Welcome to Part 2. Oh-oh, did you miss the first one? In case you have and are too lazy to go back, last time we reviewed some success and failure gaming app stories, we learned which questions to ask, and the key ingredients you need for your app to taste “addictive.” You guessed it, app design, app description, ASO and SEO content writing services all go into the batter. Let’s dissect each component and see what they are all about!
Interface
The literal face of your app
Since I am not an app developer, it would be silly of me to give you game design advice. What I can give you, however, is the simple insight that no matter what creative direction you take, the interface of your gaming app should:
- Be easy to navigate
- Respond to the game genre and user expectations related to it
- Evolve along with your audience
- Have distinctive features, colors, language, etc.
- Be deprived of any clutter
- Flow together with the other services that go into making your app, e.g. content writing. I mean, you can’t have heavy verbiage to express basic actions in a game intended for 10-year olds.
Level of Difficulty
Yet again, simplicity is key
Like Mikael Hed, the CEO of Rovio Entertainment (Angry Birds), put it, you need to make the game simple enough for users to pick up, but difficult to master. For example, Pokemon Go and Candy Crush are essentially about collecting rewards, and while they get more complex as you progress, they are incredibly easy to start. This gets people in the door with enough dose of dopamine to keep them going.
The last thing you want is to discourage people who are interested in your game by creating starting levels only a few users can handle.
Why is finding the right balance of difficulty important?
It creates the belief you are good at the game and that you can win. It is the very same reason we play our favorite non-app games — confidence, and that rush of dopamine that playing your luck brings along.
Looking at Candy Crush for example, when you lose, the app taunts you with a “You failed!” and a “Retry” button accidentally waiting for you to tap below. For Angry Birds, it was the Mighty Eagle that helps you pass levels you’re stuck on. So, even if you made it a bit too difficult, you can always save the day with an update. This leads me to the next component…
Frequency of Updates
Hint: It is not just about the frequency
Don’t ever stop updating. As more and more players master the game, they will be hungry for more. They will start looking for new levels, additional quests, extra rewards, the lot. If they reach the finishing line and you are not ready with a new addition to satiate their hunger, you’ll lose momentum and their interest. You will also need content writing services to target your users and spread the news of any and all updates.
So, stay ahead and in the heads of your users.
Battery Drainage
“Battery level too low”
We have all been there. You are in the middle of crushing candies, and bam, your battery suddenly dies on you. Again, I am no expert in making lightweight apps, but this certainly came up during my research, and I figured it was important enough to deserve a mention. After all, I am trying to make friends with app developers here.
App Icon Design
Mission impossible?
I know it may seem silly but think about the icons of your favorite apps. Don’t you like them a bit more than the rest? Do you know why that is? They are recognizable, hint the purpose of the app, and are just plain cool. A colleague of mine at 411Writers already covered the topic. Check it out!
App Release Time
A little thing called timing
Even if you have everything on point and, in a perfect world, your app is preconditioned for success, if you release it at the wrong time, it can sink to the bottom of the charts and never see the light of day. Or should I say… the light of download? Having said that, is there a way to know when that “right” time is?
Glad you asked.
It is true that competition between apps is rising exponentially, however, the good news is, there is still a lot you can do (aside from investing in ASO and SEO content writing services) to get one step ahead. For starters, you need to understand the user buying cycle. That is to say, how frequently your target users are downloading new apps. Is it once a day or more like 2-3 apps per month? Put your best market research efforts into it.
Next, you will want to determine the type of services your app will provide. Is it an app supporting the Australian Open (I’m a tennis fan) or another major event, a seasonal sale, or is it something users will use daily. Knowing the answer to this will guide your launching time further.
Also, check for other similar app releases or app updates announced by your direct competitors. You don’t want to be in someone else’s shadow. Check App Store statistics related to peak downloading times of the week (and day) relative to your industry.
App Description
The ASO content factor matters more than you know
Let me burst a little bubble here:
Downloads ≠ Loyalty
The number of downloads your app has does not reflect your loyal following, so don’t make the mistake of thinking your job ends here. It doesn’t.
How many times have you deleted an app right after you downloaded it? Maybe it was the wrong version, the wrong app, or the right app but you just didn’t like the features or felt let down by its app description? Well, the latter is something many underestimate and that is a potential opportunity for you to get one step ahead.
For example, I love the Angry Birds Dream Blast app description. Reading it makes you feel like this is exactly what you need at the moment (even if you are about to be announced, president). Talk about well-done content writing services.
On the other hand, I don’t particularly like Snapchat’s app description. If for some reason, you have been living under a rock, you will have no idea what the app does. Reading the two-sentence long description will leave you confused and not necessarily intrigued. Why can they afford to do that today and continue to be the third most popular choice in the App Store? Simple — it wasn’t like that in the beginning. But now that their app icon is on every smartphone out there and brand recognition is strong, they don’t really need to describe what the app is about. Everyone about to download it already knows.
App Promotion
Yes, it is about content in its many forms
Let’s look at statistics: 1 in 5 people abandon an app right after using it. What is more, many of the apps that score continuously increasing retention rates are those who have ongoing promotion campaigns. Be it through paid ads, social media, email marketing, their own platforms/site, it is content writing services in one way or another that got them those increased and steady sales.
However, do not ever underestimate the power of a well-crafted app description and a gaming app that shines because its ASO rules!
Baking Time
My fancy way of saying Conclusions
Well, we have the batter ready, so all that is left now is to put it in the oven, cross fingers, and hope for the best. But, my friends, with a batter like this, you wouldn’t really need any hope. It is bound to turn out great. Just don’t forget people will eat it fast and you’ll have to be prepared!
