As we’ve said before that now the crossover realm of functionality and aesthetic is truer than ever. Which is why a mobile app mockup is crucial in the early stages of development. People have become accustomed to having apps that make them feel comfortable and are usable with an ease. Mobile mockups help in defining how the user experience and the aesthetics are functioning. Basically, it helps to make your app better, and the better it gets the more user traffic it will drive.When you are in the process of designing a software, a mobile app prototype testing gives your users, investors and the management a visual sense of how the app “feels like”. There are a lot of such apps in the market, but here we’d give you the top ten apps.
Let’s understand: A mobile mockup tool
There are many ways to mock up an app or a website. You can even use MS Paint, if you are not reluctant about using an antiquated tool. Today, there are several such solutions that function as simpler mockup tools and app prototyping.
There are two different kinds of mockup tools; One that mimics the intended functions of your app; And the other that just gives a visual layout of your designed app.
Prototyping Tools for Mobile App
Every prototyping tool available in the market also has mobile mockup features. And there consists features in the prototyping parts where the designer is enabled to add-in features that would let the app ‘flow’ like it originally should. This implies that when you click on a website/link, the app is supposed to work the same way as to how the actual app would work. A lot of mobile mockup tools along with prototyping features also include analytic features. The analytic features take note of how the test group is using the app, this helps the design team to better develop the app taking into consideration the user’s functionality preference.
Let’s look at the top mobile mockup tools;
InVision
InVision is one of the most immaculate options available in the market. They provide app developers dynamic proficiencies, and that too needs-specific. The tools that are power packed in InVision present you with mobile app- prototyping tools, wireframe tools and mockup solutions. Design teams can create anything from a simple basic layout to an absolutely full-fledged prototype that represents the intended design.
Marvel
Obviously you won’t be able to create the whole Avengers gang with this tool, but, you can create wireframes, design and prototyping with sheer ease. The Marvel system prevents the designers from getting uninhibited by any actual coding and works as WYSIWYG so that designers can create at peace. Marvel automatically takes note of the design’s parameters which makes it easier to pass off the entire properties to speed up the development process. This also relieves you of the guesswork that you would generally do to figure the way to replicate the mobile app mockup. This prototype also shows how users interact with the ensign and further inculcates a more centralized feedback framework.
Principle
This is another fully packed system that enables creating mobile mockups and prototyping the same. Principle presents designers with animation tools that are created on iOS and macOS engine, Core Animation. This makes it easier to illustrate and to apply the same on a working prototype. Designers can either select transitions from stock features or can simply create custom responses for UI. Users are allowed to import designs from the major tools and then further export animations that could be used by the developing team.
Framer X
This enables designers to quickly prototype their idea in a responsive layout. This is free, and it has one of the most developed digital stores for the purpose of third-party integrations via multi-platform plugins. It’s features and tools are curated by the Framer development community. Since the Framer system is a little advanced, it is not desirable for designers with no coding knowledge. Creating and coding prototypes at a decent level would be only possible for those with at least a little web coding knowledge.
After Effects
From the highest positioned design company Adobe, comes their animation app, After Effects. This app isn’t a prototyping tool in itself, rather it’s key point is that it offers a lot of control for creating motions and animations for media-intensive apps. Users can engage with other files from Adobe and can export their animation for using it in a mockup or prototyping.
Mockup Tools
A mockup tool allows a designer to build synthesised images for a mobile app or website in a short span of time. While mobile app prototyping enables receiving quick feedback, mobile app mockup and wireframe tools allow designers to create visuals for a project much quicker.
Let’s take a look at some top mockup tools;
Sketch
Although Sketch can also be employed for prototyping mobile apps, it’s main ability rests in creating consistent mockups. Like Framer X, this also has a large store for plugins maintained by a developing community. This mobile app mockup tool has a collaborative feature that makes it easy for designers to link with others working with them on the project and to receive feedback.
Figma
Figma is a cloud-based system, made for the purpose of collaboration between design teams for creating mobile app mockups. This comes with two bonuses, first that it also includes prototyping tools and second, the mobile app wireframing tools are free to use! The collaboration element in Figma is considered one of the best as it allows feedback to be left in the context without any interruptions. It’s almost like working in Google Docs but the difference is that this better accommodates feedback on design keys.
Adobe XD
We all know Adobe is the most famous when it comes to creating, designing apps/websites. Adobe XD also has a great collaboration feature that lets you work with other designers and teams on the platform. Since it integrates with other creative cloud softwares, hence, one gets a fine experience when using files from other apps like After Effects or Photoshop.
