Nowadays, almost no one can live without a mobile device. The number of users who have this tool and download apps is impressive and has been increasing over time. In fact, according to statistics, at the beginning of 2021, there were about 3.5 million apps available in the Google Play Store, while the Apple Store had about 2.2 million. This translates into many competitors trying to promote their apps. So if you want to see your app shine, keep reading these 9 mobile branding strategies to help you stand out!
Before we begin with the strategies, you need to know what mobile branding is. Most people confuse the term branding with marketing. This is far from the truth.
Marketing and branding are two distinct concepts. They are closely interlinked but not the same. Instead, they move parallel to each other. It is challenging to do one without the other in today's world of fierce business competition..
Marketing can be done in several ways and is more about promoting the products in the short term. Branding is done in the long run. It is about building relationships with customers to increase the company's value over time.
Branding is done by creating distinguished characteristics around a business. For example, unique illustrations or funny ads can have a significant impact when it comes to remembering a specific company. Think about Coca-Cola. The red and white logo of the company must come to mind. The logo is a standout feature of Coca-Cola that connects people to the company.
In the same way, you need to create some distinct characteristics and features related to your business that will put your company's name in people's minds. The distinctive features can be several things like colors, sounds, music, logos, a motto, your mission, and more. With these unique features, your brand will be instantly recognizable in your market. Think of a sound or logo your brand represents and use it as much as possible.
According to statistics, more than 85% of Americans use a mobile phone. And this is just in one country. People all over the world are hooked on their phones. They use their mobile device for leisure, fun, work, education, and more. For all these things, there are apps.
As we’ve mentioned, mobile app usage is on the rise, and it is not slowing down. With most of the world on mobile phones, businesses are jumping at the opportunity to create mobile apps.
Another statistic shows that more than 62% of small businesses have already built a mobile app for their business. This indicates that the competition is high. You need to get proactive if you want your mobile app to have a chance at surviving in this crowded space.
Branding is the way to stand out from other mobile apps. Here are the top tactics you can use to start branding and scaling your mobile app business:
One of the first steps to developing the branding of your app is the name. This attribute will help people identify you and will also help you differentiate yourself from your competitors and establish yourself in the market. Undoubtedly, this process deserves time and consideration. There are certain factors that you must take into account when choosing the right name.
ProTip: Search for the name of your application in the Google Store and the App Store to check if there is an app that already uses the name you have in mind.
In case it’s already taken, try to add variants of the word or add extra words that highlight the attributes of your app.
Let's take the famous "to-do" apps as an example.
Later on, we will talk about building a landing page, but for now, as you are about to choose the name of your app, we recommend you think about a web domain.
We suggest using Google Domains to check if the domain you have in mind has already been taken. If it’s available, Google will present you with the domain prices so you can buy the right one for you.
Before we continue, you should know that although a tagline and a slogan may seem the same, the reality is that they are slightly different.
A tagline is one of the first foundations of your app, so it focuses on highlighting and/or describing what your app does and how it helps. Therefore, it tends to be longer (in terms of the number of words) and even prevails over time.
Conversely, a slogan tends to focus on communicating the advantages or features of certain products or campaigns. Therefore, it tends to change over time. Likewise, another of its differentiators is that they are usually shorter, catchier, and more memorable.
An example that helps us clarify this is Netflix:
In both cases, your mobile app's tagline and slogan will set the tone for how people perceive your mobile app. Therefore, they should be simple, catchy, and easy to pronounce. Don't choose complicated or wordy phrases; the ideal number of words ranges from 3 to 8.
You can try this Free Slogan Maker by Shopify to start giving shape to this valuable branding element.
A logo is one of the most important and necessary resources for creating a brand. It represents your mobile app and helps people recognize your brand. Your logo is what people will see when they open the app and will help them recognize the app when searching for you. So, it needs to be unique, appealing, and memorable. Each detail counts. You need to get the perfect colors and shapes for your logo. In fact, app design guides emphasize that the first impression users get from your application largely depends on the color choice you've made.
For this task, the easiest way to create your logo is to hire a professional designer. But you can also get in touch with your inner creator and do it yourself using templates to create a compelling logo. However, before designing your logo, you should know that there are different types; here, we explain them briefly so you can figure out which style is more suited to your mobile app:
As the name suggests, these types of logos are made up of pure text. Most of these logos usually have initials, abbreviations, or short words. It is also important to emphasize that including colors, shapes, typographies, sizes, and spaces is key to differentiating them from other logos. There are three types you can choose from:
These logos have more openness since they include images and graphics accompanied by text to give a more creative touch to a mobile application.
The UX writing of the app is the way to communicate – through words – with the users. All the written text in the app is an essential part of branding. In this case, words are your most powerful ally to communicate and connect effectively with your users.
