Harnessing Visual Appeal Is the Key to Gaining Users in a Crowded App Space
Will there ever be too many apps? It’s an interesting question. I know that large enterprises simply can’t function without them, even though 68% of business leaders believe there are already too many software platforms in the workplace. With over four million apps available in top app marketplaces, competition in the tech space is only intensifying — especially with the rise of AI. While this expands opportunities for developers, the challenge is to create an app that truly stands out. Developers must offer something unique amid millions of features available globally, not to mention apps and integrations built for specialized ecosystems.
As Head of Design for Canva’s Ecosystem, I have the pleasure of working in a creative technology company. We help bring developers’ visions and ideas to life with easy-to-use APIs, app review and marketing support, and free translation services — among other tools and support that ensure global growth. At Canva, we embrace the reality that the future will only bring more apps.
CIOs worldwide are getting creative with how they manage app sprawl, and Canva took this as the perfect opportunity to launch its own Apps Marketplace about a year ago. The goal was to create an ecosystem of apps and integrations that enhance the Canva experience, but our quality bar is a top priority. Before launching to our community of more than 190 million monthly active users, Canva conducts an app review process where our in-house developers and designers partner with app creators to workshop ideas and actionable suggestions.
This collaborative process unites the developer’s unique vision with feedback on usability, design, best practices, and the latest UI/UX trends. These numerous collaborations have given my team a heightened understanding of this concept: a delightful product development journey sows the seeds of our users’ loyalty to well-loved features or apps that keep them coming back. Sparks of innovation occur when developers listen to what our community wants and we equip them with the tools to build easily.
Since its launch, Canva has conducted over 300 app reviews for partner developers and, in the process, observed trends in sustainable app growth. For instance, a photo editing app’s usage rose exponentially from launch, which led to it earning a spot in Canva’s native photo editing experience less than a year after submission. What helped drive this success? Filling the gap for users seeking the easiest remedy for poor image resolution. The final app fit seamlessly into Canva’s larger workflow — thanks to the extensive use of recommended UI components and UX principles anchored on our product design guidelines.
So, how do developers set their digital creations up for success even in the era of software overload? Here’s what we’ve learned from our partners so far.
Empower Developers To Create Exceptional Apps, From Build to Launch
Whether you’re an AI startup, indie developer, or large enterprise, the app development process involves heavy lifting — from planning and building to marketing and UI/UX. The secret to lessening the load? Partner with a platform that shares your vision and navigates what you might struggle with.
This year, a report by Docker identified planning, estimating, debugging, and designing as developers’ common blockers. While platform partners can’t take the whole load off, it’s worth considering how they may help manage some key tasks or provide valuable external insight that leads to sustainable growth.
Seek help from a platform partner that provides the support you need. Funding grants like the Amazon Alexa Fund or in-built rewards offered by platforms like Shopify and Salesforce can help app startups at varying stages of development. App creators on the Canva Developers Platform receive guidance in ideating, designing, and marketing. They also have access to an Innovation Fund and monetization rewards for apps that provide high value to our community. For example, the AI-powered image enhancer Image Upscaler was able to cover new GPU costs to run its AI model for over 500,000 users, thanks to a reward it received based on app usage.
Boost App Growth Through Visual Appeal and Seamless Usability
A whopping 90% of corporate leaders agree that the visual-first approach drives positive returns on investment in business. This can’t ring any truer in a visual era, according to Canva’s 2024 Visual Economy Report.
Ensure you’re not missing out on low-hanging fruit around your app’s visual content and usability to boost growth. Some emerging patterns we’ve noticed in our app-reviewing process are:
- Supporting all device types: Different users interact with apps in different ways. Some may access your app via touch interactions from mobile devices, while others use a keyboard or a mouse on a desktop. Canva’s App UI Kit includes mobile-ready prebuilt components responsive to screen size and set to handle light and dark mode appearance preferences.
- Solving cross-platform traffic loss: If you’re developing a product and don’t have the time or resources to build native mobile apps, consider a partner that will allow you to direct and retain mobile traffic. For example, Krikey AI — an app that lets users create their 3D animated avatar — recoups 20% of its lost mobile traffic by pointing mobile users to its app via Canva’s mobile app. On top of this, Krikey AI unlocked a huge new user base that wasn’t originally in their roadmap: the education sector, which brings us to our next point.
- Launching fast to engage users: Discovering which features users would pay for and what to prioritize on your roadmap traditionally takes a long time. Launching your app on a platform with an existing, engaged user community allows you to beta-test new ideas quickly rather than building your user base from scratch. After launching with Canva, the founders of Puppetry — an AI app that generates unique talking heads for Canva presentations — saw a 2,400% growth spike in just a few months.
Make Your App Layout a Delight To Navigate
When designing digital products, always consider your digital real estate. For example, apps on Canva live in a vertical side panel, so our apps’ best use of space is to arrange the content vertically and use grid layouts. Users will find it easier to navigate flows since functionality is exposed above the fold.
Arranging content vertically also provides adequate space between elements and reduces user frustration by enabling easy access to content. Consider it a win if it takes users less scrolling to get to where they want to be in your app. Plus, your layout will look more polished and organized
The great thing about using Canva’s APIs and SDK is that we’re already giving you the building blocks to delight our community. Don’t be shy — use them! Case in point: TypeGradient — proof that an app can become the key to unlocking a highly requested feature. Minds behind TypeGradient utilized the App UI Kit available to all Canva Developers, allowing the final product to look and feel like Canva, effectively reducing awkward context switching. Chances are, users will care less about where their favorite feature lives. What matters more is how the flow and user experience feel.
Get Creative in Guiding Users’ Actions — Leverage Color and Copy!
Your color selection guides the user’s intent, actions, and interactions if done right. For instance, you should use one color for all primary actions you want a user to complete and a secondary color for all other actions. Canva makes this easy by providing color variables within our UI Kit to ensure the palette stays consistent.
In the same vein, avoid using similar colors for different states. It’s important to differentiate between varying states in your app, such as error vs. accepted. Words are design, too, when bringing an app to life. Engage users with clear, descriptive, and concise copy that leads them through each flow. Use sentence case and the second-person perspective to make the copy more relatable, alongside decorative icons that make your app interface more user-friendly. Lastly, avoid using URLs in your copy. They not only look messy but also make your app appear less trustworthy.
Champion Accessibility and Inclusivity Across Your Product
Don’t underestimate the power of accessibility and inclusivity in driving growth through intentional design. Ensure colors remain accessible to a varied audience. For example, red and green may look the same to a color-blind user. Low-contrast colors may not be discernible for low-visibility users.
Keep accessibility at the top of your mind regarding wording, too. Stick with simple, action-inspiring language that looks good across various digital devices. Keep text scan-friendly — readability tools, as can our app reviewers, can help analyze your copy. Headers, subheads, call-to-actions, and hyperlinked texts are great ways to keep your copy scannable.
Partner With an App Development Platform That Specializes in a Visual-First Market
73% of business leaders spend more on visual communication tools than in previous years. Great visual design is no longer optional in a world where marketers must capture fleeting attention spans. Let good visuals help you stand out from the start.
What makes your business growth sustainable? Recognizing that developers don’t have to go through this journey alone. So, test and launch your ideas to a global audience, all while unlocking audiences you might have never considered before.
Successful apps are built through robust partnerships, from bringing early ideas to life to growing to their millionth user. Ensure that your strong idea is paired with inclusive and intentional design, and always be on the lookout for partners who share your values, nurture your vision, and have your back from build to launch.
There’s no map for building the future, but with access to the support and resources you need, you’ll quickly get your business out of beta.