Proto.io
Proto.io is also a web-based mockup software and contains mobile app prototyping tools as well as mobile app wireframing tools. The best part is, it is a no-code solution, so designers that have zero to little knowledge about coding find it easier to work on this platform. This also works well with Sketch and Photoshop.
Simulify
This is designed to assist with visual mockups for sites via JAMstack. For messed and decoupled architectures, where you are constantly pulling data in and out from multiple apps/websites, Simulify is the ideal option. The Simulify system amalgamates with Gatsby which is ideal for using modern development frameworks.
We’ve provided you the top choices and now the ball is in your court. Choose wisely!
You might remember the days before the brilliant concept of onboarding was introduced.
How puzzling it was to figure out an app on your own. As if it was a game of guessing about which option directs to where, what it does, how to do certain things, etc. – the list runs long.
In a hurry? Jump directly to –
Table of Content:
What is Mobile App Onboarding?
How many types of Onboarding are there?
Benefits of using App Onboarding
Mobile App Onboarding Best Practices Checklist [2020 Updated]
Live Examples of App Onboarding Done Right
However, the ordeal was over when mobile app onboarding started to gain momentum. It assisted users in navigating through the app with ease and explored its features and functions. Almost all the industry-giants are having a sip of this elixir of a concept and are obtaining remarkable conversion rates.
Wait, did we just lost you there?
No problem, let’s take it from the top, starting from what is on-boarding to what are the best onboarding practices for 2020.
What is Mobile App Onboarding?
App Onboarding is an efficient method used by organizations to enable users to comprehend your app and its functions. It is a walkthrough process or a tutorial that is meant to help users interact with the app and easily figure out what that particular app does and what they can achieve by continuing to use it.
Essentially, it is a series of screens that guide users through the app’s interface. Now, the mobile app onboarding screens typically have three purposes for which they are being used rigorously:
To enlighten the users about the utilitarian functions and benefits of the app.
To enable the users to register on the app via a login option.
It is aimed to gather useful profile data of the users, later used to offer personalized notifications and content.
How many types of Onboarding are there?
There are essentially three types of best mobile app onboarding that help fulfill these distinct objectives.
1. Progressive
This is one of the app onboarding best practices that displays new information on the screen while users progressively navigate through the app. It is in a way a step by step process directing and encouraging the users to take actions. The information depicted is relevant to the specific page.
2. Function-oriented
It is a mobile application onboarding approach that is typically focused on app functionality and explaining users the ways to operate the app. The function-oriented approach ensures the demonstration of common and rudimentary actions performed in the app to the users.
3. Benefits-oriented
As the name clearly states, this approach is employed to showcase the benefits of the app or the value the users are expected to gain by using the app. The basic aim of this approach is to increase conversions. It helps in describing what the app does without elaborating on how to use the app.
Now as you know the types of mobile applications onboarding prevailing in the market, let’s take a look at the benefits they offer before moving to the core part of the article. Aka, Mobile application onboarding best practices checklist.
Benefits of using App Onboarding
1. Positive User Experience
You wouldn’t want your app to just lay there in the user’s phone not being used for months, or worse yet, being uninstalled. To ensure active users on your app, onboarding comes in handy. As the first user interaction plays a pivotal role in deciding whether the user will use your app again or not, you need to give them the best app onboarding experiences.
Guiding the users via onboarding on how to use the app and what features it possesses, will help them navigate with ease and they won’t feel lost. They get a fair idea of why they should use the app and most importantly how to use it efficiently.
Once you get this right, you will see how amazing the benefits of onboarding are.
2. Proper utilization of features
It is a given that it takes some time for users to get used to your app and figure out their way around it. Sometimes, users are unable to make themselves familiar with certain features on their own, which is a great impediment in our view for your app to increase conversion. Practicing the best onboarding approaches resolves this issue before it has a chance to arise.
3. Increases App Retention
Onboarding is highly crucial for making your app an absolute favorite of the users. You ask how it does it? Well, when you provide users with insights into your app and direct them towards effectively using its features and functions, the users are inclined to stay with your app. Hence, it improves the app retention rate by multi-folds.
Mobile App Onboarding Best Practices Checklist [2020 Updated]
Here are the top app user mobile onboarding best practices that will point the scale in your direction.
