If you’re developing an app, it’s already hard enough to be noticed. There’s millions of apps on the Android and iPhone market and probably many hundreds in the category that you’re aiming to be part of. First, you need a good app – one that does the job well and keeps users happy. Then, no matter how good it is, you’ll need a friendly and easy-to-use GUI that people can navigate. It has to be simple. It shouldn’t need a manual to get around.
It’s that interface, and the look of the app, that can get left until last. Likewise, the icon or the logo – which is often the most used and the most recognised part of the app – is sometimes an afterthought. This is definitely something that should be pushed higher up the priorities list. Think of Facebook and you’ll instantly remember the logo. Think of YouTube, Strava, Twitter, Spotify or the Nest app and you will no doubt be able to draw and identify the apps quickly.
Some think that a logo is just decoration, but it’s much more than that. It’s an identifier – a quick way to recognise an app and to connect to it. These logos then get put into adverts, on buses and into newspapers if your advertising budget allows. But how do you go about getting one designed? Should you pay someone a huge amount of money for sketching ideas and coming up with feedback sessions?
Well, the truth is that you can easily create a logo for your app right now through your browser. Just do a search for online logo maker and then, well, there you are. You get lots of different logos to choose from and you can make them unique to your business.
Why? Why bother?
Well, for a kick off it looks better. In the past I’ve used apps that are really useful, but if they look untidy and shabby, you’re going to get the feeling that they’re a bit unfinished and a bit unloved. It’s that extra bit of polish which communicates the values and the brand, so take time to ensure that you’ve got a professional and good-looking logo which has had some attention and time devoted to it.
Spot the problem?
There’s another need to do this – it’s also because there’s only so many colours that you can use. So you can’t just use colour alone to stand out. As an example, the Strava logo is the same colour as the Mi Fit, Screen Recorder and Huawei Health logo – so you need a design which will identify your app too.
If you have a beautifully decorated logo with visual appeal, it’ll stick in the memory of your users and will be easy to find on phones. This isn’t just when you’re scrolling around, but also when you’re in other apps and you want to share or send items via your app – having that distinctive and memorable icon or logo means that it’ll stand out from other icons – even if they’re the same colour.