UX writing is a form of copywriting. People might turn away and not even check your mobile app if it is complicated and confusing. The UX writing part should describe what your app does in easy and plain language that everyone can understand. Know and hit the issues that your users face and attract them with your words.
Likewise, the inside of the app should also have smooth UX writing. People should be able to figure out where all the options are and how to move to new and different pages on the app. You should run an app test with a group of people that can give feedback before launching.
Here are some concrete actions you can take regarding UX writing to improve your mobile app branding:
In the process of branding a mobile app, the logo is not the only graphic that counts. You need more illustrations, such as themes, icons, videos, and images to complement and give more strength to your text and make your app's interface more attractive.
The key is to think carefully about these graphics, so that behind each one there is an intention that helps elevate the brand awareness of your app. If you do it right, people will quickly recognize your app just by looking at the style of your graphics. Some of the different graphics you will need to think about are:
The illustrations will help establish the central theme of your app, as they give it a more substantial virtual presence. At the same time, they create the right atmosphere and help your audience connect with your app through the graphics and colors that express what you want to convey. The BetterMe app, for example, uses soothing and relaxing colors - in tune with healthcare - that make you feel that way from the moment you open the app.
Screenshot taken from play.google.com
While most may think of stars or trophies, graphics help us find creative ways to give rewards to our users. For example, Netflix's new SpongeBob game includes a treasure chest, simulating Mr. Krabs' famous Krusty Krab, that provides coins for completing particular challenges. There are also rewards for playing the app, which come in the form of SpongeBob's grandmother's cookies.
If you are a fan of this series, you will know what we’re talking about and if not, notice how the illustrations are 100% related to the theme of the app. The point is to find unique ways that align with what your app does to captivate your users.
Screenshot taken from netflix.com
This is one of the first steps to show users how your app works or how they can get the most out of specific challenges or tasks, highlighting the functionalities or features you offer. So, again you will need to make use of graphics to explain the process better. You can resort to videos, which are more visual, to help the user understand how to use the app. This comes in handy when users prefer to avoid lengthy texts.
Undoubtedly, when you have an app, there will be certain moments when you need to entertain your users to keep them in the application. Sometimes, you need to put in certain pauses to load all the content smoothly, and we know that nobody likes to wait. Therefore, you can use an example that comes in handy: Animal Crossing Pocket Camp by Nintendo. This app had the brilliant idea of making the wait more bearable, adding graphics that show tips, features, inspiration, and even available offers or new products through beautiful illustrations.
As you can see, visual content adds a big plus to your mobile app. And as we have mentioned, it is crucial to maintain visual consistency in our mobile branding process.
Social media is the hub of branding in the world of digital technology. According to statistics, about half the world's population, or 4.62 billion people, use social media on some device and in some form.
Many people on social media channels use it to discover helpful apps and businesses. So, if you are not making your presence felt on social media, your brand is losing out to the competition. Today, it is no longer a choice for businesses whether to be or not to be on social media. It’s crucial to your business’ success.
Most people search on Google or on social media search engines to find the products, apps, services, or other things they need. Take action and implement these steps to help your app stand out on these platforms:
#ProTip: Color synchronization gives people a better feel of a unique and memorable brand. In short, keep consistency across channels when creating your social media content.
Branding is centered around people. It takes into consideration how people will connect with your company to make them loyal customers. Besides being a quality app, great customer support is another way to ensure customer loyalty.
And while we know that the world of customer service can be challenging, here are some valuable tips you can implement so that your app provides top-notch service.
Note: from time to time, ensure your information is precise and updated to avoid any inconveniences.
Giving out rewards for referrals is a great way to increase brand visibility. Make it easy for people to share the app with friends and family and offer rewards for doing so. Rewards could include discounts, free points or items, memberships, gift cards, and more.
Your brand visibility and engagement will increase as more people learn about and download your app.
A landing page on your website will redirect users to the app download link. It should be built with brand colors, a concise description of what it does for the users, and a clear call to action.
Still, there is more. To get the best out of your landing page, try to implement the following:
Check out Spendee’s app landing page below. They’ve done a great job and have implemented some of these recommended actions.
Screenshot taken from spendee.com
In the end, a well-built landing page can do wonders for your branding. Make it short, clear, attractive, and engaging for the users to read and, of course, mobile-friendly!
Creating the perfect mobile app is not simple. Branding is the best way to distinguish yourself from the competition. If you do not make sure people recognize your app's unique characteristics, your business will suffer in the long run. People will not be able to find your app on their own.
You must take action and steps to promote your app in a way that sticks in people's minds. Mobile apps have a lot of opportunities and potential, but you have to grab them. Make a start with good branding.
Author Bio:
Valeria Santalla is a content marketer who loves to write helpful marketing insights for all business owners. She currently collaborates at Placeit, one of the internet's largest logo maker and design template libraries.