1. Prioritize Value Proposition
It is a belief that by displaying all the right cards to the users, you can convert them into active users. Meaning, by showing all the best features of your app you can entice users into using your app. However, it will be more effective if you first highlight the value proposition of your app.
Rather than flaunting your app’s features first, start with explaining what the user will gain by using your app. It will not only encourage them to use your app in the future but also will assure them that the app is useful and serves what it claims.
After this, you can go on with showing the prominent features and functionalities of your app that will assist in completing the tasks the users plan to accomplish.
2. Request Only Mandatory Information
It wouldn’t make sense if your app is about, say learning languages, and you are asking questions about their favorite books, would it? In this case, you would need to ask for relevant and most crucial information. A report supports this statement as it shows almost 60% of the users do not install an app or uninstall it later once they feel the app is asking for too much personal information.
Also, make sure not to bombard them with excessive questions. In short, try to make your question’s list as concise and precise as possible. This is one of the most effective onboarding techniques to boost app user engagement.
3. Compact Onboarding Screens
A tediously long and extensive user onboarding process may overwhelm the user to an extent that they might not use your app or end up finding a substitute. You neither should use text-heavy explanations nor add a foray of screens.
What you should do is to employ progressive onboarding approach and use app screenshots and illustrations to convey the message. Also, see the fact that you only introduce a single feature on each screen. In fact, you can use coach marks to help users understand how the app works and how to steer in it.
You can also make this approach more attractive by placing tutorials and gamifying the whole user experience.
4. Concise and Simple Sign-Up Process
No one likes to spend excess time on the application onboarding process which is also mentioned in the report by The Manifest. So, the more concise your login process, the better.
Providing the options of logging in with other accounts such as Facebook or Google is a major time saver and a popular strategy among the users. It decreases a significant amount of friction in the user onboarding process introduced by the sign-up mandate.
5. Request for Permissions
Asking for permission is an important part of business ethics, especially when it is about users’ personal data and information. Now, if you have an app that requires a camera or microphone facility, then instead of just taking things into your hand, it should be a mandate to first ask for the consent.
If the user trusts your app or wants to continue using its features, they will agree. Moreover, users are more likely to respond positively to permissions requests if they understand what they will gain by doing so.
6. Promote App Content Preview
Promoting app content preview is also one of the onboarding app best practices to consider in 2020 and beyond. This is because a sign up option can act as a barrier between your app and the user. And therefore, it is always better to give the users access to the features of your app before flatly asking them to sign up.
For instance, if you own an eCommerce app, then let the users go through the products offered on your website, and when they want to make a transaction, they can simply login then. Or, you can enable the login option after the users have discovered your app.
7. Make Use of Empty States
Empty states refer to the screens which show when users have not performed any activity or no content has been added yet. You can use these empty states to your advantage by making them encouraging. Instead of leaving a blank space, you can educate, guide, and promote users to take action.
For instance, Instagram displays “No posts yet” instead of just leaving it blank. This way it encourages users to initiate any action and use the app further.
8. Use Visual Hints for Guidance
Instead of hand-holding customers, while helping them explore the app you can employ progressive visual hints. All you have to do is strategically place the hints on the places where you predict users may get stuck while browsing the app. This way, you not only avoid tedious and monotonous instructions but save the time of users in reading them, which can rather be spent on using the app.
9. Preach Personalization
Why wait to show your personalization to customers in your app’s features, when you can give them a taste of it in the onboarding process only. Many popular apps personalize the content of their app based on individual preference in the starting.
Let’s take Spotify for instance. No wonder it is huge among the users as
it provides them with choices based on language, genre, artists, etc. to start personalizing the content referred to them since the start.
10. Take advantage of Success States
Just like the Empty States, Success States prove to be a great leverage for engaging the user on your app. They create a positive impression of your app in the users’ minds. These states refer to the screens or popups that show appreciation after a task is performed.
For example, pop-ups including emoticons or animations congratulating the users once they achieve something in the app or complete an action for the first time.
11. Test before Final Implementation
Anything is the sum of its whole. Your app will be considered remarkable when it is perfect overall. How different elements seem together once integrated is what makes an app great and appealing. In which case, it is crucial to test and measure the user onboarding flow for your mobile app on different screens and monitors to make sure the transition to each screen is seamless and smooth.
12. Include A Balanced Mix Of Multiple Channels
Using several channels to enhance the effectiveness of your onboarding procedure is an ideal way to encourage users to come back to your app, especially in the case of Retail apps. You can use channels like emails, push notifications, and in-app messages to remind the users of any incomplete action on the app like an unattended cart or simply send gentle reminders.
