It’s no secret that the future of the web is mobile, with growing numbers of consumers accessing data and information via smartphones and tablets on the move. Would your business be better served by an app, or a mobile-friendly website? We’d like to help you come to the right decision by comparing the two.

What’s it for?

• We still like our mobile browsers for shopping, searching and entertainment.
• Mobile apps are preferred for data management, navigation and entertainment.

Speed?

A mobile app is faster, more interactive and can integrate with all kinds of other phone features, but has to be installed to be useful. An app can tap into device functions not available to your website – such as the camera or GPS service – to provide a much richer user experience

A good mobile site, on the other hand, can simply be navigated to on a user’s whim. It’s usually cheaper to build a mobile site, and you don’t have to deal with any approval issues.

Maintenance

A mobile website can be updated via a CMS, possibly at the same time as your main website, and will be updated immediately.

An app update may need a developer and if there are significant changes, it may need to be resubmitted, leaving you with an 'out-of-date' app in the marketplace. But once approved it could automatically update on the user's device and provide a notification of the change, instigating further engagement.

Convenience

A mobile website needs to be connected to the internet… an app is available offline.

Who’d use it?

Apps are becoming ever more popular with internet users. Two years ago, they spent an average of twenty minutes more per day on browser-based sites than mobile apps. By the end of last year that relationship had inverted and mobile apps were outpacing browser-based sites by more than twenty minutes per day.

What does it say about me?

Smartphone users are a tech-savvy bunch and appealing to them can help with exposure in the world of social media. If you want them to see you as innovative and in touch with the latest technologies, an app’s the way to go.

Having an app says something positive about your brand. Being seen as innovative, or in touch with the latest technologies can help generate business and may influence decision making when seeking out products, or services. There is an expectation amongst the ever growing number of smartphone users that companies should have an app.

Does your competition have an app?

• Yes? Then you should too!
• No? Then this is your opportunity to get one step ahead of your competitors.

On a technical level an app can help give better service to mobile internet users. Having a mobile website is the first step, but an app can give a superior experience and make better use of limited mobile bandwidth. An app can open a new communication channel – providing the ability to push notifications directly to a user’s device.

Please contact us if you'd like to discuss whether you need an app, or a mobile website.