But yes, I understand that a decent app will have a professional icon. Though this app was more of an experiment in programming than a serious app.
My next app will have a professional icon and like I said, I have plans to do a joint venture with some designers and web developers to do a much more serious app with much more investment into marketing.
But I personally see nothing wrong with either the blue treble chef or the purple one with the multi-coloured stave. I compares decently with quite a few other icons. Though it's down to personal taste whether you ultimately like it or not.
Also just to note that I've seen a lot of apps that do well with bad icons but they have a lot of promotional spend. They would surely do better with a nicer icon.
Sorry to rain on the parade, but none of the icons are good enough to get your app sold...
Here are the points:
1) The icon does not spark interest (is it a funeral music app?...)
2) Too many tiny details (the colored lines will be lost when viewing on the device)
3) Lines are too thin (will be lost on device)
4) Colors are too dark
Trust me, what the majority of ppl in this thread told you - that's what your potential customers will think..
The times of selling apps with bad icons are over - the market is too saturated. Invest $40 in an icon/banner artist, your return will be greater.
The icon does not spark interest (is it a funeral music app?...)
It's obvious what it is by the title. Consumers are not that stupid. Most icons don't give the whole story. Many icons are very basic. The name of the app is what gives away the details.
Quote:
Too many tiny details (the colored lines will be lost when viewing on the device)
3) Lines are too thin (will be lost on device)
The lines show perfectly fine, even with 57x57. They look great on the iPhone screen, though this is with the retina I must point out.
$40 would be worth it if this was a serious enough app and those last two icons where not good but I think those last two icons are actually very decent.
Once again I know many will disagree.
I've looked at other music apps and the icons are all quite simple. Some have words and extra details in the icon but not all of them. It's almost impossible to figure out wether an app is a funeral music app or whatever else from just the icons.
Don't take it personally, in fact people are trying to let you know that the icons are not good and why, they are not making you a laughing stock...
It does not matter if this app is paid or free - you need to make people click on your icon.
2 HUGE rules:
1) People DONT read app names (they dont care), they SEE icons
2) Consumers are mob-STUPID
So, those rules run against your believes.
The 1st icon (light blue) in your last post is a step in the right direction, but I still have to force my eyes on it - 3 seconds and my eyes start to bleed...
Try put just the icon in front of you, without the app name, and ask yourself 3 questions (below or similar):
1) Is this a game or utility app?
2) What is it good for? (Music? But what does it do...)
3) Who will use this app? (Age, profession, etc..)
Can you answer all those questions just looking at that icon? I cannot...
Don't take it personally, in fact people are trying to let you know that the icons are not good and why, they are not making you a laughing stock...
I'm not taking anything personally, please be assured by that, even if people were trying to make me a "laughing stock" I don't care.
Quote:
2 HUGE rules:
1) People DONT read app names (they dont care), they SEE icons
2) Consumers are mob-STUPID
Remind me not to buy from you since I don't want to buy from anyone that assumes I am "mob-STUPID" as a consumer.
I think the app store charts disproves your statements here because, as I've said, many apps do fine without a icon designed for "mob-STUPID" consumers. Though icons should be representative of the app whee possible.
The problem with my ideas is that I usually do everything the opposite of most people. If most people look at icons first, it isn't the case with me. I want to know what the app is called. But I disagree with this idea that consumers are all "mob-STUPID" and you can get ideas for what icons should be by looking at the app charts.
Though if you want, you can show me some of your successful apps that have been designed for these "mob-STUPID" consumers and enlighten me. I would be delighted.
Thanks. Though this app, I should stress, was an experiment rather than anything geared to make money, though I will use one of the better icons such as that latest blue one.
If you're going to be an app designer, or any designer really, you're going to need to learn how to accept criticism. It's tough at first but you have to resist your instinct to take it personally and try to think objectively about whether or not some/all of it is true. This will apply to all parts of your app, icon included.
Don't take it personally, in fact people are trying to let you know that the icons are not good and why, they are not making you a laughing stock...
It does not matter if this app is paid or free - you need to make people click on your icon.
2 HUGE rules:
1) People DONT read app names (they dont care), they SEE icons
2) Consumers are mob-STUPID
So, those rules run against your believes.
The 1st icon (light blue) in your last post is a step in the right direction, but I still have to force my eyes on it - 3 seconds and my eyes start to bleed...
Try put just the icon in front of you, without the app name, and ask yourself 3 questions (below or similar):
1) Is this a game or utility app?
2) What is it good for? (Music? But what does it do...)
3) Who will use this app? (Age, profession, etc..)
Can you answer all those questions just looking at that icon? I cannot...
+1 - these are wise words.
I'm not sure I'd use the term mob-stupid but many are drawn to icons before they read the app name. Most, the biggest percentage of your prospective customers, don't read the entire list of apps before them, they are drawn to the icon, true.
If this is your app experiment, then why not take everyone's advise and go for it.
You have 3 key options available to you to try and sell ( or attract free downloads ) for your app.
1. Icon
2. Screenshots
3. Description - including all the meta etc
You should strive to make these the best they can be, equally as important as the app itself. Why spend all that time on an app then 2 minutes on an icon - it makes no sense to me.
The latest versions are indeed a huge improvement from the ones I saw that you initially posted.
I guess I owe a little explanation for the "mob-stupid" term I used. It was not used to offend anybody, but rather explain the crowd mentality.
Mobile consumers follow trends, they dont follow apps or app names. Only few developers with deep marketing pockets are able to establish a trend (after spending $100,000+ on marketing).
We did some experiments with trends in icons and I can tell you that when we slapped an "expensive" looking icon (professionally crafted like those from NOVA, Modern Combat, etc) on a very simple unpolished paid game, we saw a lot of sales, then we took it down to avoid damaging the brand.
One thing.. the choice of color is terrible. Use the color wheel to use something that wil draw the users eye in. Black background with purple.. just dont seem to match for me.
The original icons were a bit much, but the recent ones are much better. Of course, like you said somewhere above, the concept of randomness doesn't really carry through at all. Nonetheless, I think they're fine for the purpose that you've stated. (I've seen much worse.) If you can somehow incorporate randomness, say, perhaps with a spiraling 5-line design rather than the standard straight five lines, you might have something cool.
And don't worry about responding to every criticism. Most people find it easy to throw out criticism but not many are as good at providing how to improve something. I'd filter out the former and hold on to the latter.
Good luck!
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I guess I owe a little explanation for the "mob-stupid" term I used. It was not used to offend anybody, but rather explain the crowd mentality.
Mobile consumers follow trends, they dont follow apps or app names. Only few developers with deep marketing pockets are able to establish a trend (after spending $100,000+ on marketing).
I know, certainly didn't offend me - I fully agree with everything you said.
I am glad you are not offended by everyone being so candid. I assume you prefer honest replies.
You answered that you basically don't care and that you are going ahead regardless of what we think.....So why did you ask us then?
Anyway, I am the Queen of poor icons, so I consider myself well and truly qualified to repeat, that all of the images you have put in this thread are a waste of your time and a waste of the app store space and leaves me wondering what you really wanted. Hey ho, I shall not mull over it any longer and go and focus on my own icons.
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