When developing a viral app, bear in mind that the Graphic User Interface (or GUI) is as important as the app’s name or logo because ultimately it is an essential part of the user experience itself.The principle behind a viral app is that the user can share it with his friends once he likes it. Likewise his friends will also be able to spread the app further to their own peers, hence the expression “viral”.
However a user will only "disseminate" an app if he enjoys it, in other words, if the user experience is pleasant. Here are a few tips to win the hearts and souls of your users:
1- The GUI must be friendly, easy-to-use and intuitive
2- Its graphic motif must appeal to the target audience
3- The Millennium generation demands a fresh, more edgy, web 2.0 look’n’feel
4- The GUI must include sharing, tell-a-friend and add-a-friend features
The image above shows Odigo, an IM developed in the 90s, when ICQ was a leader and much before Microsoft had its Windows Live Messenger.
Odigo's GUI was created based on the idea of a handheld such as a Palm or a Blackberry. It included radar where you could see who was online, interest-based filters and user ID cards with avatars besides other interesting features, including a rudimentary "tell-a-friend".
If you are unacquainted to the subject and would like to understand what GUIs are, click here for a thorough explanation. If you are developing or would like to enhance a viral app, as always I suggest hiring a Marketing/ Communications expert.
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