Visual Branding in Apps

Visual consistency just made my bus commute effortless. And most people won’t even notice why. Last night, traveling on a Chennai bus, I noticed something that made the entire ticketing experience work seamlessly. The bus number on the Chennai One app matches exactly with the physical sticker on the bus. Same font. Same style. Same visual weight. Look at “J0857” - it appears identical on my phone and on the bus door. I opened the app, saw the bus number, looked up, and instantly spotted my bus. No confusion. No second-guessing. They understood the user journey. You book a ticket on the app, then you need to find that specific bus in real life. Your brain is doing a visual match between screen and physical space. When the digital and physical use the same typography and design, recognition is instant. When they’re different, you waste time comparing, double-checking. What they did: → Same typography across digital and physical touchpoints → Consistent visual hierarchy - bus number is the hero in both → Clear, high-contrast design that works in low light → QR code and Chennai One branding present in both places This is design thinking in public transport. Instead of treating the app and physical signage as separate projects, they designed them as one connected experience. When users move between digital booking and physical boarding, the transition should feel natural. Good design removes friction at every touchpoint. Visual consistency isn’t just aesthetics - it’s functional design that makes daily commutes smoother. Simple consistency. Massive impact.

Cookie-cutter styling make your brand feel like an afterthought. 🥱 Generic fonts can make even the best apps look amateurish and disconnected from your company’s identity. Conversely, incorporating custom fonts into your Glide app ensures your design reflects your brand’s voice and values. This small tweak can transform a basic app into a professional, cohesive experience that resonates with users. Check out this brief tutorial where I walk you through a simple, step-by-step process to integrate custom Google Fonts into your Glide (glideapps.com) app using custom CSS. From choosing the perfect font to applying it across your app or styling specific components, this guide helps you create a polished, professional look that aligns with your brand. Steps Covered: 1️⃣ Choose your Google Font 2️⃣ Copy the font embed code 3️⃣ Paste it into Glide’s custom CSS 4️⃣ Apply the font across your app 5️⃣ Customize fonts for specific elements ⚠️ Key Tip: Skip compiled CSS to ensure your fonts display correctly! Use it for: → Consistent branding → Professional app design → Custom typography → Enhanced user experience What’s your favorite way to customize Glide apps? Share your tips in the comments! #NoCode #AppDesign #GoogleFonts #AppDevelopment #Branding #UI

The team at Platte River Analytics has been building dozens of Experience Builder apps over the past few months. One of the biggest tips we have for building customized apps is branding. Most organizations already have a set of branding guidelines — including hex codes for primary and tertiary colors, font choices, and logo usage. By applying these right at the start, you avoid the hassle of re-styling every widget later and ensure your application looks consistent and professional from day one. A strong global theme not only makes your app look polished, but also helps reinforce your client’s brand identity across maps, dashboards, and reporting tools. You can find the theme tools by clicking the Theme icon (painters palette), then Customize at the bottom, and then Advanced Color Setting. Hope this helps! #gis #esri #apps