icon must communicate a definite business message. Suggesting your business and product and offering a clear business message requires few aspects to be optimized accordingly like color, graphics, contrast, etc.

Secondly, the business message delivered through your app icon should be easily understandable and simply suggestive. Establishing the app’s purpose through the icon in the term of anyone and everyone will be the key to impress users at large. Align your brand element in the icon in such a way that it becomes easily recognizable and the business message gets clear without much ado.

Setting the Mood with Color

Once you have communicated your app message and brand element it is time to set a mood through a proper color scheme. There is nothing called ‘beautiful’ and ‘ugly’ color as many people consider. Every color carries its own purpose in setting a particular mood. Now the question is which color would be effective to set the mood without creating any visual distraction from your app brand message. If you still have room to establish your color for branding consider using color as per their significance and mood.
  • Red is most passionate and vibrant color and it signifies energy, strength, power, passion, desire, and love.
  • Orange offers the passion of red along with the happy mood of yellow.
  • Yellow which is the color of sunrays refers to joy, happiness and plentitude. 
  • Green nature’s own color and it refers to freshness, fertility, harmony and vitality.
  • Blue definitely is associated with sky, sea and water bodies. This is the color of peace, contentment, stability, tranquility and intellect.
  • Purple symbolizes a bit of stability associated with blue and the energy associated with red. Purple symbolizes power, nobility, ambition and affluence.
  • White is the color of pure light and it symbolizes wisdom, cleanliness, transparency, innocence, purity and safety. 
  • Black is often associated with mystery and intriguing strength. It refers to power, mystery, dominance and elegance.
Visual Communication

The icon of an app is likely to represent the app visually on the device screen and naturally it must be coherent with the overall visual aspects of the app. You do not have much space except a tiny square box and when this colorful tiny bog stands among a gamut of apps on the user screen it may seem lost. Even way before that, on the app store itself the icon must catch the attention of the user and suggest him what the app is all about. To fulfill all these requirements within such little space is not always an easy task but considering several app icons in the app stores you can have a clear idea.
Just consider does your app represent the core app purpose and functionality and accordingly try to represent it in abstract graphic manner and give enough time to consider an array of options before finalizing your icon.

Keep your App Icon Simple

Remember in app stores your app has to be discovered first and then to the potential users make it readily presentable by suggesting its unique functionality and for doing this a quick look at the app icon by the user can be decisive to make up their mind. But you have only a tiny box to incorporate all your design skills and elements to make the icon serve your objective. So, keeping the icon design simple and straightforward will be more effective. Do not make a visual clutter by making the icon complex with too many elements.

Do not fall Victim to Trends

Obviously, graphic design often gives vent to trends much in the way fashion does. But following a trend you always run the risk of offering a familiar and common icon and thus losing in recognizable elements. There are so many apps that just by following trends sacrificed their chance of making a visual impression with a great and easily recognizable icon. To stand out from others you have to create a genuine icon that offers a unique taste coherent with the brand, purpose and visual demands.

Address Platform specific Requirements

App icons for different platform specific app versions are not displayed in the same way. The display of icon on Android naturally will vary from apps on iOS platform and the icon designer accordingly should address these differences. Working on a layout that perfectly fits both the above mentioned and other platforms will be recommended to stay clear of this compatibility issue. Corners of the app icon will be rounded on IOS platform and so try to maintain adequate padding in design so that the icon visibility is not compromised.

Test the Icon before Launch

Finally, it is by testing the app icon on your own device and devices of other platforms that you will know if still there is anything to be optimized. Take a closer look at the look and feel of your app icon on different device screens, particularly on Android and iOS.  Consider taking feedback from others as well.

About Author:
Juned Ahmed is a consultant, co-founder and author on app development and app marketing strategy, Juned operate IndianAppDevelopers Company from his base in India, the leader in on-demand mobile application Development Company for big bands.

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