If you are developing a web or mobile app, one of the things you need to do is explain your product. While screenshots can show how the interface works, they rarely “bring a product to life”. Furthermore, complex products can sometimes be hard to explain using only words and photography. This is where illustration comes in.
Use illustrations to make your startup product features more engaging and compelling, as well as help users understand the purpose of your new app or service.
When to use illustrations in your digital product?
Sometimes, there is nothing better than a picture to tell the whole story. Whether you want to elaborate on a complex feature or if you want to engage your audiences with visual elements, illustrations can be the key to success. Illustrations can be used in different ways in your digital product to help enhance the user experience. The first thing you have to decide is what purpose the illustration will serve.
Build up emotional connection
In the early stages of a startup, it’s critical that you build emotional connections with your users. This can be challenging because you have no brand equity and no brand recognition. Startups typically have to compete for attention with well-established brands, which have the advantage of being familiar to potential customers.
One way you can stand out from the competition is through illustration. Illustrations are a great way to differentiate your product from competitors’ products and build an emotional connection between your digital product and your customers.
Good illustrations can breathe life into a design. They can also add some fun and delight into your product when you want to congratulate your user or mark a special occasion. On the other hand, if your users are confused or frustrated with your digital product, think about using illustrations to help guide them through the experience.
Product features
When your product has a lot of features, consider adding illustrations to help the user focus on an area of your product. Using simple illustration or icon can help focus the user’s attention on a feature of your product, facilitating a better understanding of how a feature works. Use them in a smart way though, because too many embellishments may detract from your design or end up useless if the user eventually overlooks or ignores them.
Product onboarding or walkthrough
We all know the importance of onboarding screens in mobile applications. No matter how creative and compelling your product is, if your users have trouble understanding it or getting started you’ll probably lose a lot of them. An effective onboarding experience can help your first time users instantly know the core benefit of your app, feel good in using it, and understand what they can achieve using the app. By using illustration elements in your walkthrough story. It will set the mood for your product and create an emotional bridge that perfectly connects a user and a product at the very first steps.
Explain complicated content
Illustrations can help people understand a long text more easily than if the same content were included in written form. When your content is too long, and the text is not being read and understood, consider utilizing visuals to breathe some life into it.
Stand out from your competitors
Illustrations are memorable, engaging and pleasant to look at. Illustrations do not have to be limited to children’s books or comics. They can cover all sorts of topics, from technology and business to food, travel and entertainment. By using illustrations on your website or app, you can differentiate your brand and make it more enjoyable for visitors.
Illustrations can be used on websites to create an identity and convey a feeling that cannot be achieved with photos alone. Some companies use illustrations as a way to attract attention and distinguish themselves from other businesses in their industry. This is especially true for fast-moving industries like tech, where it can be hard for companies to stand out from their competitors. Illustrations also allow companies to communicate complex ideas in an easy-to-understand way.
Principles of using illustration
1. Simple but useful
Illustrations should be doing the work of explaining, not adding extra complexity or confusion. They should make an idea or concept easy to understand. Focusing on the clarity in your illustrations will ensure that your designs communicate clearly to your users. You want to make sure that your users understand what they’re looking at, so you should use people with the right action, elements, and colors when you’re creating your illustrations.
2. Be consistent with your brand style
Illustration is a creative way of communicating ideas and visually representing your brand. It puts your brand front and center, and makes it more memorable for customers.
Use your brand colors for the illustration. You’ll want to create an illustration style that fits your brand. One way to do this is by using the same colors as your logo, website and marketing materials so people will recognize you straight away. For example, if you have a green logo and website, you could use shades of green in your illustrations.
3. Be thoughtful
When you are designing an illustration for your startup product, be sensitive to the possible impact on users of all races, genders, and health situations. Creatively consider all possible outcomes before producing your illustration. This will help you come up with an illustration that is inclusive of your target audiences.
4. Create positive vibe
Illustrations should be both positive and aspirational. The illustrations that using on your website or mobile app should help users feel like your product is the way forward for them. Your users who feel positive will be more receptive to new features and functionality.
5. Be creative and personalized
The best illustrations are personalized. It means that they contain specifically chosen items and details that match the content of the website or mobile app, where they were used. The secret of illustration is to personalize your illustration as much as possible. If you create a product with a strong personality, it’s better to work on own illustrations.
Conclusion
Illustrations are more than just nice to have. They can help create a more dynamic and memorable experience for your users. The right illustration, positioned in the right ways, can reinforce the value and meaning of your digital product.
If you want to make your website or mobile app really stand out, but don’t have the budget to hire a professional illustrator, you can use Artitor — an online illustration creator, to create your own illustrations with over 1500+ elements. No drawing and software skills needed!