13. Monitor and Track (liquid state)
Keeping tabs on app usage and analytics is an incredible way to determine where users are facing problems in the onboarding flow and app.
Tracking these problems will provide you insights on where you need to improve in order to provide a smooth app onboarding experience. One should not ignore it as it is one of the prominent deciding factors whether your app is preferred by the users or not.
14. Provide CTA
Once your onboarding is about to complete, it is recommended to incorporate a CTA at the end. It provides a natural step for users to take the next step. A contextual and well-designed CTA would ensure the involvement of the users in the app.
15. Offer the choice to Skip
Providing different and alternate choices is what users around the world appreciate the most. Some users might like to skip the whole app onboarding process for some reason, so giving them this choice will instantly improve your app’s reputation and they might continue to use it in the future.
Live Examples of App Onboarding Done Right
1. Slack
Slack is an app designed specifically to facilitate communication between teams of small and large enterprises alike. It displays its features right when users open the app. Slack practices value-oriented onboarding which can be seen in the four walkthrough screens. It allows users to see how they can establish communication and share data among teams via the app.
2. Reddit
Reddit is one of the most famous QnA apps ever. Its onboarding process is exemplary – the reason why the app is here in our list.
It provides the “Skip for now” option which allows users to skip the process of account creation and login, immediately allowing them to explore the app and have an amazing user experience.
Moreover, Reddit also performs another one of the onboarding process best practices, which is asking for permission for sending notifications.
3. Calm
Calm is a popular meditation app helping users around the world with problems such as stress, irregular sleeping patterns, anxiety and more. The first onboarding screen in the app familiarizes users with its features and value-proposition such as sleep stories, breathing programs, guided meditation and so on.
Then it smoothly takes the user to another screen which allows them to set goals, for instance, choosing the top areas of improving, developing, building, learning, etc. It is after two screens that it asks users to signup via different platforms and asks for permission.
Higher conversion and retention rates of your app are certain once you hone these best app onboarding practices for 2020 and successfully implement them in your app. By imbibing incredible features along with the onboarding flow into the app, you double the chances of your app’s popularity.
The mobile market has gone so competitive that there are endless apps offering the same functionality. In such a scenario, waiting for users to come to your application on their own, rather than putting efforts into an app launch strategy is a sin.To ensure that you do not commit this mistake and get no outcome from your investment in terms of cost to make an app, we will be discussing the right way to launch your application here.
1000 downloads, $100 millions of revenue – All such metrics pop in our mind, whenever we think of taking our months of hard work to the final stage, i.e, mobile app launch. We expect some miracle to happen that makes our app go viral, and get into the list of TikTok, Uber, and Pokemon Go.But alas, not everyone lives this moment.
[In case you haven’t decided when to take this big step, check the blog: What is the right time to launch your mobile app? ]
But, before we look into the right way of launching an app, it is necessary to be familiar with the fact that mobile app launch strategy does not come into play when you release your app. Instead, it comes into being right from the day you take the first step to make an app.
So, to get higher success numbers and earn more money from your app, here are the list of steps to take – categorized under Pre-launch and Post-launch strategy.
What Pre launch marketing ideas you should consider?
Any application who has not prepared a market for its launch can’t drive higher revenue. So, it’s imperative to invest in pre launch mobile app marketing. Something that can be possible effectively by following the pointers given below:
1. A thorough mobile app market research
When you launch an app without knowing who your target audience is, it is likely that you end up making an application that no one likes and face other potential threats. So, one thing you need to do before starting with different stages of building an app is market research.
By doing so your app will be prepared for whatever situations arise post-launch.
2. Market your app now
Marketing of the app is done way before the actual launch app. Some app owners start the app promotion even before the mobile app development is finished. Early marketing creates a positive image for the app and also creates awareness about the app.
So, how to market an app successfully? To muster support for your mobile app reach out to friends, communities, influencers, or create product videos and share online. You can also create a blog or a website which will act as the landing page for your app.
[To know other such methods, refer to our comprehensive guide to promote a mobile app.]
Social media can blow up things faster than a bomb. So many apps have gone viral and all the credit goes to social media. Reddit, Facebook and Instagram are great platforms for promotion before you actually launch mobile apps.
