Q&A What are the advantages of a mobile app over a mobile website?

Q&A What are the advantages of a mobile app over a mobile website?

Well first things first, websites and apps may serve different purposes. If this is the case, then we are comparing apples to oranges.

So the short answer to whether you should develop a mobile app or a website will ultimately depend on your end goal.

Before we go any further let’s make things really clear. As you may know already, mobiles apps are specifically designed to be used on mobile devices such as phones and tablets only. Mobile websites are websites that have been created to be highly responsive to the screen size used so that they can be run on both desktop computers and mobile devices without any major page layout issues. Having said all of that, here are some benefits and advantages that come with your customers using a specifically designed app for your business.

1. Access online and offline

Unlike like websites, mobile apps usually don’t need the internet to operate. Mobile apps store their data locally on the mobile phone or tablet so the data is retrieved much quicker than a website. This is because a website loads its data from a server and this depends on the speed of the internet that you are connected to. Mobile websites do cannot operate if your internet is down or if reception is poor. So in this case, it’s a definite win for mobile apps over mobile websites.

2. Higher customer engagement

There are a number of reasons why mobile apps can capture your customers with a higher level of engagement. One reason is that users associate particular tasks with particular apps. This will eventually build habits linked with the app itself. The accessibility of the app and its predetermined UX focus will help users to build good habits of using your business.

3. Features that website don’t offer

Mobile apps tend to have higher interactions. Although this is changing, traditionally, websites have resorted to building their websites with blocks of text and static images. Mobile apps offer a larger range of interactive and dynamic elements which can make your customers enjoy the experience of the app as well as greater functionality. A non-exhaustive list of these features include using the phone camera for QC scanning, using the GPS for google maps and other services, fingerprint scanning, different applications for compass use etc.

4. User preference

Studies show that customers prefer Native mobile platforms over mobile websites. So, if you are a small business or an mature enterprise looking to be customer-focused, you should at least consider whether creating a mobile app development will be a more effective method of reaching your customers.

Disadvantages of Mobile Apps

1. Initial stages of mobile apps can be expensive to develop

2. It takes longer to develop mobile apps

3. Mobile apps may need to be developed in different platforms

An Illustration

Having a mobile app will also naturally boost your marketing position in the industry. For example, imagine two comparable Laundry services. Both businesses offer identical services and have the target market. Say that Business A had a website with basic information such as Opening hours and contact details. Let’s now say that Business B has a mobile app that can help customers book their services and get notifications once their clothes are ready to be picked up.  In this case, the second business has increased the value of their business by providing higher convenience to their customers. They have created another channel by which customers can approach the business. Having a dedicated mobile app can also be a means to increase engagement with younger age groups. This was just a simple illustration but I hope you were able to think about how powerful tools mobiles apps are and think about how your business would operate more effectively with your very own mobile app.

In Summary

I have discussed some of the pros and cons of mobiles app over mobile website. Developing mobiles apps can be expensive to create but there are many benefits that mobile websites cannot offer. For your business to have a greater online presence, many businesses are turning to creating both mobile websites and apps. Having both platforms covers all ground and helps increase the chances of business exposure and higher conversion rates.