4. A press kit
A press kit is basically a resource for journalists and publishing houses to convince them to review your app. The kit includes all the information about the app such as screenshots, images and other details. You can also include videos by uploading it on YouTube.
5. Reach out to beta testers
Beta testers are registered testers for apps on the App Store or Play Store. They can be the best source for honest feedback for your app. Make sure you take the advice from the testers and use it to improve your app further.
Now you may ask how to come across these beta testers to execute a perfect mobile app launch. For that, you can find many websites that provide beta testers. Make a choice as per your requirements.
6. Focus on a better App store listing
Your app store page is also your landing page which means it’s the first place your customers visit.
Including images, videos and screenshots of your app will showcase the app quite well. Getting featured in the Play Store or the App Store is a big hit for any app. The aim is to get more downloads from all these factors. The key focusing points are:
The name of the app
App description
App visuals (images, videos, etc.)
Targeted keywords
So this is all about how to prepare your app before you submit an app to the app store.
Now you might be thinking, “What to do once the app is launched?” and the answer follows in the next section which has all the steps of post-mobile app launch.
How to Plan Post-launch App strategy?
1. Ask for referrals such as word of mouth
The best practices of launching an app involves word of mouth promotion. It is said that word of mouth is the most effective form of promotion and brings in genuine users. Reaching out to your friends, communities, colleagues and family members to spread a good word about the app would create awareness among a large group.
2. Link your app
Vigorously linking your app everywhere is another strategy that you can follow. When you launch an app, link the app on your email, comment sections, other blogs or social media. This way the link will become visible all over the internet and would bring in some curious users who might even stay forever.
3. Go for the paid ads
Once you’ve gone as per the app launch timeline, the next thing to go for is to consider paid ads on Facebook, Instagram or any other online platform. These ads, when reflecting on the news feed of every person present on that platform, increases the chances of getting clicks on the application and drive higher revenue, alongside app awareness.
4. Approach to Apple’s editorial team
If you have partnered with qualified iOS mobile app developers to enter the Apple market, pitching the Apple’s editorial team and that of App review sites will also be helpful. When listed in the Top lists, your application will get more attention from the users looking for such apps, which will ultimately result in better outcomes.
5. Map user journey
Another thing to look for after mobile app launch is to keep an eye on user journey. When you, with the help of some metrics, identify what users are liking the most on your platform, what is irritating them, why and who are abandoning your app, etc., you can easily plan your perfect mobile app retention strategy and drive higher profits.
6. Maintain real-time communication
Communicating with end users is not something that ends up while you reach the final stage of the mobile app release process. It must be continued even after the launch of the application. This is because when you maintain a real-time communication with your customers, they feel heard and share their pain points as well as leisure pointers, which makes it easier for you to plan the next app update.
Now, while these were some of the strategies to consider before and after mobile app launch, let’s wrap up this article by looking into some of the mistakes you should avoid committing.
Pitfalls to avoid when you launch a mobile app
A poor working app can be the cause of the failure of a company. Once the app is launched in the market, there is hardly any chance to undo mistakes immediately. You will have to wait until the first app update is launched but by then the app would have lost too many users.
You can totally prevent this scary situation by avoiding these common mistakes made during app launch.
1. Generalizing
Many businesspeople consider the whole world as their market. They hope that this practice will enable them to get the attention of a wider audience and reap higher benefits. However, the reverse happens.
When your application is installed by the wrong target audience, they feel confused and irritated while using it and leave a negative feedback. This prevents various right users from tapping on the ‘download’ button as well as prompt developers to introduce various unnecessary functionalities.
So, rather than generalizing the market, one should run a survey, accumulate market data, and target potential customers to drive better results.
2. Poor onboarding
Another common mistake made by app enthusiasts while app launch planning is overlooking the essence of an effective onboarding.
A mobile app onboarding is not simply a way of introducing the app to the users, but it is the method to create an unforgettable first impression of the app. Meaning, if you create one without following the right app onboarding practices, you might fail to touch the hearts of the target audience and encourage them to go further.
3. Launch full-fledged app
Last but not the least, launching a complete application at once is yet another mistake that can lower down the benefits of mobile presence.
When you design and launch a full-fledged app at once, it demands higher time, effort, and cost. Also, the risk of failing entertaining the right audience due to change in their needs and market trends is also high.
But, when you develop an MVP(Minimal Viable Product) instead, it not only saves the time and money associated with the development plan. But, also helps in validating your app idea, gather adequate user data, and make the best of the mobile app launch. So, look ahead to it.
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